Tag: Dheeraj Sinha

Leo Burnett India wins creative mandate for Cholayil’s flagship brands

MUMBAI: Leo Burnett India has won the creative mandate for Cholayil’s flagship brands Medimix, Cuticura, and Krishna Thulasi for its entire existing product portfolio and future launches. The new business was won after a multi-agency pitch. Leo Burnett India’s Mumbai office will look after the brands.

Speaking about partnering Leo Burnett India, Cholayil Private Ltd CMD Pradeep Cholayil said, “Medimix is a heritage Ayurvedic brand which is turning 50 next year. The brand stands for its Ayurvedic goodness and efficacy and has a good connect with its users. We are very strong in the Western region with good footprints in a few north markets. The consumer today has realised the significance of Ayurveda and is slowly shifting from cosmetic products to natural products. We believe that it is the right time for us to expand our presence in the Northern and Eastern markets by leveraging this trend. Today, Medimix has become a global brand with a presence in close to 30 countries. We intend to increase our market share in our core markets and expand into new territories. Apart from expansion, we have plans of bringing in new products under the Medimix portfolio in both domestic and international markets.”

He further added, “Given this objective and our aggressive plans for the future, we had called for a pitch and ultimately chose to go with Leo Burnett India. We liked their creative approach, the quick understanding of the category and of the brand’s objective. Leo Burnett India not just brings its rich expertise of understanding various markets but also provides a young, fresh perspective to the brand. We believe they can partner us very well in our efforts to take Medimix to a new pedestal at a global level in the most effective and integrated way."

Cholayil Private Ltd marketing head Ashish Ohlyan said, “The personal care category in India is gradually moving towards Ayurvedic and natural products. We have a heritage brand with strong equity in Ayurveda and trust of 50 years. The growing penchant for natural and Ayurvedic products gives us an opportunity to expand our presence across markets. To connect well with consumers in new markets, we have a task of making our Ayurvedic offering relevant for all age groups. We also intend to enter new categories. I am confident that our association with Leo Burnett India is a key step towards taking the brand to new pinnacles with the right positioning and communication.”

Leo Burnett MD – India and chief strategy officer, South Asia Dheeraj Sinha said, “Medimix has very strong equity in personal care. India is witnessing a big revival of interest in Ayurveda and its solutions. With the equity of Medimix and the current megatrend in favour of our indigenous solutions, I am sure Medimix will gain further mind and market share. As the partner agency, we will be thinking of the brand narrative in a way that it keeps the brand contemporary and talks to its audience through various media choices available today.”

Added Leo Burnett India chief operating officer – west Rakesh Hinduja said, “We are keenly looking forward to partner the journey of this precious legacy brand. Medimix has strong equity in various pockets of India and our ambition is to create an unparalleled connect across India. With Leo Burnett’s innovation-oriented and culture context approach, backed by the Power of One, we aim to achieve leadership with newer category benchmarks and work for brand Medimix across the communications ecosystem.”

January 23, 2019
Welspun Group hires Leo Burnett India as creative agency for flooring biz

MUMBAI: Leo Burnett India has won the creative mandate of flooring vertical of Welspun Group, following a multi-agency pitch. The agency’s Mumbai office will look after the business.

Leo Burnett MD – India and chief strategy officer – South Asia Dheeraj Sinha said, “We have a big opportunity here with the Welspun Group in building a power brand that delivers discontinuous business impact for the flooring solutions business. We are excited about the innovations that the group has across its offerings. We need to work on behaviour change and our Humankind philosophy is helping us navigate this. We are extremely excited about this relationship and we look forward to creating long-term business success for Welspun.”

Leo Burnett India executive director and branch head – Mumbai Rakesh Hinduja said, “We are looking forward to increasing Welspun’s visibility in the flooring market with our strong strategy and creative-led approach. The brand exists in a complex and competitive ecosystem, and that makes our journey ahead an exciting challenge. There is much to explore in the category and we look forward to partnering with Welspun in creating meaningful and engaging work.”

Welspun Flooring chief marketing officer Meraj Hasan said, “To use a clichéd phrase, the idea at Welspun Flooring is to catalyse a 'paradigm shift' when it comes to do or change your flooring. We are looking at a behavioural change from the Indian consumer. Flooring can be easy, exciting, colourful and modular. We called for the top agencies to present their ideas. The strategic, as well as the creative solutions that team Leo Burnett presented, are solid and holistically crafted to achieve category leadership in line with our product and service offering. They are based on the proven humankind approach and are integrated in their essence. And here we are together in this partnership.”

January 9, 2019
Leo Burnett India appoints Ankit Singh as Senior Vice President, Strategy

December 20, 2018: Leo Burnett India has recently made a key addition to its strategy team. The agency has appointed Ankit Singh as its Senior Vice President, Strategy. He will be based out of Gurugram and will report to Dheeraj Sinha, MD – India & Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia, Leo Burnett. Ankit’s last stint was with BBH India as Strategy Director.

Ankit’s appointment comes at a time when Leo Burnett India is in the midst of great momentum. Bringing in top talent to keep fueling this growth is one of its main priorities. Ankit will contribute to, and harness, Leo Burnett India’s already robust strategic planning discipline to effectively solve clients’ business problems.

Speaking about bringing Ankit on board, Dheeraj Sinha said, “Leo Burnett India has always had a big focus on strategy. We are committed to bringing the best talent on board. Ankit is extremely diligent and one of the sharpest strategists that I have worked with. He has a direct pulse on the consumer and is totally brand-focused. We have great momentum in our Gurugram office and I am sure Ankit will add to the energy. I look forward to some great work.”

Apart from BBH India, Ankit has also worked at Leo Burnett Orchard and Grey Worldwide, amongst other agencies. He is a widely celebrated strategic planner, having done his most effective and memorable work for brands such as Tinder, The Indian Army, Uber, JK Tyre, Philips, Blackberry Mobiles, Ferrero, Nestle, Saridon and Vaseline.

Speaking about his new role, Ankit said, “These are exciting times at Leo Burnett India.The agency is exuding great energy and momentum on the back of the ‘Power of One’ philosophy. I am looking forward to being a part of it. I see this as an opportunity to create some great pieces of Humankind work that deliver brand growth while keeping ‘people’ at their centre.”

December 20, 2018
Leo Burnett promotes Rakesh Hinduja as COO, West

MUMBAI: Leo Burnett has promoted Rakesh Hinduja to chief operating officer, West.

He will continue reporting to Dheeraj Sinha MD India and chief strategy officer, South Asia and RajDeepak Das MD India and CCO, South Asia.

Rakesh has been leading Leo Burnett’s head office Mumbai’s operations as the executive director and branch head.

Speaking about the elevation, Dheeraj Sinha says, “Rakesh is the perfect role model for the new-age agency we are building. His leadership on all the three parameters of people, product and profit has been stellar. Under his watch, we have consistently seen spectacular work that has won our brands market-share, and glory at platforms such as Cannes Lions, Spikes and Effies. He has delivered high-quality growth for the Mumbai office, leading the teams to win a new business almost every two weeks. The momentum and buzz at Leo Burnett Mumbai are palpable. Rakesh has been an amazing team player, helping push the Publicis Groupe’s Power of One agenda.”

In his new role, Hinduja will drive the Power of One agenda for Leo Burnett in the West. He will help build cross-platform solutions for our clients using our services in Entertainment (Publicis Entertainment), Content (Content Factory), Experiential (Arc Worldwide), Production (Prodigious), Digital (Indigo Consulting and Digitas) and Media (Zenith Optimedia, Ecosys and Beehive). He will lead all the functions of Leo Burnett Mumbai to create world-class work, build a high growth business and create a culture where people come to do the best work of their lifetime.

Commenting on Rakesh’s promotion, Rajdeepak Das adds, “Rakesh is always there, backing great creative work and making integrated thinking happen for our clients. He has been an essential part of the journey to get where we are today. This elevation is much-deserved and will take all of us to greater heights.”

Talking about his promotion, Rakesh Hinduja mentions, “I am happy with my journey at Leo Burnett – a new-age, solution-providing ‘Wave 3’ agency. I’m proud of the brave work we have done and I am hungry for more. Hereon, there are a lot of exciting things to do and in quick time. I want to take a critical pause here to thank all our clients and the Burnetters for their belief in me.”

November 1, 2018
Leo Burnett elevates Dheeraj Sinha, Rajdeepak Das as MDs

MUMBAI: Advertising agency Leo Burnett India has announced two key elevations in its senior leadership. Dheeraj Sinha and Rajdeepak Das have been named as managing directors.

Both currently serve as the chief strategy officer and chief creative officer at Leo Burnett South Asia, respectively. The duo will continue to be based out of Mumbai and will report into Publicis Communications India CEO Saurabh Varma. Their new roles are in addition to their current responsibilities.

In his new mandate, Sinha will be responsible for the agency’s revenue growth, in addition to heading its strategic and planning output. Das’ new role will see him leverage Leo Burnett’s humankind philosophy in order to elevate Burnett’s creative product.

Speaking about his promotion, Sinha says, “I am looking forward to leading Leo Burnett at possibly the best time that the agency has ever had. Our success at Cannes Lions last year — being the only agency to win for innovation and effectiveness — is a good framing of our agency ambition. As a chief strategy officer, in various jobs across Asia, I have been deeply involved in the business aspect of the agency over the last decade. I am now looking forward to running the business hands-on. I am fortunate to have Raj’s partnership and Saurabh’s backing in my new role.”

Das adds to this, “I am incredibly proud of where Leo Burnett’s creative output stands today. The last three years have been a great journey. We have turned our agency into one of the youngest and most dynamic creative companies in the region. Having said that, I believe we are only as good as our last piece of creative work. There is so much more to take on and achieve and I can’t think of a better partner than Dheeraj to take on my new responsibilities with.”

Speaking about the development, Varma says, “Four years back we started on an incredible journey as a team. We challenged every rule book, every status quo. We wanted to create ‘Wave Three’ where engagement, experience and utility would be celebrated as much as a piece of content. We wanted to create a maker culture. In this period, Indigo Consulting became a digital powerhouse. We launched Arc Worldwide and made it one of the leading experiential agencies, and built Prodigious into one of the finest production houses in India. We created epic work and had great fun doing it.”

He further adds, “Leo Burnett now needs a new chapter. The ‘power of one’ has given Leo Burnett access to the best specialist operations in the country. Backed by the expertise of Indigo, Arc, Prodigious MSLGroup and Publicis.Sapient, the agency is now in the best position to partner our clients’ businesses. Raj and Dheeraj have, together, transformed Leo Burnett India into the formidable force it is today. They have always led from the front and it is the right time to acknowledge the role they already play. Our collective ambition remains the same; to be the best in the world, bar none.”

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April 18, 2018
Leo Burnett India shines at WARC Prize 2016

MUMBAI: The Leo Burnett Group has shone at 2016 edition of the WARC Prize for Asian Strategy. Leo Burnett India and Orchard Advertising (a Leo Burnett agency) pick up an award each. The WARC awards uphold and celebrate breakthrough strategic thinking that drives businesses, in Asia, and have awarded a total of 17 cases this year.

Orchard Advertising (a part of the Leo Burnett Group) brought home a well-deserved Silver for its campaign for Amazon ‘Show Me More’ (Aur Dikhao). Additionally, Leo Burnett brought in a Bronze for its revolutionary campaign for the Bajaj V’s ‘The Nation’s Bike’ campaign.

Leo Burnett south Asia chief strategy officer Dheeraj Sinha said, “Our work for Amazon has emanated from truly Indian insight of seeking more choices whether it’s the process of selecting a groom through arranged marriage or buying consumer products. The campaign has helped Amazon, a global brand, build local familiarity and connect.

The work on Bajaj V stands out because the marketing idea is embedded in the product. The bike is a symbol of pride for the youth of the country, especially in a context when so much is under question in the country. And it’s not just an ad campaign, it’s a real product. That’s what makes it stand out.”

Leo Burnett south Asia chief creative officer Raj Deepak Das expressed his elation thus, “Both the award-winning campaigns are stellar examples of work that upholds our Humankind philosophy. That Amazon and Bajaj make for wonderful, supportive clients is a very vital plus and speaks of the great client-agency relationship we share.”

November 5, 2016
Leo Burnett India shines at WARC Prize 2016

MUMBAI: The Leo Burnett Group has shone at 2016 edition of the WARC Prize for Asian Strategy. Leo Burnett India and Orchard Advertising (a Leo Burnett agency) pick up an award each. The WARC awards uphold and celebrate breakthrough strategic thinking that drives businesses, in Asia, and have awarded a total of 17 cases this year.

Orchard Advertising (a part of the Leo Burnett Group) brought home a well-deserved Silver for its campaign for Amazon ‘Show Me More’ (Aur Dikhao). Additionally, Leo Burnett brought in a Bronze for its revolutionary campaign for the Bajaj V’s ‘The Nation’s Bike’ campaign.

Leo Burnett south Asia chief strategy officer Dheeraj Sinha said, “Our work for Amazon has emanated from truly Indian insight of seeking more choices whether it’s the process of selecting a groom through arranged marriage or buying consumer products. The campaign has helped Amazon, a global brand, build local familiarity and connect.

The work on Bajaj V stands out because the marketing idea is embedded in the product. The bike is a symbol of pride for the youth of the country, especially in a context when so much is under question in the country. And it’s not just an ad campaign, it’s a real product. That’s what makes it stand out.”

Leo Burnett south Asia chief creative officer Raj Deepak Das expressed his elation thus, “Both the award-winning campaigns are stellar examples of work that upholds our Humankind philosophy. That Amazon and Bajaj make for wonderful, supportive clients is a very vital plus and speaks of the great client-agency relationship we share.”

November 5, 2016
Leo Burnett’s digital agency Indigo Consulting appoints Devang Raiyani

MUMBAI: Leo Burnett Group’s specialized digital agency Indigo Consulting has appointed Devang Raiyani as its national head of strategy. Raiyani will report to Leo Burnett South Asia chief strategy officer Dheeraj Sinha.

In his new role, Raiyani will be responsible for working with the management team to carve out a differentiated offering in an increasingly crowded digital space, and leverage digital not just as a media channel, but also as a tool to solve business problems. He will work closely with Navin Kansal, National Creative Director, Indigo Consulting.

Welcoming the agency’s newest key hire, Sinha said, “Devang has a fantastic ability to weave through culture, technology and data to arrive at business solutions. He is an entrepreneur at heart and brings tremendous action orientation to strategic thinking. I am extremely happy to have Devang on board as a part of the strategy team at the Leo Burnett Group. I am certain that his ability and energy will push Indigo consulting to greater heights.”

Devang’s strengths lie in building core propositions for brands and businesses, and designing long term IP beyond campaigns. His thought pieces have been featured in publications like The Hindu Business Line and The Financial Express, among others. His current area of focus is delivering ROI on brands’ content and social efforts.

From bridging the gap between content and commerce with technology to building ad tech products and helping start specialist practices at advertising agencies, Devang has worn many hats across agencies and startups. In his previous stint as Head of Product Strategy with Advocacy Asia, he led the development of the company’s gamified engagement platform.

Kansal further added, “Devang is among the rare breed of hybrid strategists who leads with cultural and consumer insights and marries them with the digital way of life. I look forward to partnering him in our endeavour to consistently create brand fame and move business. I believe his solid yet audacious thinking will add to the momentum of Indigo Consulting and build on the three pillars of people, product and profit.”

Raiyani said about his new role, “Leo Burnett is without a doubt one the most ambitious agencies around and is pushing the boundaries of what an agency is expected to deliver to clients. Digital is at the forefront of this ambition and I’m excited to create some great work with the team at Indigo.”

Apart from working with startups, Raiyani has also worked with Grey whereby he led their key accounts in Mumbai. He was also the Senior Planning Director at Bates CHI & Partners, where he helped shape the agency’s shopper marketing practice.

October 17, 2016
Leo Burnett’s digital agency Indigo Consulting appoints Devang Raiyani

MUMBAI: Leo Burnett Group’s specialized digital agency Indigo Consulting has appointed Devang Raiyani as its national head of strategy. Raiyani will report to Leo Burnett South Asia chief strategy officer Dheeraj Sinha.

In his new role, Raiyani will be responsible for working with the management team to carve out a differentiated offering in an increasingly crowded digital space, and leverage digital not just as a media channel, but also as a tool to solve business problems. He will work closely with Navin Kansal, National Creative Director, Indigo Consulting.

Welcoming the agency’s newest key hire, Sinha said, “Devang has a fantastic ability to weave through culture, technology and data to arrive at business solutions. He is an entrepreneur at heart and brings tremendous action orientation to strategic thinking. I am extremely happy to have Devang on board as a part of the strategy team at the Leo Burnett Group. I am certain that his ability and energy will push Indigo consulting to greater heights.”

Devang’s strengths lie in building core propositions for brands and businesses, and designing long term IP beyond campaigns. His thought pieces have been featured in publications like The Hindu Business Line and The Financial Express, among others. His current area of focus is delivering ROI on brands’ content and social efforts.

From bridging the gap between content and commerce with technology to building ad tech products and helping start specialist practices at advertising agencies, Devang has worn many hats across agencies and startups. In his previous stint as Head of Product Strategy with Advocacy Asia, he led the development of the company’s gamified engagement platform.

Kansal further added, “Devang is among the rare breed of hybrid strategists who leads with cultural and consumer insights and marries them with the digital way of life. I look forward to partnering him in our endeavour to consistently create brand fame and move business. I believe his solid yet audacious thinking will add to the momentum of Indigo Consulting and build on the three pillars of people, product and profit.”

Raiyani said about his new role, “Leo Burnett is without a doubt one the most ambitious agencies around and is pushing the boundaries of what an agency is expected to deliver to clients. Digital is at the forefront of this ambition and I’m excited to create some great work with the team at Indigo.”

Apart from working with startups, Raiyani has also worked with Grey whereby he led their key accounts in Mumbai. He was also the Senior Planning Director at Bates CHI & Partners, where he helped shape the agency’s shopper marketing practice.

October 17, 2016
Leo Burnett’s Dheeraj Sinha invited to speak at the Next 4 Billion Seminar, by the Innovation Centre Denmark

MUMBAI: The seminar is scheduled on the 9th and 10th June in two cities of Denmark Copenhagen and Aarhus, respectively. Orgainsed by the Innovation Centre Denmark, the seminar aims to bring insights about the changing consumer dynamics of India, China and Brazil.

Three international speakers, namely, Dheeraj Sinha from Leo Burnett Group (India), Carolina Nacle from Data Popular (Brazil) and Mark Tanner from China Skinny (China) will throw light on these mega markets that comprise the next 4 billion consumers.

Designed for the Danish small, medium and large sized businesses, the seminar will address how innovative business models and product adaptation can help companies develop the right strategy and mindset to be successful in these markets.

H.E. Peter Taksøe-Jensen, Ambassador of Denmark to India, says, “We are excited about the growth and the positive change that India is going through. India along with the other emerging markets like Brazil and China present a big opportunity for businesses in Denmark. Dheeraj is an expert in understanding the cusp of cultural and consumption change in India. Through this seminar, I believe we will be able to answer some of the key concerns of Danish audience about India and other geographies.”

Dheeraj Sinha, Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia, Leo Burnett, says, “The Indian middle-class market has proved to be an opportunity for many while it has turned out to be an opportunity-lost for many others. My recent work has been to decipher the patterns behind what makes for success and failure in India. I am looking forward to discussing the changing dynamics of the middle class consumers with experts from other markets and the business community of Denmark.”

June 7, 2016