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Tag: Digitas India

  • Unny Radhakrishnan to step down as Digitas India chief after 5.5 years

    Unny Radhakrishnan to step down as Digitas India chief after 5.5 years

    MUMBAI:  Digitas India chief executive officer Unny Radhakrishnan will exit the agency at the end of September, drawing a close to a 5.5-year run at the Publicis Groupe-owned digital marketing firm.

    Radhakrishnan, who took charge in March 2020, steered Digitas India through a period of growth that saw it expand to a 450-strong team split between local clients and a global delivery hub. Under his leadership, the agency pushed deeper into data, user experience and technology services, cementing its position as a marketing transformation partner for brands.

    In a farewell note, he said leadership was about “bringing together people with different expertise and temperament to do things which otherwise could not have been done by any single individual”. He emphasised that before the “great place to work” labels, the focus was on being known for “great work and great people to work with.”

    Radhakrishnan’s career spans nearly three decades across GroupM, WPP and Publicis, with stints as chief digital officer for Wavemaker South Asia and earlier as head of digital at Maxus. A strong proponent of team building, he often described business as having “the responsibility to influence people to become better human beings, looking beyond the financial scorecards.”
    His next move has not been disclosed.

  • Digitas takes Duolingo to Tollywood superstardom

    Digitas takes Duolingo to Tollywood superstardom

    Mumbai: Duolingo, the world’s most popular language-learning app, has now added Telugu to its list of supported Indian languages, alongside existing Hindi and Bengali courses.

    Digitas India, the agency-on-record (AOR) of Duolingo, has created a social-focused campaign to raise awareness about the app’s new Telugu-to-English course in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where Telugu is spoken.

    While people in this region are skilled and ready to face the world, their confidence often takes a hit owing to difficulties in communicating effectively in English.

    With this insight in mind, Digitas India created Duolingo’s ‘Go from a star to a global star’ campaign, incorporating elements from the Telugu film industry popularly known as ‘Tollywood’. The objective of the campaign is to encourage users in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to learn English using their local language. It not only helps them gain conversational confidence but also empowers them to pursue their global aspirations.

    Digitas India’s social strategy utilized Instagram to showcase Duolingo’s beloved mascot, Duo, arriving and touring Hyderabad. It included collaborations with local content creators, interactions with the community, a rap track with a local artist, and even a mega-public unveiling with a massive Tollywood-style cutout of himself. The goal was to build affinity and reaffirm the ease of learning English for Telugu speakers.

    To merge global success from epic Telugu action-drama film RRR and the local Tollywood scene, Digitas India envisioned a 60-foot cutout of Duo, resembling the iconic movie superstars’ cutouts. These were hand-drawn by artists from one of the last surviving establishments of its kind in South India. The cutout depicted Duo’s arrival in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, and its unveiling attracted well-known local creators who collaborated with Duo to create content about the launch.

    To emphasize the enjoyable and free nature of Duolingo’s lessons, Digitas India also partnered with Roll Rida, a renowned Telugu rapper known for numerous Tollywood tracks. Together, they created a Telugu rap song that tells the story of how mastering English on Duolingo can transform anyone from a local star to a global sensation for Telugu speakers.

    Digitas India CCO Abraham Varughese said, “What a blast we had working on this campaign! From identifying local barriers to English fluency and unraveling cultural nuances, we took all that we learnt from the success of our brand strategy for Duolingo in India and brought it to life with Duo’s pushy motivation, irreverent humour and an authentic Telugu makeover.”

    Expressing his thoughts on the campaign, Duolingo India country marketing manager Karandeep Singh Kapany & country marketing manager Karandeep Singh Kapany said, “Telugu is one of the top 20 most spoken languages globally and we are happy to introduce a new Indic language course that helps Telugu speakers learn English. Our social-first campaign titled ‘Star Nunchi Global Star Avandi’ (From Local to Global Star) in collaboration with Digitas was aimed at referencing elements from the Tollywood industry. Digitas has played a pivotal role in making this campaign a remarkable success by keeping the brand’s authenticity alive and seamlessly blending elements which are specific to the heartland of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.”

     

     

     

     

  • Digitas India appoints Mohammedullah Shaikh as senior VP & head – tech services, Richa Chugh as VP – media

    Digitas India appoints Mohammedullah Shaikh as senior VP & head – tech services, Richa Chugh as VP – media

    Mumbai: Digitas India, the marketing & technology services brand from Publicis Groupe, has made key senior-level appointments at the agency. It has named Mohammedullah Shaikh as senior vice president and head of technology services, and Richa Chugh as vice president of media. The appointments are in line with Digitas India’s plans to strengthen its core product offerings in keeping with the increasing demand for digital technology services & media solutions from the marketplace. The duo will report to Digitas India COO Sonia Khurana.

    Mohammedullah (Shariq) comes with an experience of 22+ years in technology consulting and governance. He will lead all technology services mandates at the agency and will work closely with Sonia Khurana (COO) and Roopesh Pujari (CTO, Publicis Groupe) to bring in the best technology service offering for the clients.

    Richa has over 11 years of experience across various digital media, ranging from creative to social media, tech, and media planning. She joins Digitas India from Motivator, where she was digital head-west region.

    Welcoming Shariq and Richa to the agency, Sonia commented, “Given our focus on delivering remarkable digital experiences, Richa, with her rich background in media, and Shariq, with his varied experience in technology, bring valuable inputs to the team. It’s also their new, interesting perspectives that are going to be instrumental in further supporting Digitas’ continued performance and execution of our growth plans. We’re thrilled to have them on board!”

    Sharing his views on joining Digitas India, Shariq said, “I’m truly excited to join the talented team at Digitas India and work closely with the leadership. Digitas is already delivering large-scale, enterprise-level solutions for clients in customer experience, commerce, and marketing operations. With its tech-agnostic approach and strong technology services portfolio, I believe it’s the right time to be a part of this experienced team. My goal is to ensure that we develop and execute our long-term strategy in a way that best serves our customers and employees.”

    On joining Digitas India, Richa said, “Unlike TV and offline media, the interplay between creative, tech, SEO, and media planning forms a curious ecosystem and plays a pivotal role in efficient, effective, and holistic brand growth. The leadership at Digitas India understands this very well, and facilitates a complementary partnership between these verticals, which drove me to join them.”

    Shariq has previously been associated with companies like Isobar, Ogilvy, and Interface Communications. He has been instrumental in bringing in digital and tech transformation for some of the clients like HUL, Vodafone, Eicher Motors, Maruti Suzuki, Apple (IndiaiStore), Aviva India, Bira91, Panasonic, Max Bupa, Kia, Reebok, Adidas, Marks & Spencer, Emami, Nat Geo, Fox Life, American Standard etc.

    Over the course of her career, Richa has worked with brands including Nestle, Reckitt Benckiser, Coca-Cola, Bumble, Kia, Bajaj Consumer Care, and Tata Q, among others.

  • boAt and Digitas India announces K-Pop concert ‘FloAtverse’ in the Metaverse

    boAt and Digitas India announces K-Pop concert ‘FloAtverse’ in the Metaverse

    Mumbai: In association with Digitas India, boAt announced the launch of India’s first K-Pop concert in the metaverse—”FloAtverse.”

    FloAtverse tapped into Gen Z’s obsessive passion for K-culture in India, which also boasts one of the world’s largest fanbases. The concert was headlined by upcoming K-Pop idol, Priyanka Mazumdar, and included a performance of “Rock with boAt”—a song created exclusively for boAtheads. The metaverse experience was opened by actor Rashmika Mandanna and hosted by internet sensation and K-Pop fanatic Radhika Bangia. Users were also given an opportunity to participate in several experiences to win exclusive discounts as well as a chance to fly to Seoul, South Korea.

    boAt’s FloAtverse K-Pop craze painted the town purple, from Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube to prime OOH venues and tickets on BookMyShow.

    Speaking on the initiative, boAt CMO and co-founder Aman Gupta commented, “boAt has always pioneered live experiences for a younger generation and we have continued to do so by organising India’s first K-Pop concert in the metaverse. Contrary to popular belief, the metaverse can be experienced with just a smartphone and an internet connection, rather than a VR headset. Through “FloAtverse,” we created an experience that combines the cultural trend of K-pop with the latest marketing technology. I learned that K-Pop has a massive following in India through this initiative.”

    Talking about boAt’s foray into the virtual world, Digitas India CCO Abraham Varughese added, “We didn’t want to just dip our toes into something new because everyone was doing it. “FloAtverse” was designed to be uncompromisingly relevant and give fans a compelling reason to interact with their favourite artists and their content in an alternate world. Ultimately, it delivered more than fleeting curiosity.”

  • Digitas India bags digital communication mandate for Matter

    Digitas India bags digital communication mandate for Matter

    Mumbai: A vertically integrated product tech start-up, Ahmedabad-based Matter has appointed Digitas India as the agency for its digital communication mandate following a multi-agency and multi-phased pitch process. 

    Digitas will handle Matter’s digital marketing mandate, the scope for which will encompass communications, media, customer experience & digital assets and community engagement across its mobility and energy business verticals.

    The Matter e-motorcycle will be introduced in the second half of 2022. According to Matter, the yet-unnamed motorcycle will be the first electric two-wheeler in the country to have a battery pack with active liquid cooling. While there aren’t many specifics about this brand-new bike at this moment, it will be released in the third quarter of 2022.

    Commenting on the association with Digitas India, Matter COO & co-founder Arun Pratap Singh said, “At Matter, we are embarking on a journey to revolutionise electric mobility and energy storage space. Our innovative offerings will be represented through highly creative digital marketing and we’re glad to have partnered with Digitas, as they follow the philosophy of thinking new and leveraging the creative nuances to deliver highly compelling digital innovations, we are excited to start this journey with Digitas India by connecting with our customers creatively and helping them to transition to clean energy.”

    Welcoming Matter to its fold, Digitas India COO Sonia Khurana said, “It is our privilege to partner with Matter and to introduce the brand and product in the market. It is exciting to be a partner to the brand right from the incubation stage itself of the product. Our aim will be to stay true to our connected marketing philosophy and use the right mix of insight-driven creativity, technology, and media to drive brand love and adoption.” 

    Since its inception, Matter has invested extensively in technology development with the “Innovate in India” approach for the development of futuristic electric vehicle platforms and for energy storage applications.

  • Digitas India appoints Abraham Varughese as chief creative officer

    Digitas India appoints Abraham Varughese as chief creative officer

    Mumbai: Global marketing and technology services brand Digitas India on Wednesday announced the appointment of Abraham Varughese as chief creative officer.

    Varughese will be based out of Mumbai and will work closely with Digitas India’s leadership team which includes Unny Radhakrishnan (CEO) and Sonia Khurana (COO) in driving the creative output and strategic direction for numerous brands at Digitas India.

    Varughese has moved from Publicis Groupe Malaysia where he was chief creative officer and responsible for integrating the holding company’s agencies to deliver the value of ‘Power of One’ for clients which includes Samsung, Maxis Telecom, McDonald’s and Mondelez, said the company in a statement. Before that he was in Dubai with Leo Burnett, TBWARAAD and FP7/McCann-Erickson.  

    Welcoming him to the agency, Sonia Khurana said, “As CCO, Abraham will play a key role in setting and driving the future direction of our creative strategy. With his creative firepower, we look forward to unlocking more opportunities to connect with our client’s audiences in meaningful ways, combining creative thinking, tech, data and media. He is a modern communicator, a courageous leader and his lived-in experiences from around the globe adds great texture to our team.”

    As a chief contributor of ideas and solutions across the creative arena, Varughese has written, co-created and guided work that has been recognised at D&AD, The One Show, Cannes Lions, WARC, Clio Awards, The Art Directors Club (ADC), AdFest and Effie, that includes Grand Prix, Best in Show and a rare Black Cube.

    Sharing his views on joining the agency, Abraham stated, “As the entire industry attempts to adapt and navigate a plethora of platforms that are constantly evolving, I can’t think of a better place to be at than Digitas India. It’s a rare opportunity to collaborate with the best minds in Creative, CX Design, Technology, Strategy and Data –capabilities that are key to bridging the gap between the real world and tomorrow’s all-encompassing virtual spaces. I look forward to co-creating compelling brand experiences for our clients, and ultimately delivering consumer journeys that are truly memorable.”

  • Umang Puri rejoins FoxyMoron as creative director

    Umang Puri rejoins FoxyMoron as creative director

    Mumbai: Zoo Media network-backed digital services agency FoxyMoron has appointed Umang Puri as creative director of the North region. He will be reporting to national creative director Dhruv Warrior.

    Puri has rejoined FoxyMoron from Digitas India, where he served as creative director. During his first stint at FoxyMoron, he was a creative manager.

    “Umang is an ideas guy who has a detailed approach to his work. It perfectly complements his in-depth knowledge of the digital world. The combination is vital to elevating creative output for FoxyMoron, which is a key area of focus when delivering innovative digital solutions to our clients,” said Dhruv Warrior, welcoming Puri on board.

    In this role at FoxyMoron, Puri will be leading the creative operations for the agency’s North clientele and work with agencies across the Zoo Media network, said the agency.

    Puri has over seven years of experience in digital advertising, having worked with marquee brands like Nissan, Datsun, Motorola, and many others in B2B, beauty, and fashion industries. His campaigns have won multiple awards on platforms like the Abby’s, WARC, Spike Asia, and Effies. In 2019 he was also shortlisted as a ‘Young Spike’ at the Spike Asia Awards.

    “As I begin my second stint here, our focus is to navigate the agency into a bigger creative powerhouse by enabling and empowering young talent to become multi-faceted creators. I’m excited to be a part of this journey,” said Puri.

  • Digitas India onboards Shourya Chaudhuri as senior creative director

    Digitas India onboards Shourya Chaudhuri as senior creative director

    Mumbai: Digitas India, the global marketing and technology services brand from Publicis Groupe has brought onboard Shourya Ray Chaudhuri as senior creative director.

    Chaudhuri will be based out of Bangalore and will be responsible for strengthening and growing the creative capabilities across Bangalore and Mumbai regions. He will report to Digitas India, executive vice president and head of creative, Mark McDonald.

    He joins the agency from Tonic Worldwide where he was managing partner and creative head managing some of the key brands for over three and half years.

    Welcoming Chaudhuri on board, McDonald said, “We are thrilled to have Shourya on board as part of the creative leadership team. He brings with him not just a sharp mind and a great set of creative chops, but also an in-depth knowledge of the digital ecosystem beyond just formats and platforms. As a connected marketing agency with capabilities spanning experience, content and campaigns, the ability to play well with data, strategy, media and technology is crucial, and Shourya has the perfect creative mindset to do just that.”

    Chaudhuri has also worked for agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Interactive Avenues and Wavemaker managing brands like ABInBev, Arvind, SpiceJet, Enamor, ITC, Titan, Infosys, Toyota, Mead Johnson, Oberoi Group, Murugappa Group among others.

    Talking about his new assignment, Chaudhuri said, “My primary reasons for joining an agency are people, pursuit, and energy. At Digitas India, I loved the people I interacted with, be it Mark McDonald, Unny Radhakrishnan or Sonia Khurana. From these interactions, the pursuit of the agency was clear – to help brands forge intense and genuine connections with people through digital platforms, primarily. That would also be my core responsibility – to craft genuine, memorable brand interactions. As for the energy I’ve seen here, it is positively contagious.”

  • Abhishek Chaturvedi joins Digitas India as SVP & head of planning

    Abhishek Chaturvedi joins Digitas India as SVP & head of planning

    NEW DELHI: Publicis Groupe’s global marketing and technology services brand Digitas has appointed Abhishek Chaturvedi as senior vice president and head of planning. He will report to Digitas India chief operating officer Sonia Khurana.

    Chaturvedi is a seasoned advertising professional who has more than 18 years of experience managing key strategy related positions across leading advertising agencies. At Digitas India, he will play a vital role in assisting brands and businesses to leverage the agency’s comprehensive data, technology, creative, media and strategy capabilities and proprietary planning processes and effectively drive strategic growth and direction for the agency.

    Previously, Chaturvedi was with McCann Worldgroup as vice president. He held a similar profile at Ogilvy and Grey Group where he led planning for some of the leading brands across categories including Dabur, Marico, GSK, Colgate Palmolive, Voltas, BMW, Eicher, Hero Motocorp, Mahindra B2C & B2B, Wal-Mart, Max Life and some government and non-profit organisations.

    Khurana said, “Abhishek’s specialty in decoding consumer behaviour, understanding of brand and business will complement and strengthen our current planning function immensely. Working with him in the last couple of weeks has been an absolute pleasure. It’s reinforced that not only is he going to be a great partner to our creative teams but also to our clients. Makes me very excited and confident about the future.”

    “We are about being a ‘connected marketing agency’ and our business is about forging meaningful connections – whether it is between people, brands or businesses,” remarked Chaturvedi. “All my interactions with Sonia Khurana, Mark Mcdonald and Unny Radhakrishnan have been energising and positive. Here’s a set of people absolutely determined about creating great work and I look forward to creating some magic together.”

  • Don’t settle, says Jeep as it drops a new beat in their campaign – “Under the Hood” by Digitas India

    Don’t settle, says Jeep as it drops a new beat in their campaign – “Under the Hood” by Digitas India

    MUMBAI: When it comes to selecting a vehicle, consumers are often left in the dark with features being the only differentiator between a good SUV and a great one. To bridge the gap, the 75+ year-old legend – Jeep, tapped into an upcoming trend in Indian music, hip hop, to create its latest and most-upbeat campaign – Under the Hood, to talk about the features that make the Jeep Compass a legend.

    The digital campaign, that has been conceptualized and executed by Digitas India, comprises a series of seven short videos that promote unique aspects of the Jeep Compass and how it stands apart from the clutter. Set against intriguing animations, the video rap series simplifies complex engineering concepts to entertain and educate viewers on every feature that a great SUV must have. Urging viewers to look beyond nomenclatures and labels, the series aims to create a new generation of informed customers through head-bobbing rhythm and rhymes. 

    Released across multiple social platforms, the music videos have garnered over 7.6million views and still going strong.

    Commenting on the latest communication series, Rahul Pansare, Head of Marketing & PR, Jeep India said: “The SUV category is cluttered and they all look the same. But, that’s not us. Our objective is to bring the best product to those who’re looking for the real deal. The real deal is in the performance & capability which is not visible from the outside. Jeep Compass is different from within. With this campaign, we want to define what an SUV really means. All we want is for customers to look under the hood and take an informed decision when buying an SUV.”

    Adding his views, Mark Mcdonald, EVP & Head of Creative, Digitas India said: “With a legendary brand like Jeep, our effort has always been to create content that’s authentic, relevant and inspires consumers to step into the Jeep lifestyle. With Under The Hood, the challenge was two-fold – create an interesting story from something that’s traditionally been a jargon-filled communication in the category; and then tell that story in a unique and interesting way. The Under The Hood campaign managed to do both in a refreshing and engaging way. Using rap and hip-hop, one of the hottest music genres in India right now, helped take the message far beyond just auto enthusiasts to a much wider age group and audience.”  

    The team behind the campaign included upcoming rap artists Illa Straight, who has performed in India and the United States and opened for global stars like Akon and Flo Rida,and,Deane Sequeira, one of India’s budding rapper, and songwriters. 

    On the unique opportunity that was presented by this digital campaign,Priyanka Prashar Narula, Co-Founder & Creative Producerat Isana Productions Inc. commented: “It was one of the most exciting projects for our team at Isana. Marrying contemporary rap with edgy visuals was a thrilling experience!We had a roll shooting this one, and are greatly proud of our association with Digitas India & Jeep.”