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Tag: Digitas

  • Enormous lives up to its name as digital dominance gets properly massive

    Enormous lives up to its name as digital dominance gets properly massive

    GOA: Day two of Goafest 2025 witnessed Enormous absolutely bulldozing the digital specialist category with the sort of performance that makes other agencies wonder if they’ve been doing this whole digital thing wrong all along.

    The aptly named agency lived up to its billing by hoovering up 64 points through one gold, five silvers, six bronzes and a merit—a haul so comprehensive it left competitors reaching for their calculators and then quietly weeping into their keyboards.

    Leo India managed a respectable second place with 26 points courtesy of two silvers, three bronzes and a merit, though one suspects they might have preferred a few more zeros on that scoreboard. Meanwhile, ^a t o m network and Mudra Max found themselves locked in a dead heat at 22 points each—^a t o m network with one silver, three bronzes and two merits, whilst Mudra Max opted for one silver and four bronzes. 

    The gold rush wasn’t entirely monopolised by the winner. Tilt Brand Solutions snagged 18 points with one gold, one silver and one bronze, whilst Schbang grabbed 16 points with one gold and two bronzes. Swiggy Ltd proved that food delivery companies can serve up awards too, bagging 14 points with one gold and one silver.

    The middle order was packed tighter than a Mumbai local train. Digitas, Maitri Advertising Works, The New Thing by Talented, and VML India all managed 12 points each—though their routes  varied wildly. FCB India scraped together 10 points with one bronze and three merits.

    Those trailing weren’t entirely forgotten. Grey Group, Krafton India, and Restless – a division of Magic Circle Communications each managed six points, whilst the stragglers—BelieveTrinity, Havas Life Mumbai, Havas Worldwide India , Interactive Avenues , and Rapidue Technologies —all pocketed two points each. 

    The Abby Creative Awards 2025, powered by The One Show, continued their systematic dismantling of every conceivable advertising category, with broadcaster, design specialist, mobile specialist, technology specialist, and direct specialist awards ensuring no stone remains unturned in the quest for creative excellence.

  • Publicis Groupe partners with Digital India Foundation to launch ‘Decoding ONDC – Perspective For Marketers’ report

    Publicis Groupe partners with Digital India Foundation to launch ‘Decoding ONDC – Perspective For Marketers’ report

    Mumbai: Publicis Groupe India, in partnership with the Digital India Foundation (DIF), is all set to release its path breaking and insightful report on the commerce ministry-backed interoperable network, Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), titled “Decoding ONDC: A Perspective for Marketers.” The report will be made public on 23 November.

    Powered by Publicis agencies Performics, Starcom, and Digitas, the intelligence report looks at simplifying and giving a 360-degree view of ONDC, aiding brands in leveraging open networks in commerce for optimum business results.

    The report is an in-depth playbook tailored for the c-suite and brand leaders, and it covers everything from ONDC architecture and the customer journey, to brand preparation, marketing opportunities and increased reach and discoverability, data policy and the data infrastructure required, and industry-specific perspectives, among other key areas.

    As India’s digital commerce grows at meteoric speed and is further set for a huge uptake with ONDC’s full-fledged launch, Publicis Groupe’s supercharged commerce and technology capabilities, depth of talent and expertise keep brands informed and well-ahead of the curve in a dynamic and evolving retail landscape.

    ONDC will further revolutionise the e-commerce environment by making it more inclusive and accessible to all, bringing buyers, sellers, and gateway service providers onto a single system, enabling further inroads into Bharat (tier II-III towns and rural areas), facilitating digital commerce for smaller and medium-sized businesses, and adding to the collective goal and vision of a self-reliant digital India.

    Publicis Groupe South Asia CEO Anupriya Acharya says, “ONDC will bring in a whole new world of commerce. We expect open networks in commerce to trailblaze innovation and new business models around online retail and to deliver increased reach and additional customers for our clients. It will highlight a more evolved and empowered consumer with a plethora of options. The progress of ONDC and its success trajectory are also being viewed and monitored internationally, and this could likely lead to profound shifts in global commerce as well. Within this context, we felt it was imperative and timely to bring valuable insights, research, and data points around ONDC, which will transform the digital commerce journeys of brands and help marketers adapt and develop strategies, reinvent existing models, and keep their businesses responsive, resilient, and contextual.”

    ONDC co-founder & head of Digital India Foundation and board member Arvind Gupta said, “The success of digital public goods in identity, payments, and social welfare disbursements in India is based upon two principles: trust in technology, and co-creation of value. ONDC is a remarkable step to incorporate these principles to democratise e-commerce, to realise our aspirations for a Digital India, and to empower the millions of people in smaller towns and rural areas who will now have access to technology and digital commerce. Of particular note is what it can do for smaller and medium-sized businesses, putting them on the map nationally and making them discoverable and reachable.”

    “India, with its huge demographic dividend, entrepreneurial talent, and innovative thinking, is a true beacon of ideas for the rest of the world. ONDC will catalyse powerful and progressive social and economic shifts that will benefit not only India but potentially the entire world. DIF’s partnership with Publicis is an exemplary one, and we have collaborated successfully on an outstanding report that guides participant strategy, technology, data, content activation, and investment in the ONDC connected age of commerce,” he added.

    Performics India CEO Lalatendu Das stated, “Technology and commerce will continue to converge through ONDC, leading to exciting opportunities for brands and new avenues for spectacular growth. In view of the transformation in the environment and an entirely new ecosystem taking shape, Publicis can be a powerful enabler in decoding the immense possibilities in ONDC and aiding brands in re-imagining their commerce, revamping strategies, technology, and data infrastructure. We have been paying close attention to brands and their current state of preparedness for ONDC, capturing marked shifts and trends across categories and businesses through our survey and through close conversations with ONDC top executives, industry leaders, and decision-makers. The range and depth of information presented in the report is sure to help marketers gain actionable insights that strengthen and future-proof their businesses.”

  • Puma’s propah lady campaign by digitas is bringing every woman on the internet together

    Puma’s propah lady campaign by digitas is bringing every woman on the internet together

    MUMBAI: Changing the narrative on what makes women ‘proper’, global sports brand PUMA partnered with Digitas India for its latest campaign ‘Propah Lady’. Countering conventional ideas through a fun and relatable narrative, the digital campaign brought every woman on the internet together – garnering over 14 million views across channels in the first 5 days of its launch. The relatability and adoptability of the campaign has seen more than 3500 real stories shared on Instagram organically with #PropahLady. The campaign continues to change the larger conversation on what makes women proper, beyond just making a splash with its numbers. 

    Siddhi Desai, Creative Director, Digitas India, said, “PUMA is a brand that can impact world narrative and hence we knew the responsibility while taking on this brief. We all agreed we wanted this campaign to live in the post empowered universe, so we decided to represent all those women around us who are bringing a change in this world by normalising a way of life through their everyday choices. That being the starting point, we knew, the first step was to shatter the very definition that had conditioned society for so long. Today, it’s out there. We are glad to see women being so proud of it and organically talking about it. None of this would have been possible without PUMA's conviction. We are also thankful to Team Catnip and every other collaborator. They went all in, heart and soul, to bring this alive.”

    Debosmita Majumder, Head of Marketing, PUMA India said, “From being told how to talk, think and act to defining it for themselves, women have changed the meaning of being a ‘proper lady’ in their own individual style. This special campaign by PUMA and our agency Digitas is an ode to all the women who have the gumption to live life on their own terms and write their own rules. Our ambassadors Mary Kom, Sara Ali Khan, Dutee Chand and Anjali Lama’s authenticity in this campaign is very refreshing.” 
     
    Leading by example, the campaigns protagonists Mary Kom and Dutee Chand have not only rewritten the history of sports with their exceptional capabilities and determination, their grit and courage have also made an undeniable contribution to change the fabric of societal norms. While Sara Ali Khan resonates with young Indian women for being outspoken, authentic and bold, Anjali Lama, with her unshakeable resolve is continuing to break gender barriers in a powerful way. 
     
    "I wanted to give the sisterhood in India a video worthy of their fierceness, and Propah Lady campaign created the perfect space for it. My biggest responsibility as the director of this film was to decide how I would like to portray Indian women. It was important that it is real, honest and celebrates the versatility of their spirit. It’s all about the co-existence of all the beautifully contrasting ways in which the women choose to express themselves. This is what dictated the style of the video. The atmosphere on set was liberating, and overwhelming. I couldn’t be more proud of the dedicated and passionate team that made it all happen," said Reema Sengupta, director of the campaign film, and co-founder at CATNIP. 

  • Digitas appoints Amaresh Godbole as CEO India biz

    Digitas appoints Amaresh Godbole as CEO India biz

    MUMBAI: Digital agency Digitas, a Publicis Groupe brand, has announced a change in its country leadership. 

    Himani Kapadia, CEO Digitas and SapientRazorfish, who has been with the company for 11 years, is stepping down to pursue other interests. Amaresh Godbole, currently MD India for Digitas, takes over the reins as CEO of the brand. 

    He will report to Publicis Communications India CEO Saurabh Varma and to Digitas APAC CEO Annette Male for the brand. He will also join the Publicis Communications country leadership team.

    Saurabh Varma comments, “Himani has done an incredible job, building the country’s largest digital agency, and she could not have left it in a better place, with strong client relationships and a seasoned leadership team. I’m excited about Amaresh’s elevation. He is one of the few people in our industry who truly understands the power of combining data, creativity, media and technology to deliver successful marketing outcomes. I look forward to the next chapter of Digitas’ ascent.”

    Says Annette Male, “Himani has been the architect of the India story for Digitas and a champion of our unique culture. She will be dearly missed, all across the network. In Amaresh, she has had an able partner through this journey, and she has mentored him to take on the mantle of country leadership. I am confident he will deliver the next phase of growth for the brand in India.”

    Says Himani Kapadia about her plans, “It’s been an exhilarating ride, taking the company from its inception as a startup to a recognised A list agency. It was a rewarding journey with stories, learnings and relationships that I will carry with me for a lifetime. I feel I’m now ready for a new challenge. In Amaresh and the Digitas leadership team, I feel assured knowing that the company is in safe hands.”

    Amaresh Godbole commented on his new role, “I’m about to step into an industry giant’s shoes. What gives me confidence to take this on are the lessons learnt from Himani over the last decade, where we’ve seen the company through myriad circumstances. I look forward to working closely with Saurabh to learn new lessons. I am a big believer of the Publicis Groupe vision and the Power of One philosophy. Digitas has extremely unique capabilities and talent, and I hope to deploy these towards continued growth for the brand and the Groupe in India.”

    Digitas India is one of the leading digital agencies in the country, with 400 experts across data, strategy, creative, media and technology spread across four cities. Digitas works with some of the top-drawer clients in the country such as Nestlé, Hewlett Packard, FCA (Jeep & Fiat), Reliance Jio, AbinBev (Budweiser), TVS Motors, Parle Agro, HUL, Tata CliQ, Tourism New Zealand and JK Tyres among others.

  • Publicis Groupe transforms Vivaki into separate biz unit

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has announced that VivaKi will become a separate business unit now and will be available to all Publicis Groupe agencies and the market.

    VivaKi was launched in 2008 through the combined scale and leadership of Digitas, Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), ZenithOptimedia and later Razorfish. It was created to accelerate the digital transformation of Publicis Groupe and its agencies.

    Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Maurice Levy said, “As we seek even more aggressive growth and digital acceleration, the VivaKi leadership-Jack Klues, Laura Desmond (SMG CEO), Steve King (ZenithOptimedia CEO), Bob Lord (Razorfish CEO) and Frank Voris-have developed a plan to open up the VivaKi operations, creating a new impetus for further innovations and more aggressive growth for all Publicis Groupe agencies.”

    According to Levy, Klues is going to help set VivaKi on its new course, and then map his retirement. Klues will retire as CEO at the end of 2012 after 35 years with the organisation, though he will remain with Publicis Groupe through the first half of 2013 to help establish VivaKi as a separate business unit.”

    Vivaki CEO Jack Klues said, “The agencies have shaped and perfected our offerings, worked together to create valuable new solutions, and embraced a transformational philosophy of building, borrowing and sharing to the benefit of our clients. Digitas, Razorfish, SMG and ZenithOptimedia will continue to inform our roadmap even as they continue to enhance their own, unique propositions.”

    With this transformation, the VivaKi agencies will gain greater autonomy to differentiate and collaborate with this evolution. Yet they will remain tightly linked to the progress and offering of VivaKi, and as a result, they will report directly to Maurice Levy.

    VivaKi Exchange (VX) operations that currently exist in more than 12 global markets will continue with oversight from VivaKi Country Chairs (VCC) who will align with the media agencies to oversee VX operations and whose duties will include deployment and adoption of VivaKi offerings in local markets.

    VivaKi will also continue to advance its product development and Partnership Practice-a team that works with companies like Google, Facebook and Microsoft, to create first-mover opportunities, new products and preferred pricing.

    Additionally, Frank Voris will serve as CEO of the strategically focused VivaKi, partnering with Rishad Tobaccowala, who remains VivaKi‘s chief innovation and strategy officer.

    SMG has accelerated its digital offering by reinventing its core product around human experience, leveraging VivaKi products and expanding strategic partnerships with key technology companies.

    Razorfish and Digitas have benefited from the massive media clout and centralised ability of VivaKi to build tools and solutions that enhance the eCommerce offering of Razorfish, and the Social CRM capabilities of Digitas. As a result, the digital agencies have evolved and differentiated rapidly.

    Voris, who has served as VivaKi CFO since its inception, has been responsible for all VivaKi operations, including technology, product development and the integration of acquisition targets, since the entity was launched in 2008. Tobaccowala is a 30-year industry thought leader who has pioneered several industry firsts, including VivaKi Ventures, Denuo and other future-focused operational units that have delivered gaming, mobile and internet expertise to marketers.

    An executive board consisting of Desmond, King, Lord and Voris will collaborate on VivaKi product strategies, priorities and transactional tools and services.

  • Publicis beats Omnicom in race for LBi

    MUMBAI: Paris-based global media communications network, the Publicis Groupe and independent digital communications agency LBi International have reached an agreement where the former will acquire LBi for €416m (?333m).

    This is Publicis‘ fourth major acquisition in the digital playground this year following Digitas, Razorfish and Rosetta.

    It was reported earlier in June this year that another global giant Omnicom was the forerunner in the race to acquire the agency following WPP‘s acquisition of AKQA, but the French communications player has finally sealed the deal.

    With a global footprint, LBi is headquartered and listed in Amsterdam. LBi currently employs approximately 2,200 people in 16 countries (of which 630 are based in the UK) and has 32 offices around the world. The agency is active in digital marketing and has expanded its offering to a wide suite of digital media services, ranging from communication, e-commerce services to brand strategy, content, social media and mobile. Some of LBi‘s clients include Lloyds TSB, Volvo, Johnson & Johnson, Coca Cola, Carlsberg and Ikea.

    Led by CEO Luke Taylor, the agency has implemented successive strategic transformations with the acquisitions of Bigmouthmedia and Mr. Youth in 2010 and 2011 respectively and the creation of hubs in key markets to strengthen the company‘s worldwide presence. In 2011, LBi reported net revenue of €196.6 million, up 12 per cent from 2010. In the first half of 2012, LBi reported net revenue of €119.4 million, up 18.2 per cent from the equivalent period in 2011.

    The proposed acquisition of LBi will enable Publicis Groupe to increase its share of revenue derived from digital operations to over 35%, in line with its strategic goals, and to capitalise on the complementarity with its existing global digital businesses.

    Publicis Groupe chairman and CEO Maurice Lévy said, “The acquisition of LBi is another step forward in further strengthening our digital operations. Within the global advertising landscape, LBi is a well known partner for extraordinary digital customer experiences, based on a blend of creativity and expertise in technology, strategy and social media. The integration of LBi will further enhance our capabilities and, through a wider pool of resources and talent, help deliver innovative and best-in-class services to our clients, which is our relentless focus. Furthermore, this acquisition has a positive impact on our EPS in the first year post acquisition.”

    Taylor said, “We are convinced that this transaction not only provides highly attractive value to our shareholders, but equally to our clients, staff and partners. Publicis Groupe has consistently demonstrated a clear and emphatic belief in the importance of digital media and is recognised for grooming and managing its talent worldwide. Our entire strategy to date is built on a commitment to relentlessly drive and optimise value for our clients. There is now a unique opportunity to pace set the market and collaborate across new geographies and marketing services so that we can accelerate our strategic plans aimed at providing clients with a globally integrated offering.”

  • Digitas taps ESPN Star Sports marketing head as COO

    Digitas taps ESPN Star Sports marketing head as COO

    MUMBAI: Digitas, Publicis‘ digital marketing agency, has appointed Nirmal Dayani as its chief operating officer in India.

    Dayani will report directly to Digitas India president Kanika Mathur.

    His last stint was at ESPN Star Sports as head of marketing. He contributed to the successful launch of new channels – Star Cricket, ESPN HD and Star Cricket HD and led the company‘s diversification into new properties such as espnstar.com and ESPN Mobile.

    Dayani has vast experience in the field of advertising and marketing, particularly in the digital space. He has over 21 years of work experience and has spent significant time at McCann Erickson, JWT and ESPN Star Sports (12 years).

    Dayani has worked with leading brands such as Pepsi, Horlicks and Harpic and his experience with digital started with the launch of the famous “Super Selector” cricket game and several other properties for espnstar.com.

    Mathur said, “We are looking forward to Nirmal leading Digitas India. We believe that with his experience and skills he will play a key role in nurturing client relationships, and driving growth.”

    Dayani said, “This is an amazing opportunity and I am incredibly excited to be a part of the Digitas India team. In this new digital era we have a great opportunity to integrate our offerings and adding value to our customers/clients portfolios. I am looking forward to working closely with our clients and together developing their digital roadmaps and taking them to the next level in their growth curve.”