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  • Infectious Advertising appoints Smriti Tewari business head

    Infectious Advertising appoints Smriti Tewari business head

    MUMBAI: Infectious Advertising, one of India’s leading independent agencies, has named Smriti Tewari as business head, marking a strategic move to sharpen client focus and expand new business opportunities.

    With 13 years in advertising and marketing, Tewari has worked across categories including automobiles, FMCG, home paints, fashion, real estate and financial services, at agencies such as Ogilvy, FCB, The Minimalist and VML. She has partnered with brands like Honda Cars, BMW, KFC, Dulux Paints and Colgate Palmolive, managing integrated campaigns across ATL, BTL and social media.

    Managing partner & chief operating officer Siddhartha Singh said, “Smriti will play a pivotal role in strengthening client relationships and unlocking new opportunities. Her vast experience lays a strong foundation for driving work that is both effective and highly shareable.”

    On her appointment, Tewari said, “Stepping into this role is both an honour and a thrilling responsibility. Infectious has always believed in ideas that spark energy and drive meaningful change. I’m eager to elevate the agency through creativity, collaboration and client focus.”

    Infectious Advertising continues to focus on delivering bold, effective campaigns that connect with audiences across platforms.

  • Indian brands turn heads and hearts at Kantar’s ad-effectiveness awards

    Indian brands turn heads and hearts at Kantar’s ad-effectiveness awards

    MUMBAI: Culture met creativity head-on, and Indian brands walked away with the spoils. Danone, Hindustan Unilever, Haleon and Godrej Consumer Products were among the big winners at Kantar India’s Creative Effectiveness Awards, which celebrated five years of ads that hit both hearts and wallets.

    With more than 1,350 Indian creatives tested in 2024—out of 12,000 globally—the winners were chosen not by agency suits, but by the toughest (and truest) critics: everyday consumers. Think festival rituals, everyday mishaps, Bollywood throwbacks and even snarky political satire. The kind of stuff that makes you nod, laugh or text your mum.

    HUL took home the crown across TV and digital. Meanwhile, Godrej Fab tickled funny bones with its satirical punch, Pond’s struck a Bollywood chord, and Nihar shaved off grooming clichés with flair.

    To mark the fifth anniversary of the awards, Kantar unveiled a snappy new mantra—distilled from half a decade of tracking India’s most powerful campaigns. Turns out, the most effective ads haven’t lost the plot: culture still sells, and creativity still seals the deal.

    The report’s insights are as spicy as a masala chai:

    ●    Culture is comfort food: Great Indian ads are like dal—with a creative tadka. They’re emotional, familiar, and loaded with meaning.

    ●    Tiny moments, big memories: It’s not grand gestures but the small stuff—rainy train stations, puja rituals, awkward family dinners—that truly lands.

    ●    Multilingual magic: Language may vary, but emotion doesn’t. The most effective brands ditched the Hindi-only formula for regionally rooted storytelling.

    ●    Execution eats strategy for breakfast: Music, humour, idioms, casting—get them right, and you’ve got a winner.

    Influencer-driven content, says Kantar, isn’t just noise—it holds eyeballs 2.2 times longer than standard ads, and delivers a 58 per cent average salience score. That’s gold in today’s skip-happy world.

    In India, you don’t invent culture—you tune into it, add some flavour, and serve it up with feeling. That’s how brands go from ads to icons.

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  • Abby Awards 2025: Round 1 shortlist unveiled, Leo Burnett and Enormous Brands lead the creative charge

    Abby Awards 2025: Round 1 shortlist unveiled, Leo Burnett and Enormous Brands lead the creative charge

    MUMBAI: The AdClub has revealed the Round 1 shortlist for the Abby Awards 2025, powered by One Show, with industry heavyweights Leo Burnett, Enormous Brands, FCB, VML, McCann, Famous Innovations, and Havas leading the charge in the creative categories.

    A star-studded lineup of creative powerhouses and brands has made the cut, including Good Morning Films, Tribes Communications, Atom Network, Cheil, Schbang, Mudra Max, Y&H, Grey Group, Hogarth Studios, Vanilla Films, Mindshare, BBH, and Tilt Brand Solutions.

     The client roster shines just as bright, with AIS, Jaguar, P&G Whisper, Manifest, The Times of India, Axis Bank, Coca-Cola, Finolex, Reliance General Insurance, Durex, Flipkart, Lays, and Dream11 all vying for glory.

    Digital dynamos like Schbang, BC Web Wise, Digitas, and Interactive Avenues have carved out their space, while design virtuosos Open Design, Hyphen Brands, and Tree Design have made their mark. 

    Video craft maestros—Good Morning Films, Vanilla Films, Bang Bang, Kitchen Video, and Superfly Films—add a cinematic edge to the shortlist.

    The broadcast and publishing giants aren’t left behind, with Bennett Coleman, ABP, Jagran Prakashan, Viacom, Star India, The Hindu Group, and Zee Entertainment staking their claim for the trophy. 

    Start-up agencies like Y&H, tgthr, Brave, and Believe Trinity have also entered the spotlight, proving that fresh talent can compete with the best.

    Awards governing council chairman Ajay Kakar expressed his delight: “The shortlist for the Abby Awards 2025—across both creative and media categories—is now out. It’s heartening to see the breadth and diversity of agencies, clients, brands, publishers, and broadcasters who have made it through the first round of rigorous jury evaluation. This wide representation is a reflection of the vibrancy and depth of talent in our industry. With the second and third rounds of judging ahead, we now look forward to seeing the best rise to the top. All roads lead to the awards nights between 21 and 23 May.”

    The round 2 and round 3 judging are already underway, with the final winners set to be crowned at the much-anticipated Goafest 2025.

  • John Thangaraj joins Dentsu India as CSO for creative and media

    John Thangaraj joins Dentsu India as CSO for creative and media

    MUMBAI: Dentsu India has snapped up one of the industry’s sharpest minds. John Thangaraj, the veteran planner and brand whisperer, has been appointed as chief strategy officer – creative & media, marking a bold move in the agency’s push for tighter integration across its verticals.

    The appointment, effective May 2025, sees Thangaraj bring two decades of battle-tested experience across advertising, media, consumer research and brand building to the Japanese holding group’s India operations. He moves from Havas India, where he served as CSO for a year.

    Dentsu’s gain is no small scalp. Prior to Havas, Thangaraj was the group CSO at FCB group India, steering strategy across multiple marquee clients, and also held senior roles at Mindshare, MullenLowe Lintas group, Rediffusion Y&R and adidas.

    Known for mixing consumer insight with street-smart cultural acumen, Thangaraj has worked on everything from fizzy drinks (Pepsi) to luxe kicks (adidas originals), search portals (Shine.com) to search-for-meaning campaigns (HT’s “It Is Time”). His career boasts a few Bronze Effies, a cult GSK ‘Innovation Lab,’ and even a side hustle decoding the super affluent Indian for LG.

    Now based in Gurugram, the strategy maven is expected to turbocharge Dentsu’s “one brand” promise with unified thinking that aligns creative sparks with media muscle.

    For an industry constantly torn between the mad men and the math men, Thangaraj’s appointment might just be the best of both worlds.

  • Wit & Chai stirs up a creative storm, ropes in Saurabh S as chief creative head

    Wit & Chai stirs up a creative storm, ropes in Saurabh S as chief creative head

    MUMBAI:  Wit & Chai Group, the funky creative agency known for culture-fuelled campaigns, has brewed a strong cuppa by appointing Saurabh S as its chief creative head. With a rollicking two-decade run across big-name agencies and brands, Saurabh steps in to lead the creative charge—and shake things up.

    Having done the rounds at FCB, Saatchi & Saatchi, DDB, Publicis and even Redder Vietnam, Saurabh  isn’t just another adland veteran. He’s the brain behind award-winning ideas for Volkswagen, MTV, Chupa Chups, Set Max and Virgin Mobile. Add stints at House of Anita Dongre and Nykaa, and you get a CV that blends sizzle with serious strategy.

    Saurabh’s remit at Wit & Chai? 
     

    To dream big, lead louder, and build a culture where risky ideas meet razor-sharp storytelling. He’ll work hand-in-hand with strategy and brand leads to ensure the creative spark translates into business firepower. From nurturing young guns to rolling out integrated campaigns, he’s set to steer the shop’s next big act.

    “As a chief creative head, I see Wit & Chai Group as more than just an agency—it’s a sandbox for fearless thinkers,” says Saurabh. “My vision is to turn up the volume on ideas that are disruptive yet deeply human. We’re building brands that resonate in the real world—work that gets people talking, sharing, and remembering.”

    The man isn’t afraid to take risks either—his creative playbook leans into experimentation, youth insights, and cultural resonance, all while keeping one eye on impact and scale. It’s a move that signals the agency’s intent to stay fresh, edgy, and unmistakably relevant.

    Wit & Chai group co-founder & partner Nihar Kolapkar  shared: “Saurabh’s track record of creative leadership and disruptive storytelling brings incredible value to our team. His ability to merge bold creativity with strategic clarity is exactly what we need to push the boundaries of what we deliver for our clients. We’re excited to see him shape a new era of work at Wit & Chai Group.”

    With Saurabh  now in the mix, Wit & Chai Group looks set to dial up the drama, crank the creativity, and cement its spot as a go-to name for bold, business-savvy storytelling.

  • Havas Creative signs on Tanisha Sharma as executive vice-president

    Havas Creative signs on Tanisha Sharma as executive vice-president

    MUMBAI: She’s got exposed to leading a channel, building a cult motorcycle brand, and she’s even turned entrepreneur before returning to the advertising world. The lady in question is Tanisha Sharma who has just moved to the Havas Creative Network as executive vice-president from FCB India where she was senior vice-president for nearly three years.

    A bachelor of arts degree in history followed by a post graduate diploma in marketing and advertising from Xavier Institute of Communication got Tanisha  her first ob at Rediffusion Y&R in 2005 as a senior account executive. From there, she moved to JWT into account management where she stayed for almost a couple of years. And then came a surprising and unexpected leap into the world of television with her being appointed a manager of MTV where she crafted out strategies for the youth-oriented service for two and a half years.

    With that experience behind her she was drafted as senior brand manager for Royal Enfield – a stint she kept for two years and some months after which she founded a card company which created bespoke invitations and stationery. That did not last for longer than two years and six months following which it was back to advertising with her joining Dentsu Impact as general manager in 2019. A gradual progression upwards saw her becoming associate vice-president – a position which she left to join FCB India. And now she is at Havas Creative. 

     

  • 87 of India’s best modern marketing campaigns honored at MMA Smarties

    87 of India’s best modern marketing campaigns honored at MMA Smarties

    Mumbai – MMA Global India unveiled the winners of the 13th edition of Smarties India 2024 at a glittering gala event in Mumbai on 11 October, recognizing the country’s most impactful and innovative marketing campaigns. These campaigns have demonstrated exceptional creativity, strategic brilliance, and measurable business impact across various industries. With 87 total metals given including 10 most prestigious industry awards, SMARTIES India continues to set new benchmarks in marketing excellence.

    SMARTIES winners are ranked on the Business Impact Index developed in collaboration with WARC, which highlight the top brands, agencies, publishers, media agencies etc per the true business impact they created through their campaigns. Winners are also now certified in partnership with RECMA, the leading media agency research organization, ensuring that they are recognized in globally acclaimed platforms.

    This year’s awards showcased outstanding work across diverse categories ranging from FMCG, OTT, retail, BFSI to technology, B2B and more. Among the top categories this year were AI Marketing, Connected TV, Creator/Influencer Marketing, Brand Experience and emerging tech categories all reflecting the industry’s rapid shift towards technology-driven and consumer-centric strategies.

    MMA APAC & Global Head, CEO Rohit Dadwal shared: “It’s always inspiring to see how creativity and data can come together to create truly remarkable campaigns. This year’s SMARTIES winners have done just that, embracing AI and new technologies to deliver results that speak for themselves. Congratulations to all the winners, and a big thank you to our jury chairs, jury and screeners for their hard work and dedication. As we recognize these achievements, I’m reminded of the critical importance of continually innovating and adapting in today’s fast-paced marketing landscape.”

    Grand Unveil of Smarties musical logo or ‘Mogo’

    MMA Global India also established the sonic identity of Smarties worldwide by launching the official Smarties musical logo or ‘mogo’ at the Gala. It was unveiled with a delightful performance by Rajeev Raja, and the mind behind the MMA-member company BrandMusiq that helped create the mogo. Not only does the mogo have a catchy ring to it, but also strong resonance with the distinguished values that Smarties represents. It drives the Smarties ethos of marketing excellence back home, and was very well received by the audience with its dynamic and impactful launch.

    Key partners for the event included ShareChat & Moj, Silverpush, Glance Advertising, Blis, Hybrid, and Storyboard18, amongst more.

    10 Industry Awards Given

    SMARTIES honored top performing brands, agencies and companies across categories recognising them as industry wins of the year.

    Grand Prix / Best in Show – Gatorade Turf Finder

    Most Resilient Brand of the Year – Olay

    Advertiser of the Year – Mondelez India Foods Pvt. Ltd

    Brand of the Year – Cadbury Celebrations

    Publisher of the Year – Amazon Ads

    Media Agency of the Year – Wavemaker India

    Creative Agency of the Year – Leo Burnett India

    Digital Agency of the Year – Interactive Avenues & Performics India

    Holding Agency Company of the Year – WPP India

    The jury was led by three esteemed jury chairs – Shailendra Katyal, Managing Director of Lenovo; Deepika Bhan, President – Packaged Foods, Tata Consumer Products; and Rohit Bhasin, MMA India Board Member; President, Head – Affluent, NRI, Business Banking and CMO, Kotak Mahindra Bank.

    Tata Consumer Products president – Packaged Foods, & Smarties Jury Chair Deepika Bhan said: “As a jury chair, it was a privilege to witness the extraordinary caliber of work submitted. In an era where innovation and consumer engagement are key, these campaigns showcased the true potential of creativity combined with data to drive significant business results in the FMCG sector.”

    Key Trends Highlighted in Smarties India 2024:

    1    AI Marketing & Connected TV: These emerging categories saw a remarkable number of entries, indicating the industry’s growing focus on leveraging AI and new media to drive marketing innovation.

    2    Retail Media: As retail media continues to evolve, the winning campaigns demonstrated how brands are tapping into phygital experiences and omnichannel strategies to connect with consumers in meaningful ways.

    3    Creator/Influencer Marketing: This category remained a magnet for creative excellence, with campaigns that effectively engaged niche communities and built authentic connections through influencers and celebrities.

    MMA Global India Country Head and BOD Member Moneka Khurana shared her thoughts:
    “Congratulations to all the winners of SMARTIES India 2024. The campaigns we’re celebrating are truly shaping the future of marketing excellence. Each winner showcases the very best of not only creativity and innovation but true business impact. At MMA, we’re committed to a future proof showcase of campaigns that empower marketers and brands to continue driving digital maturity and transformation at scale in our rapidly evolving industry.”

    The gala was preceded by Smarties Unplugged to decode the future of marketing excellence witnessed within the work submitted at Smarties, a pre-gala conference that saw thought leaders discussing AI marketing, creative tech, and the evolving consumer mindset in the digital age. It was a day well spent with sessions and masterclasses that inspired attendees with actionable insights on shaping the future of marketing.

    Jury Highlights

    Lenovo & Smarties Jury Chair, managing director, Shailendra Katyal remarked: “Judging the SMARTIES entries this year reinforced the importance of integrating technology into every aspect of marketing. The winning campaigns stood out for their ability to seamlessly blend creativity and technological advancements, especially in categories like AI Marketing and Connected TV. These campaigns represent the future of marketing excellence and set high standards for the year to come.”

    The diverse pan-industry selection jury comprised leaders from Havas Media, Lionsgate Play, FCB, Jio, Domino’s, Abbott, Flipkart, WPP, Dentsu, Mindshare, Niti Aayog, Times Network, LoveChild by Masaba, Zee5, Genpact, amongst many.

    The final set of deliberations spread over a 3-day enriching jury meet to decide on the metals by our marketer-only jury comprising diverse categories represented by marketers from Myntra, Hindustan Unilever, Tata, HDFC, Marico, Aditya Birla Group, Pepsico, MakeMyTrip, Godrej, Castrol, Wipro, Nivea, Perfetti, Leela, Hershey, HP, amongst more; with Kantar, serving as the official jury observer, ensuring the highest standards in evaluation.

    Embed: Explore the full jury roster here.:

    Here are the winners:

     

    Award Sub Category

    		 Gold

    Silver

    Bronze

    PURPOSE DRIVEN MARKETING

    Brand Purpose / Activism

    Gatorade Turf Finder – PepsiCo (Leo Burnett India)

    Meet AI-SHU – P&G (PG One)

    YiPPee Create Magic – ITC Ltd (Interactive Avenues)

    Social Impact Marketing

    LULUMELON EOSS – HDFC Bank (FCB Kinnect)

    Castrol Pragati Ki Paathshaala – Castrol (Mindshare India)

    Google Search “Bolne Se Sab Hoga” – Google Search (EssenceMediacom)

    &

    Gatorade Turf Finder – PepsiCo (Leo Burnett India)

    Diversity & Inclusion

    Meet AI-SHU – P&G (PG One)

    EatQual Colours – Hardcastle Restaurants (DDB Mudra)

    Google Search “Bolne Se Sab Hoga” (EssenceMediacom)

    &

    #ItAllStartsWithAName – Tata Starbucks (Wavemaker India)

    MARKETING IMPACT

    Brand Experience

    Gatorade Turf Finder – PepsiCo (Leo Burnett India) & Cadbury Silk Story of Us – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    NA

    Maa’s Message – A Divine AR Intervention – Unilever (Mindshare India)

    Instant Impact / Promotion

    ITC Masterchef’s Snacking Revolution – ITC Ltd (Performics India)

    The RAZORPRENEUR Challenge – Bombay Shaving Company (Revolio)

    &

    Halloween Hacks – Perfetti Van Melle (Wavemaker India)

    KitKat – Snap In Half – Nestle India (Eleve Media)

    Customer Journey Marketing

    A surprise for 8 Billion People – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    LEGO launches lifted market share – LEGO

    &

    Aashirvaads Data-Driven Approach to Premiumization – ITC Ltd (Performics India)

    SIWO: Turning speechless India into Playful India – Mondelez (Wavemaker India)

    Product and / or Service Launch

    Every cricket enthusiast will play on Dream11 – Sporta Technologies (Wavemaker India)  & CaratLane Service Launch – CaratLane (BBH India)

    NA

    LEGO launches lifted market share – LEGO

    Real-Time Marketing

    Ghar Ek Mauka Ek – UltraTech Cement (Mindshare India)

    Thums Up Utha Apni Side Bata – Coca-Cola (EssenceMediacom)

    Gatorade: Turf Finder – PepsiCo (Spark Foundry Publicis Media)

    Small Budget Big Impact

    Gatorade: Turf Finder – PepsiCo (Spark Foundry – Publicis Media)

    Innovative Use of Paid Search – Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles (Havas Media India Private Limited)

    Pediasure: Nurturing Healthy Growth for Children – Abbott Healthcare Pvt Ltd (Starcom)

    IMPACT MEDIA

    Omnichannel Marketing

    Oreo Bola Mat Bol (Oreo says don’t jinx it) – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    Your Stage; Your Story – Coca-Cola India (EssenceMediacom)

    #ThisAdIsMyStore Lights Up Diwali for Homepreneurs – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    Cross Digital Media Marketing

    Cadbury 5Star Nothing University – Mondelez India Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    SIWO: Turning speechless India into Playful India – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    When India had its #fingerscrossed!- Nestle India (Zenith Media)

    &

    Truly ‘Open’ By Axis Bank Axis Bank (Performics India)

    Social Media Marketing

    When GenZs took a breaking love break! – Nestle India (Zenith Media)

    Offline (OOH) to Online (Social) Search Movement – Google Search (EssenceMediacom)

    Squeezing back the summer fun – PepsiCo India (Leo Burnett India)

    Creator / Influencer / Celebrity Marketing

    Every cricket enthusiast will play on Dream11 – Sporta Technologies (Wavemaker India)

    Karan ‘Badtameez’ hai_Amazon miniTV show launch – Amazon miniTV (SoCheers)

    &

    Doctors Day – Hopes restored, heroes honoured – Sun Pharmaceuticals (Wavemaker India)

    How Cadbury 5 Star ‘Erased’ Valentine’s day – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    Gaming, Gamification & E-Sports

    4th Umpire – Britannia Industries Ltd (Schbang)

    Multi-Screen Reality drives dividend for Domex – Hindustan Unilever (Mindshare India)

    ConFUSEing Controller -Game On, Parents Off: The S – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    EMERGING TECH MARKETING

    Data Insights / Contextual Marketing

    Gatorade Turf Finder powered by Google Maps – PepsiCo India Holdings Pvt Ltd (Leo Burnett India)

    India’s 1st Voice Enabled brand experience on OTT – Google Search (EssenceMediacom)

    Aashirvaads Data-Driven Approach to Premiumization – ITC Ltd (Performics India)

    &

    Castrol MAGNATEC – Gaadi Chalao, Tractor Nahi – Castrol India (Mindshare India)

    Connected TV

    Castrol MAGNATEC – Gaadi Chalao, Tractor Nahi – Castrol India (Mindshare India)

    Banega Toh Badhega India – AsIndiaBuildsIndiaGrows – UltraTech Cement Ltd (Mindshare India)

    Fire TV Drives Brand Uplift for a L’Oréal Launch – L’Oréal (Wavemaker India)

    Programmatic

    #MyBirthdaySong a Personalized AI Symphony – Mondelez India Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    Maa’s Message – A Divine AR Intervention – Unilever (Mindshare India)

    1947 per cent more history – Britannia Industries Ltd (Talented Agency)

    E-COMMERCE MARKETING

    Integrated Ecommerce Innovation & Live Streaming

    		 NA

    LEGO launches lifted market share by 53 per cent @23X RoI – LEGO

    &

    Building EV category on Amazon: Achieving 77x ROAS – Hero MotoCorp.)

    Engaging Baby Audiences: Baby & Toddler Store – Himalaya Wellness Company

    O2O / New Retail / Innovative & New Tech Sales Channels

    Co-creating festive campaigns on Quick Commerce – Mondelez India Foods Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    Blinkit Single Mode x Erase Valentine’s Day – Mondelez India Foods Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    Reshaping the EV landscape – Matter EV (Flipkart)

    CREATIVE

    Customer (CX) / User Experience (UX) & Design

    Cadbury Silk Story of Us – Mondelez India Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    Personalizing Celebrations with AI #MyBirthdaySong – Mondelez India Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    Ultimate Gaming SetUp: A Multi-Brand Success Story – Intel
    Personalization

    Royal Stag: A Billion Films for a Billion Fans – Pernod Ricard India Private Limited (Wavemaker India)

    SIWO: Turning speechless India into Playful India – Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    		 NA

    Short or Long Form Video

    How Cadbury 5 Star ‘Erased’ Valentine’s day – Mondelez India Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    Meet AI-SHU – Your New STEM Mentor – P&G (PG One)

    Google Search – Dhoondege Toh Milega – Google India (Toaster India)

    &

    Castrol MAGNATEC – The Bombay Journey – Castrol (Mindshare India)

    AI MARKETING

    AI-Powered Audience Engagement

    Join The Copverse – Prime Video’s AI adventure – Amazon Prime Video (Interactive Avenues)

    Personalizing Celebrations with AI #MyBirthdaySong – Mondelez India Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    #Riseupfrombeingfriendzoned with Pepsi – PepsiCo (Spark Foundry, Publicis Media)

    Innovative Use of AI in Advertising

    Dark Fantasy – Biting into a million fantasies – ITC Ltd. (Interactive Avenues)

    Cadbury Silk Story of Us – Mondelez India Pvt Ltd (Wavemaker India)

    1947% more history – Britannia Industries Ltd (Talented Agency)

    &

    Half CA enabled ‘Full’ Income tax return filing – Amazon India (SoCheers)

    AI-Driven Creative Excellence

    Personalizing Celebrations with AI #MyBirthdaySong – Mondelez India Pvt. Ltd. (Wavemaker India)

    Cadbury Silk Story of Us – Mondelez India Pvt Ltd (Wavemaker India)

    SIWO: Turning speechless India into Playful India 0 Mondelez India (Wavemaker India)

    &

    Half CA enabled ‘Full’ Income tax return filing – Amazon India (SoCheers)

    Next Stop: Smarties Global

    The India winners now move on to the regional and global SMARTIES stages, competing alongside campaigns from over 45 countries, with 10,000+ global entries vying for top honors in modern marketing excellence.

  • FCB onboards Dheeraj Sinha as group CEO India and South Asia

    FCB onboards Dheeraj Sinha as group CEO India and South Asia

    Mumbai: FCB announced today important leadership succession news for its India and South Asia operations. After eight incredible years leading FCB Group India to historic success, current group chairman & CEO Rohit Ohri is moving into a new global role as FCB global partner. Succeeding him is Dheeraj Sinha, who will join in November as group CEO India & South Asia, reporting directly to FCB global CEO Tyler Turnbull.

    This news comes on the heels of a momentous 2022 for FCB Group India, having been named Adweek’s International Agency of the Year for purpose-driven work that drives business results for clients on a global scale. Over the last six years, the agency has won 32 Cannes Lions and over 100 creative awards globally, launched several high-profile campaigns that have transformed its creative reputation in India and beyond, won many large Indian and global multinational clients, and grown revenue by high double digits year over year. FCB Group India also acquired a majority stake in FCB Kinnect, the region’s leading digital-first creative agency, and recently launched FCB/SIX, its digital media, CX and performance offering, in the market.

    “Since Rohit joined FCB eight years ago, FCB India has seen tremendous success under his leadership. It was time for his next challenge, and while we can’t thank him enough for all that he has done for the agency, I’m excited to have him join our global team to put his valuable experience to work for some important upcoming projects,” said Turnbull. “Together, we have found his successor in Dheeraj — an amazingly talented, creatively focused and driven leader who understands the economic power of creativity.”

    “The last eight years at FCB Group India have been truly amazing. My mandate was to transform the creative reputation of FCB in India. By nurturing culture and cultivating talent, we’ve been able to deliver creative excellence consistently since 2018. I’m enormously grateful to my fabulous India team for the creative and business success we have seen. Our partnership with our clients has been our true strength in this creative transformation journey. Further, with the acquisition of Kinnect and the launch of FCB/SIX in India, I believe we are now uniquely poised to power our creative work with data and technology. I’m delighted to now work on the strategic priorities of our global network with Susan and Tyler as FCB Global Partner,” said Ohri.

    Following an extensive search conducted in partnership with Rohit for his successor, FCB felt Sinha was the right fit to lead the group’s next chapter. Sinha joins the agency from Publicis Groupe, where he currently serves as CEO of Leo Burnett South Asia and chairman of BBH India. While there, he led the business transformation across Leo Burnett, Leo Burnett Orchard, BBH, Publicis Business and Publicis Health. Under his leadership, Leo Burnett transitioned from a mid-tier agency to a leading agency in India and almost doubled its size, with 30 per cent of its revenue driven by new clients such as PepsiCo, IKEA, Airtel, Spotify and many others. Leo Burnett was India’s #1 and Asia’s #2 agency at Cannes Lions 2023. He has also held several other leadership roles throughout his career, including Chief Strategy Officer of South & Southeast Asia at Grey Group, where he fostered a culture of strategy at Grey APAC.

    “Dheeraj is a strong advocate for the power of creativity, with a proven track record of transforming businesses. His experience driving revenue for iconic creative brands and agencies is exactly what we needed to help fuel our next chapter of success in India,” commented Turnbull.

    “I’m delighted to welcome Dheeraj into the FCB family. He is a dynamic leader brimming with new ideas. I believe he has the right capabilities and mindset to take FCB Group India to newer heights,” said Ohri.

    “I am so excited to be leading the next phase of narrative for FCB in India and the region. I believe that with data and technology at its service, creativity is the greatest force of our times. The true power of our industry is in maximizing business opportunities and solving for human problems using creativity. I love the perspective at FCB about creativity as an economic multiplier. The agency has had a great run in the country, with very strong partnerships with the best clients, and has been one of the most respected agency brands. I look forward to working with the global leadership at FCB under Susan and Tyler, to continue to build FCB in India and the region as the most creative company, helping our clients maximize the opportunities and leaving the world a better place at the same time!” remarked Sinha.

    Sinha joins FCB officially in November and will work closely with Ohri to ensure a smooth and seamless transition across the agency’s many offices, people, clients and partners in India.

  • FCB Interface wins integrated creative mandate for Max Life Insurance

    FCB Interface wins integrated creative mandate for Max Life Insurance

    New Delhi: FCB Interface wins the integrated creative mandate for Max Life Insurance. After a multi-agency pitch that included multiple rounds, Max Life Insurance has assigned its integrated creative mandate to FCB Interface.

    The mandate includes creative strategy, execution and social media management for the brand across all channels.

    Commenting on the announcement, Max Life Insurance chief marketing officer Rahul Talwar said, “We are geared up to make the Max Life brand authentic, contemporary, and relatable to millennials & Gen Z. This partnership will strengthen our brand purpose of ‘You are the difference’. FCB Interface joins our strong ecosystem of highly credible partners, and fits in our vision to build integrated communication channels from strength to strength and deliver impactful work together.”

    Speaking of this association, FBB Group chairman & CEO Rohit Ohri, said, “Max life is looking at accelerated growth in India and we at FCB Interface are excited to partner with them on this journey. Integrated mandates are what we love because that’s what empowers us to build relevance, authenticity, and consistency across every stage of the customer journey.”

  • FCB India wins India’s First Fusion Pencil at One Show 2022

    FCB India wins India’s First Fusion Pencil at One Show 2022

    Mumbai: FCB India wins India’s first Fusion Pencil at the coveted One Show 2022! The agency won this honour for their campaign The Nominate Me Selfie for Political Shakti & The Times of India.      

    FCB also bagged a Silver Pencil for UNAIDS The Mirror – See Me As I Am campaign.

    The One Show Fusion Pencil identifies and celebrates the best work in the world that addresses issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

    The Nominate Me Selfie campaign for Political Shakti and The Times of India is a powerful reminder of the concept of gender representation at the top. 50 per cent of our population are women, but only a fraction of parliamentarians are represented by this gender, leaving half of the electorate without or with very little voice.     

    The campaign is an urgent cry to bridge the political gender gap and bring about adequate representation in policymaking and the power circles.     

    Commenting on this win, FCB India creative chairperson Swati Bhattacharya said, “This is truly a dream come true for FCB as a network! Inclusivity, diversity, and equity are common themes that many of our brands share all over the world. And this beautiful trophy celebrates that voice.”

    Delighted with this momentous win FCB Group India chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said, “When the work we put out in this world creates awareness of and helps find solutions for real issues that we as a people are grappling with, the sense of accomplishment is enormous. It’s truly an honour to win India’s first Fusion Pencil for our Nominate Me Selfie campaign.”

    Speaking on this win, Political Shakti co-founder Tara Krishnaswamy said, “The Fusion Pencil award is a testament to the creativity of Political Shakti’s volunteers who designed and executed our Half Is Ours/Aadha Humara, Selfless Selfie campaign for the Bihar elections. This was the time when the country was reeling under Covid and we could not gather in large numbers for a ground campaign to demand 50% female candidates. So we brought out the novel idea of using the narcissistic selfie to ask for women’s representation!”