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Tag: FCB Interface

  • DBS Bank India breaks down the 2024 union budget using GenAI

    DBS Bank India breaks down the 2024 union budget using GenAI

    Mumbai : DBS and FCB Interface reimagine the traditional social media campaign to educate in real time, supported by music and lyrics generated by artificial intelligence. In line with the union budget 2024, DBS Bank India has launched a revamped edition of their campaign “Sounds of Budget”. This is the fifth year that the bank will be running this annual, topical campaign that uses music to create engaging and educational content, targeted at enabling the younger demographic to comprehend the complexities of the Budget announcements.

    This year the digital campaign is being led by FCB Interface, Mumbai, who retained the goal to demystify the union budget, but updated the approach, using the power of music created with the help of generative artificial intelligence (AI).

    Despite being one of the most watched financial events every year, consumers can often find it hard to understand the implications of certain Budget announcements or find the technical terms a bit tricky to keep up with. Most digital campaigns that attempt to explain the Union Budget use static visuals or talking head videos on social media.

    The sounds of the budget campaign opts for a more compelling route by taking real-time updates from the finance minister’s announcements and transforming them into short-form rap songs with easy-to-understand lyrics, all crafted with the assistance of generative AI.

    DBS Bank India, managing director and head of consumer banking group Prashant Joshi, said, “As a different kind of bank we value an unconventional approach and the fact that the ‘Sounds of the Budget’ campaign is in its fifth year is testament to how well it has been working. This year we are taking it up a notch with the help of  Gen AI to create music and lyrics in real time that help explain Budget updates in a simplified, yet relatable manner. This allows us to leverage the topicality better and spark more interest on important topics, while fostering financial literacy. Through this campaign our purpose is to equip our customers with the knowledge and tools they need to achieve their financial goals.”

    Speaking about the campaign, FCB Interface chief creative officer Rakesh Menon, said , “The ‘Sounds of Budget’ is a unique campaign that uses the fusion of two seemingly disparate areas such as finance and music, to bring about a creative product that will hopefully capture an audience set known for their short attention spans. It underlines the fact that DBS Bank India is committed to pushing the envelope and experimenting with new formats to cut through the clutter and connect with their target user in a language they understand and enjoy.”

    Agency: FCB Interface

    Brand: DBS Bank

    chief operating officer: Gaurav Dudeja

    chief creative officer: Rakesh Menon

    executive vice president: Ruchita Purohit

    creative team: Maithili Mullick, Darryl Vaz, Ayush Gupta, Aaresh Sethna, Arushi Khandelwal, Freya Dholakia

    account management: Pooja Mhatre, Surabhi Upadhyay

    brand team : Akash Deep Batra , Megha Manchanda, Richa Kamat, Sayali Gaikwad, Mohit Mantri

    Link to the tracks https://www.instagram.com/digibankindia/

     

  • ESAF launches ‘The Power to Dream Bigger’ campaign

    ESAF launches ‘The Power to Dream Bigger’ campaign

    Mumbai: ESAF Small Finance Bank has launched an inspiring new brand campaign, “The Power to Dream Bigger,” aimed at showcasing how the bank expands the chain of joy by empowering the customers especially women from the lowest ebb to the highest.

    Notably, the bank has played a significant role in fostering women empowerment through its branch functions, showcasing its dedication to supporting and uplifting women in various spheres of life.

    The campaign, which is a result of a customer study conducted in Kochi, Chennai, and Mumbai, highlights the bank’s commitment to meeting the needs of its customers across segments. In a broader sense, the campaign tries to communicate how the innovative products and services of the bank bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

    By emphasising the bank’s role in transforming dreams into reality, the campaign aims to resonate with a broad audience, establishing ESAF Bank as a financial partner that joyfully fosters prosperity.

    Conceptualised by FCB Interface, Kochi, the campaign’s centrepiece is a vibrant TVC that communicates the concept of the chain of financial support the bank provides, cutting across segments. The brand campaign was followed by two product campaigns of FD and gold loan under the same umbrella – the power to dream bigger, as each product is designed to meet the brand objectives.

    ESAF Small Finance Bank EVP George Thomas said “The TV campaign is supported by a 360-degree initiative through print, radio, and online platforms. Plans for outdoor campaigns are also on the anvil. The brand campaign along with the two product campaigns under the same umbrella adds meaning to the initiative. Also, it underscores the fact that ESAF is not just a bank it’s a partner in converting its customers’ dreams into reality.”

    ESAF Small Finance Bank VP- head, branding & communications Sony V Mathew explained, “The campaign is the result of a study the agency conducted in three of our prime markets. Also, it is a new communication strategy that gives more meaning to our positioning, the joy of banking. We feel there is no better way to manifest the joy of banking than the chain of joy.

  • FCB Interface appoints Aditi Patwardhan as chief strategy officer

    FCB Interface appoints Aditi Patwardhan as chief strategy officer

    Mumbai: FCB Interface has announced the appointment of Aditi Patwardhan as the chief strategy officer, as a part of the agency’s reorganisation towards becoming future ready and providing strategic partnership to its clients. She will be based out of the Mumbai office.

    In her role, Patwardhan will be leading the strategy mandate to drive the next level of growth for the agency, said the statement.

    “With Aditi on board, I look forward to some scintillating work emanating from razor-sharp strategy,” stated FCB Interface vice chairman and chief creative office Robby Mathew.

    A brand and business builder, Patwardhan’s expertise comes from her 25 years of marketing and advertising experience that includes stints at Lowe Lintas and Leo Burnett.  She has partnered with global brands for multinationals like  Unilever, P&G. Whisper, Fair & Lovely, Pureit, Knorr, Kissan & McDonald’s. Her Marketing stints include DCW Home Products, International Bestfoods, Dabur India and Mattel. Having been on both sides of the table, she is well versed in the intricacies of business and the pressures of P&L.

    FCB Interface vice chairman and CEO Joe Thaliath said, “Aditi is a strong believer and practitioner of media agnostic solutions to real problems. Her well rounded experience and expertise is indeed a perfect fit to lead the agency in its next phase of growth! We look forward to creating inspiring Never Finished brand building stories with Aditi at the helm.”

    “The agency’s strong strategy fundamentals and client partnerships made for a natural fit. But it’s the strong solutioning focus of the much awarded ideas like the ‘Punishing Signal” that excites me,” said Aditi Patwardhan on her new assignment. “I look forward to the mandate of taking the momentum to next level and sharpening the strategy offering.  We are in process of building a powerhouse planning team which offers clients multidisciplinary competencies. Powered by the strong philosophy of Brand Bedrock and a suite of tools that have proven results within the network.”

  • FCB India announces its newly elevated C-Suite leadership team

    FCB India announces its newly elevated C-Suite leadership team

    MUMBAI: FCB Group India recently announced the restructuring of its creative agencies and a new three agency structure – FCB Ulka, FCB Interface and FCB India. FCB India, the newest agency in the fold, led by Swati Bhattacharya as the creative chairperson, has now announced its newly elevated C-Suite leadership team. FCB India will be led by Debarpita Banerjee as chief executive officer, Surjo Dutt as chief creative officer and John Thangaraj as chief strategy officer.

    In an increasingly digitised marketplace of ever-increasing options, influencing consumer choice has become more complex than ever before. It is this tremendous complexity that informs FCB India’s belief system: that siloed, medium-first thinking is no longer enough to build powerful brands in today’s world. FCB India aims at bringing a multi-disciplinary approach to creative ideation, drawing from fields as varied as design and data to media and marketing, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

    FCB India creative chairperson Swati Bhattacharya, said, “When Debbie, Surjo, and John enter the room to solve a problem…you know it will be done. Very rarely do you see such chemistry and energy in the boardroom. They can afford to be terribly honest with each other, and that directly makes the idea shiny and the brand shinier!”

    Debarpita Banerjee joined FCB in 2016 as president- North & East and now heads the agency as the CEO. A seasoned business leader with prior experience in both marketing and advertising, she headed marketing for National Geographic India in her previous role. She is a content enthusiast and also leads Fuel- the branded content and production arm at the agency.

    Surjo Dutt joined FCB in 2016 as national creative director. In his previous role, he was heading creative for specialist digital agency Sapient Nitro. Dutt combines over two decades of advertising experience across both mainline and digital with a strong focus on filmmaking and creative disruption.  

    John Thangaraj joined FCB in 2016 as executive planning director. In his previous role, he was head of strategy- North for Mindshare. Thangaraj brings close to twenty years of marketing communications expertise to the table, having worked across the ecosystem- from qualitative research & brand marketing to account planning, media strategy, and advertising.

    Speaking on this new developement, FCB Group India chairman & CEO Rohit Ohri said, “Hybrid thinking truly begins with hybrid talent. Debbie, Surjo and John’s diverse experience across content marketing, media strategy and digital storytelling, respectively, uniquely positions them to deliver to the challenges of building and growing brands in today’s complex, ever-changing marketplace”.

    “Debbie, Surjo & John have been instrumental in growing the FCB brand across new clients, categories and markets. Having spent half a decade working with each other, they play off each other’s strengths, bring multiple perspectives to the table and form a formidable base from which to further consolidate the tremendous equity they have already built. I wish them the best in their new roles and have no doubt that they will lead FCB India into a new era of success,” Ohri added.

  • FCB Ulka names Kulvinder Ahluwalia as CEO

    FCB Ulka names Kulvinder Ahluwalia as CEO

    Mumbai: FCB Group India had recently announced the restructuring of its creative agencies and a new three agency structure – FCB Ulka, FCB Interface, and FCB India. In a follow-up announcement, FCB Ulka, the flagship agency of the group, has named Kulvinder Ahluwalia as CEO. The agency has also appointed Saad Khan as chief strategy officer, and Keigan Pinto as as chief creative officer. 

    The newly elevated C-Suite leadership team will lead the agency’s next phase of growth in India, it said in a statement on Monday. 

    In their previous roles, Ahluwalia, Khan, and Pinto were the trio heading the account management, strategic planning, and creative respectively at the agency’s Mumbai office.

    “Ulka is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2021. It is only appropriate that on this momentous occasion, we start getting the agency ready for the next 60 years. And what better way to do this than recognizing talent from within,” FCB Ulka vice-chairman Nitin Karkare said. “Kulvinder, Saad, and Keigan have played a key role in building the Mumbai office of FCB Ulka. And I am delighted that they will now lead the agency into the future.”

    Kulvinder Ahluwalia, who joined the agency in 1996 as a management trainee, as part of Star One – an entry-level program in the industry, is now the CEO in a demonstration of the agency’s strong commitment to long-term partnerships.

    Chief creative officer Keigan Pinto is also a Bollywood musician, apart from being a deeply insightful creative leader, with a pulse on popular culture. He has been listed among the ‘Blazing Admakers’ of the country by Impact Magazine and his work has been awarded at the most prestigious national and international platforms.

    With over two decades of diverse experience in advertising and brand consulting, chief Strategy Officer Saad Khan brings to work solid problem-solving skills and an attitude that questions formulaic marketing. An ardent advocate of detail, data, and behavioural economics, his approach to strategy is to remove all the noise to get to the core problem.

    “I believe future-readiness starts with talent. Empowering and enabling our best talent to perform at their very best has always been at the heart of my organizational philosophy,” said FCB Group India chairman & CEO, Rohit Ohri. “This elevation of our shining stars makes me truly proud because it embodies the spirit of #talentaboveallelse and is a demonstration of our belief of growing our future leaders from within. This new leadership partnership structure is what will make us future-ready and power our creative transformation journey for the next decade and beyond.”

  • FCB Group India announces organisational rejig & key elevations

    FCB Group India announces organisational rejig & key elevations

    MUMBAI: On the back of its success at the recently concluded Cannes Lions 2021 where it collected eight Lions, FCB Group India today announced the reorganisation of its creative agencies in India, along with key elevations. 

    The group which has seen a creative transformation over the last four years, announced organisational restructuring with its three full-service agency brands in India – FCB Ulka, FCB Interface, and FCB India. These three agencies will be a part of FCB Group India with Nitin Karkare, Swati Bhattacharya, Robby Mathew, and Joe Thaliath taking on more prominent roles, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. 

    “It is imperative for us now, more than ever before, to be able to provide our clients with the strategic direction and creativity they need to navigate the new world we live in today,” said FCB Group India chairman & CEO Rohit Ohri. “Our new structure allows for our best people to provide focused and dedicated partnership to our clients; to bring the disruptive creativity, agility, and fluidity that is required today to transform our clients’ businesses and create unmissable brands.”

    Karkare will take on the role of vice chairman at FCB Ulka. With 35 years in advertising, he started as a management trainee at Ulka Advertising. Karkare is known to forge long-term partnerships, be it his clients, teams, colleagues, or associates.

    Bhattacharya, who has recently been named ‘Adweek Creative 100’ for 2021, has been appointed creative chairperson at FCB India. She became India’s first woman chief creative officer when she joined FCB Ulka in 2016. Under her leadership, FCB has won more than 120 awards.

    Mathew takes over as vice chairman and CCO at FCB Interface. With over two decades at FCB Interface, he drives the agency’s creative agenda and is behind some of the agency’s most memorable campaigns for brands like Mahindra, Oreo, Bluestar, and Agrotech Foods.

    Thaliath takes charge as vice chairman and CEO at FCB Interface. A retail pioneer and entrepreneur, he started his advertising career with FCB Ulka in Cochin. He later shifted to Mumbai and led many different businesses before becoming the CEO of FCB Interface. Through his 30 odd years with the Group, Thaliath has worked on global and Indian mega brands across the automotive, FMCG, publishing, media, and telecom sectors.  

    “Nitin, Swati, Robby, and Joe have been the pillars of the Group. The creative work that Swati and Robby have done over the last four years has made FCB Group India shine brightly on the global creativity firmament. Nitin and Joe have ensured that our creativity was a powerful economic multiplier for our clients. Together, they have scripted our creative transformation story,” Ohri further said.

    “I believe this new three creative agency structure sets up the Group perfectly to serve our clients better, with a sharper focus on their business, and for accelerated growth as we look to our next 60 years in India. It signals the empowerment of our creative leaders and the building of sustainability in our creative transformation journey,” he added.  

    FCB Group India said that it also appointed the next level of leadership for each of its agencies, for which the announcement will follow soon.

  • NIVEA says ‘Shake. Spray. Start.’ with Ranveer Singh

    NIVEA says ‘Shake. Spray. Start.’ with Ranveer Singh

    MUMBAI: FCB Interface has launched a campaign for NIVEA MEN with the brand’s new face, Ranveer Singh.

    It’s a first-of-its-kind innovation in the deodorant category, a unique dual-phase deodorant with two layers floating one on top of the other. A blue layer that gives freshness and a clear layer that guards the freshness. When the two layers are mixed, the Freshness Guard Technology is activated. And once sprayed, it makes sure your freshness doesn’t escape for hours.

    The quirky campaign aims to get consumers to ditch their regular deodorants and try the cool new NIVEA MEN Duo.

    FCB Interface chief creative officer Robby Mathew says, “When the idea is in the product itself, the task then is to show it as it is. And Ranveer, despite his larger than life personality, makes the product the undisputed hero of the film.”

    NIVEA India managing director Neil George adds, “NIVEA India is addressing needs of young consumers by tapping into the trend of ‘modernity’ and Ranveer is the perfect evangelist for the brand to increase its engagement with young India. Just like him, our innovations are hard-working, modern and care for you. We are confident that NIVEA MEN DUO is an innovation that will create a strong disruption in the extremely cluttered deodorants category.”

  • BlueStar promotes new cooler range

    BlueStar promotes new cooler range

    MUMBAI: Air conditioner manufacturer, Blue Star, recently entered the air cooler market with its own brand: Windus.

    Blue Star in association with its advertising partner FCB Interface, has created an ad film that communicates the product’s benefit in a truly interesting manner. Four young women visiting their friend’s house on a hot summer day slip into winter wear just before entering the house. And why? Because their friend’s house has a Windus air cooler from Blue Star.

    Blue Star joint managing director B Thiagarajan mentions, “Blue Star launched its range of Windus air coolers last year with the strategic goal of pursuing new opportunities in areas adjacent to its current businesses. The new TV commercial for the upcoming summer highlights that the Windus range of air coolers provides winter-like absolute cooling even in the scorching summer season.”

    The communication focuses on a stylish imagery for the product, along with maintaining Blue Star’s premium brand personality in the minds of the consumers.

    The Company continues to increase its investments in this product category, with the objective of establishing Blue Star as a significant player in this segment.

    FCB Interface CCO Robby Mathew says, “What do you do when you enter a category where everyone’s saying the same thing in the same way? The answer is this film. A simple plot where guests are padding up in layers to visit a Blue Star home in summer! The beautiful lensing, the music and Blue Star’s offbeat humour, all come together to make a film that is way outside the category.”

  • Nivea TVC shows how to get rid of body odour

    MUMBAI: FCB Interface recently rolled out an endearing new campaign for the launch of Nivea’s body deodorizers for women.

    Featuring brand ambassador Anushka Sharma, the TVC comically highlights the deodorant’s promise of day-long odour control. Based on the insight that body odour leads to socially awkward situations, the commercial shows adorable little children holding their breath in a kindergarten classroom as their teacher suffers from body odour. Anushka, another kindergarten teacher, helps her out by offering her the Nivea Body Deodorizer.

    The campaign is on air across leading television channels, supported by digital presence.

    The film opens on a montage of adorable little children holding their breath whilst looking into the camera. With puffed up cheeks, wide eyes and endearing expressions on their faces, they appear to be in some sort of discomfort. We find out the reason soon enough. It is revealed that they’re in a kindergarten classroom, listening to their teacher tell a story. The kids are getting a whiff of her body odour as she gesticulates with raised arms. Anushka, another kindergarten teacher, notices this and helps her out by handing her the new Nivea Body Deodorizer that gives day-long odour control.

    Robby Mathew, Chief Creative Officer, FCB Interface said, “Unlike adults, kids are quite transparent with their feelings. They don’t hesitate to express them, no matter who they are with. And this is the behavioral insight is what we latched on, to bring alive Nivea’s day-long odour control properties.”

    Sachin Killawala, Category head – personal care, Nivea India said, “The new Body Deodorizer with Pro Vitamin B5 addresses the core category need of the women consumer to get day long odour control in just one use. While body odour is a well understood topic, most people do not realise that they have the problem as we tend to not discuss it or point it out. The TVC addresses this challenge by showing an intriguing situation in which the body odour issue is evident, without the social embarrassment associated with it.”

  • FCB Interface crafts Blazo campaign

    MUMBAI: As a next leg to the campaign launched in 2016, harping on the never-before guarantee: Get more mileage or give the truck back, Mahindra Blazo and Ajay Devgn are continuing the campaign communication in yet another dramatic, hard hitting manner. The campaign has been crafted by FCB Interface with another emphatic communication that underlines the success of Mahindra Blazo and how its mileage has lived up to the company’s promise.

    The campaign is on air across leading television channels, supported by digital presence.

    USP of the campaign/ product: Mahindra Blazo comes with a ‘Get more mileage or give the truck back’ guarantee and not a single truck has come back.

    Film Description: The film opens dramatically with a shot that shows a pair of legs and the shadow they cast on the road. As the legs move, we see two trucks right behind and slowly it is revealed to be Ajay Devgn followed by two Mahindra Blazo trucks. As the film progresses, Ajay presents big facts about the Blazo and its FuelSmart CRDe engine and how it is living up to the guarantee that the company offers: Get more mileage or give the truck back. The biggest proof of performance is that ‘not a single truck has come back’! Delivered by Ajay Devgn in his own inimitable style, the film captures Mahindra’s confidence in its trucks in an emphatic manner.

    Excerpt from spokespersons: Ajay Devgn “Such a guarantee is a very big thing for a brand … and if not a single truck has come back then that says a lot.”

    FCB Interface CEO Joe Thaliath says “Our internal investigation said that the ‘mileage guarantee’ campaign delivered successfully in the market. The challenge was to now step up the game and bring alive the success of Blazo to the customers. The fact that the Blazo is BSIV-ready adds to the opportunity … And yes, Ajay Devgn continues to be our ‘Suthradhar’ as he has proven to be the best fit for the brand.”

    FCB Interface CCO Robby Mathew says “Some months ago, Mahindra made a claim that no other truck company in India would make. This film had but one objective. Tell the world what happened in the marketplace when the customer took Mahindra on their offer ….”

    Mahindra & Mahindra – truck & bus division sr. general manager – marketing Rajeev Malik says, “Our first campaign was a bold step. So we decided to extend the ‘mileage guarantee’ and at the same time bring alive the proof of performance of the FuelSmart-CRDe engine. That’s why our new film highlights the fact that ‘not a single truck was returned’ ….”