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Tag: Contract

  • From advertising ace to entrepreneurial ace: Ambalika Sen charts a bold new course

    From advertising ace to entrepreneurial ace: Ambalika Sen charts a bold new course

    MUMBAI: One of Indian advertising’s sharpest advertising minds is switching gears. After a 16-year career spanning heavyweights like JWT, Contract, Taproot Dentsu, and Tilt Brand Solutions, Ambalika Sen has hung up her agency boots to launch into the entrepreneurial fast lane.

    Now managing partner at Fundamental, the newly minted venture based in Mumbai, she is eyeing a future built on sharper strategic partnerships, brand management excellence, and a strong dose of independent thinking.
    At the same time, she’s staying firmly rooted in nurturing talent — moonlighting as a guest faculty at the prestigious Xavier’s Institute of Communication, where she teaches Business Management in Advertising to the next wave of ad mavens.

    Before stepping into the startup world, Ambalika’s career reads like a best-of list of Indian advertising. Across her career, the through-line has been clear: client-first thinking, relentless business-building, and a gift for weaving culture into commerce.

    While advertising has been the bedrock, Ambalika’s recent years have also seen her expand into cultural consulting — working as an independent business advisor with youth-driven brand Homegrown since 2020.
    With Fundamental, Ambalika is betting on a hybrid future — where brand-building meets cultural fluency, and strategic partnership is as important as creative spark.

  • DDB Tribal north strengthens team with Ashna Nandrajog and Mohini Varma

    DDB Tribal north strengthens team with Ashna Nandrajog and Mohini Varma

    MUMBAI: DDB Mudra Group has announced a boost at DDB Tribal north, appointing Ashna Nandrajog as senior vice president – business and Mohini Varma as executive vice president – planning. This strategic move aims to fuel growth, creativity, and innovation.

    Nandrajog, a 20-year industry veteran, has worked with global brands like Bata, Ford, and Maruti Suzuki at top agencies including Contract, FCB Ulka, Ogilvy, and Publicis Capital. Her passion for travel and family fuels her dynamic approach to brand-building.

    Varma, an award-winning strategist and former NDTV correspondent, has shaped brand narratives for Netflix, Google, and Pepsico while working at Toaster, FCB, and JWT. She holds a Gold APAC Effie for impactful campaigns that drive real-world change.

    DDB Tribal president Ashutosh Sawhney said, “We’re scaling new heights, pushing boundaries, and hungrier than ever. The industry thrives on exceptional talent, and in Nandrajog and Varma, we’ve found the perfect blend of fire and maturity to capitalize on the immense opportunities before us, delivering outstanding work for our clients and building formidable teams.”

    Nandrajog said, “In an era of rapid digital transformation, DDB Mudra Group stands out for its integrated approach. I’m thrilled to join a company that champions brand building through impactful creativity and delivers holistic solutions across its diverse businesses. I’m eager to contribute to DDB’s continued growth and success.”

    Mohini Varma added, “At DDB, we believe in emotionally resonant creativity, rooted in deep human insights, that transform brands, markets, and culture. In a world where attention is a premium, genuine insights are paramount. I’m excited to co-author the next chapter of growth for our dynamic brands.”

    With two powerhouse leaders on board, DDB Tribal north is poised for an exciting phase of creative excellence and strategic expansion.
     

  • Asian Paints launches campaign to promote new offering

    Asian Paints launches campaign to promote new offering

    Mumbai: Asian Paints has come up with a fresh campaign to promote its latest luxury offering, Royale Glitz. Conceptualized by Contract, the quirky ad-film features brand ambassador Deepika Padukone.  

    With a modern rendition of the classic song ‘Baar Baar Dekho’ playing in the background and tongue-in-cheek humour, the TVC shows how the new paint steals the spotlight from Padukone during a photo-shoot, leaving her visibly bemused. The 50-second #StealYourSpotlight campaign also highlights the stain-resistant feature of Royale Glitz.   

    Commenting on the launch of the new product and the campaign, Asian Paints – MD & CEO, Amit Syngle, said, “Consumers today are looking for that ‘X factor’ in their home interiors; something that will create a memorable and definitive impact while enhancing the beauty and glamour quotient of their home. This is what we bring to our customers with the new Asian Paints Royale Glitz interior luxury paint. The campaign conveys the same thought through our quirky and stylish TVC. We are happy to be working with Deepika once again on this ad, the concept and treatment of which is quite different from the ones she has done previously with the brand.”

    Royale Glitz comes in a range of designer shades under the exclusively curated ‘Royale Designer Palette’. Inspired by the heartland story of India, these shades carry names such as Chutney green, Calcutta rains, and Coromandel Indigo which reflect Indian culture.

  • Virat Tandon roped in as Mullen Lintas CEO

    Virat Tandon roped in as Mullen Lintas CEO

    MUMBAI: Creative agency Mullen Lintas, which will officially launch on 1 August, 2015 has appointed Virat Tandon as its CEO. 

     

    Tandon will return to India after a three year stint with Mullen Lowe Group in Singapore where he was global business director for the Unilever brands Lifebuoy and Fair & Lovely.

     

    A part of the network for over a decade, Tandon first joined Lowe Lintas at its New Delhi office in 2004 and has undertaken numerous senior and leadership roles in the agency. A Unilever veteran of over 10 brands and 60+ countries, he has worked in India on clients including Maruti Suzuki, Nestle, Dominos, Sony Audio and Dabur among others. 

     

    Prior to joining Lowe Lintas, he worked with WPP agencies Rediffusion, Grey and Contract.

     

    Tandon said, “Mullen Lintas is born ahead of the curve and intends to remain a mash-up of the enduring and the emerging. Our founding team has the pedigree and the class of massive brand-successes under their belt. Big agencies are today, dealing with the new marketing landscape and adapting their offerings to it. Our advantage is that Mullen Lintas has no such baggage and that allows us to leap-frog this need to change and adapt. We understand that a great brand needs a great narrative that flows seamlessly through screens, experiences, shopping environments and conversations. We will equip ourselves to play a pivotal role for our brands.”

     

    Also joining the Mullen Lintas leadership team is Shriram Iyer, who takes on the role of national creative director. 

     

    Iyer said, “A great ambition for the agency and a wonderful team to work with, I am excited about what we can create. Our approach to enriching our capabilities is what we call ‘core plus one’. While we continue to practice our core skill sets, we will commit ourselves to adding people who bring with them a +1 skill or area of expertise. We believe this is critical and makes us ‘present ready’.”

     

    Currently ECD and creative head for the Delhi offices of Lowe Lintas, Iyer moves to Mumbai in this new role. He has been with the group since 1998 and has played various roles in the creative team at Lowe Lintas’ Mumbai and Delhi offices.

     

    Headquartered in Mumbai, the new agency will have offices in New Delhi (NCR) and Bengaluru.

     

    Mullen Lowe Lintas Group group CEO Joseph George said, “India has birthed several big brands over the last two decades. However, for a long time, the top agency brands have remained largely unchanged. Mullen Lintas is a product of the evolving marketing landscape, and with our “big agency” ambition, we intend to partner brands whose ambitions are driven by a passionate pursuit of leadership by presenting ourselves as a compelling challenger to the likes of Lowe Lintas, Ogilvy and JWT.”

     

    Mullen Lintas chairman and CCO Amer Jaleel concluded, “Virat has been a great business partner to me in managing the global mandate on Lifebuoy, and Shriram has been a driving force behind what Lowe Lintas Delhi has achieved in the past few years. I thoroughly enjoy working with both of them and couldn’t have asked for better friends to the start the Mullen Lintas journey with.”

  • DDB Mudra South & East appoints Tejali Shete, Ajay Menon as senior creative directors

    DDB Mudra South & East appoints Tejali Shete, Ajay Menon as senior creative directors

    MUMBAI: DDB Mudra South and East has appointed Tejali Shete and Ajay Menon as senior creative directors. The duo will be based out of the agency’s Bengaluru office. 

     

    With over a decade of experience in the creative communications industry, Shete joins DDB Mudra from Grey Worldwide and a short stint at Leo Burnett, Kuala Lumpur. Shete has worked with agencies including Contract, Lowe Lintas, Ogilvy & Mather, Creativeland Asia, and Percept/H.

     

    On the other hand, Menon joins DDB Mudra from JWT Chennai where he was senior creative director & AVP. With over 16 years of experience, Menon has worked at Orchard in Mumbai, JWT in Chennai and Saatchi in Bengaluru.

     

    Shete said, “Joining DDB Mudra South and East was an easy decision for me, considering their diverse brand portfolio that carries immense potential, the quality of talent and a young and energetic team. Besides, I am excited to work with Sonal Dabral, whose work I have been following since the days when I was cutting my teeth in advertising. He has fostered an excellent balance between creative excellence and focus on client success at DDB Mudra, which would help us as a team to achieve laurels on national as well as international platforms.”

     

    Menon added, “Back in Bengaluru after nine years, coming to DDB Mudra is in many ways, a homecoming. This agency offers some great things – strong leadership, an emphasis on creativity, an open culture, a terrific team and great brands. In other words, all the necessary elements to create great advertising. It’s an opportunity that no creative guy looking to making an impact will pass.”

     

    DDB Mudra South & East president Ranji Cherian said, “I am delighted to have Tejali Shete & Ajay Menon join our team at DDB Mudra South and East. They come in with solid experience and strong body of work to showcase. They are extremely talented and nice to work with and fit into our DDB culture that prioritizes creativity & humanity. I am confident that their contribution will take our agency to greater heights.”

  • Goa Fest: JWT India leads metal tally, Linen Lintas wins solitary Grand Prix

    Goa Fest: JWT India leads metal tally, Linen Lintas wins solitary Grand Prix

    GOA: As the third and final day of Abby Awards Goa Fest came to an end, metals galore were distributed amongst creative souls across various categories.

     

    “With a beach 50 meters away and beers available 24 hours, having more than 70 per cent filled rooms in all the sessions signifies that Goa Fest 2015 was a success,” says AAAI president M.G. Parameswaran

     

    Goa Fest 2015 saw a versatile group of speakers, charming and ecstatic ambience, and allusive advertisements played one after another. The creative minds enjoyed their time collecting one metals after another for different categories. The third day saw 29 Golds, 51 Silvers and 94 Bronze bestowed amongst the creative lot.

     

    Though Goa Fest organizational committee does not publish any agency ratings, if the metal tally is analysed JWT India with 35 metals (nine golds, eight silvers and 18 bronze) bags the pole position. The solitary Grand Prix was won by Linen Lintas for Dabur Vatika Premium Naturals Shampoo’s Brave and Beautiful campaign. 

     

    The number of Grand Prix though got down from three in 2014 to one in 2015. The total number of metals went up to 344 (69 Golds, 102 Silver and 172 Bronze) compared to last year’s 336. The Advertising Club and chairman of the Awards Governing Council (AGC) Pratap Bose said, “You have to do something unique and extraordinary in order to win a Grand Prix and the jury found only one such entry and hence we have only one Grand Prix in 2015.” 

     

    The total number of golds went up to 69 compared to 50 and 44 in 2014 and 2013 respectively.     

     

    The number of agencies winning Abby metals has also gone up, which is an encouraging development for the creative fraternity. A total of 106 agencies won metals in 2015 compared to 85 and 73 in 2014 and 2013 respectively. The number of entries were also an encouragement for the organizing committee as it went up from 2012 to 2823. However it must be noted that in 2013, 4376 entries were registered for the same festival.

     

    The highest number of golds were distributed in the broadcast category as 14 metals were distributed in the category. With 40 metals OOH grabbed the pole position when it came to the total number of metals amongst all categories. 

     

    Click here to read the full winner list

    Click here to read the full winner list 

    Click here to read the full winner list

  • Rana Barua promoted as the CEO of Contract Advertising

    Rana Barua promoted as the CEO of Contract Advertising

    Mumbai: Rana Barua has been elevated as the CEO of Contract India.

     

    Rana who is currently travelling will take charge with immediate effect.

     

    His elevation as the CEO is in recognition of the stability and growth that Contract has had in the last one year.  He has been able to successfully build a team of some of the finest talent in the industry, along with winning several new businesses for the agency and enhancing existing client relations.

     

    Announcing the development, JWT South Asia CEO Colvyn Harris said, “In Rana, we have a leader who has very ably carried the mantle of leading Contract to a renewed position of power that has made the agency a destination of choice for brands and talent.”

     

    Over the last twelve months, Rana has driven Contract’s diversification across mainstream, digital, design and other platforms of engagement marketing to ensure the best value proposition for clients.

  • Mirinda renews endorsement contract with Asin

    Mirinda renews endorsement contract with Asin

    MUMBAI: Her perky persona in the Mirinda ad not just made the ad snazzy but Asin a face of the brand. Now, the actor, who has been endorsing Mirinda for over eight years, has been signed on to represent the soft drink brand for two more years. The deal was recently renewed as the gorgeous star is all set to take the brand’s notion of fun and pagalpanti to the next level.

     

    This deal would make this a 10-year association of the soft drink brand and Asin, something that no actor has managed to achieve this far in the soft drink section.

     

    A source from the brand comments: “Mirinda has extended its association with Asin with a renewal of contract which speaks highly of the kind of professional she is. No other artist has been a brand ambassador for any brand for such a long period of time. The landmark 10 years is an exemplary reestablishment of the kind of brand value Asin has brought to Mirinda.”

     

    Asin commented: “It is always great to be part of such fun-filled campaigns by Mirinda.. I’m sure the viewers will love this fresh dose of absolute fun and pagalpanti.”

  • Contract Bengaluru gets a new ECD in Manoj Jacob

    Contract Bengaluru gets a new ECD in Manoj Jacob

    MUMBAI: Contract Advertising has got a new executive creative director (ECD) for its Bengaluru office. It has hired Manoj Jacob, who has worked with the company earlier as well and joins back after a gap of six years. Jacob will be reporting to Contract Advertising NCD Ashish Chakravarty and would also work in partnership with Monojit Ray who recently joined Contract as the Bengaluru head.

    Prior to joining Contract, Manoj ran his own creative consultancy firm, where he worked with clients such as Nova Specialty Surgery, Apollo Hospitals, Simply South Restaurant and Abs Fitness among others.

    “I am very happy to have Manoj on board as the ECD of our Bangalore office. He is extremely passionate about his craft, very driven, and a hands-on kind of leader. Having worked with him in the past, I won’t be surprised if he dives straight into the deep end from day 1 itself.  It is a challenging role, but I am positive he will shine,” said Chakravarty.

    Manoj comes with an experience of 17 years and has worked with O&M, McCann Erickson, Satchi & Satchi, Euro RSCG, orchard, Publicis Ambience and Bates over the course of his career. He has also handled some of leading brands across verticals such as IBM, Air Deccan, Cavin Kare, Mitsubishi Motors, Wipro Consumer Care and Weekender.

    On his coming back to Contract, Manoj said, “It’s an awesome new team, across disciplines, that is getting together at Contract Advertising and I’m very happy to be a part of it.”

    Manoj’s work has won him a lot acclaim and rewards both nationally and internationally from Cannes to New York festival to winning at AD Spot Non Profit Awards, Italy and the Bangalore Ad Club awards.