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Tag: influencer marketing India

  • Animeta helps Bassi scrub up a Bronze Lion for Garnier with viral facewash showdown

    Animeta helps Bassi scrub up a Bronze Lion for Garnier with viral facewash showdown

    MUMBAI: A facewash, a punchline, and 400 million views later, influencer marketing got its Cannes moment. Animeta Brandstar, the influencer engine behind some of India’s most viral campaigns, struck gold—or rather, Bronze—with its collaboration on the ‘Bassi vs Garnier Men Facewash’ campaign. The effort earned a Bronze Lion at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.

    The spark? Comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi casually dropped a satirical clip online poking fun at men’s skincare. What followed was a masterclass in agile brand storytelling. Garnier, alongside its agency Publicis Groupe, saw an opening and ran with it. Animeta swooped in to power the influencer machine—fast.

    Animeta’s key move was getting Bassi on board with remarkable speed to ride the viral wave. The campaign went further when fellow comedian and Bassi’s close friend Harsh Gujral entered the frame, adding layers of relatability and momentum.

    The campaign crescendoed with Bassi trying a men’s facewash on camera for the first time—a moment of comic catharsis for his fans. Animeta handled the nuts and bolts: from coordinating the DVC shoot and syncing influencer content, to managing creator interactions with Garnier brand ambassador John Abraham.

    The result? More than 400 million views tracked across Bassi’s Instagram and Youtube channels, all measured via Animeta Brandstar’s analytics platform. It was moment marketing done right—spontaneous, sharp, and scalable.

    “We are incredibly proud to have been a part of this groundbreaking campaign that resonated so deeply with audiences and garnered international recognition at Cannes”, said Branded Content and Creator Strategy SVP Vishu Ray. “This win underscores the power of authentic influencer collaboration and agile moment marketing in creating truly memorable and effective advertising”.

    For Animeta, the campaign wasn’t just a win for Garnier—it cemented the company’s place in the global conversation on what modern advertising should look like: quick on the uptake, creator-led, and built for scroll-stopping impact.

  • Klugklug appoints Ruchika P. as Chief Business Officer to drive India market strategy

    Klugklug appoints Ruchika P. as Chief Business Officer to drive India market strategy

    MUMBAI: Influencer marketing just got a shot of seasoned leadership. The global influencer marketing SaaS platform, Klugklug announced the appointment of Ruchika P. as its chief business officer (CBO) for India on 22 May 2025. The move signals the company’s aggressive growth plans in a sector rapidly shifting towards data-driven credibility and scale.

    With more than two decades of experience across digital advertising, ad tech, and sales leadership, Ruchika joins Klugklug at a pivotal inflection point. She previously held leadership roles at Rezworx and Inshorts and led business development for Colombia Ads at Times Internet. Her deep engagement with media agencies like GroupM, Dentsu, IPG, Havas, and Publicis adds strategic heft to her new role.

    “We’re pleased to welcome Ruchika as our chief business officer. The first aspect of her that caught our eye was something we internally call ‘Klug-ness’, which is about her being ‘a self-motivated ninja’, which is what her past has shown, and Klugklug is gunning for that and another trait – ‘radical transparency’ in all our engagements. Her leadership and structured thinking will be key in expanding our operations and reinforcing Klugklug’s values in the Indian market”, said Klugklug co-founder & CEO Kalyan Kumar.

    Co-founder & CPO Vaibhav Gupta added, “Brands today are gradually realizing the importance of data science and tech in influencer marketing. With Ruchika’s experience, she brings a thoughtful mix of industry knowledge and new energy. Her grasp of what brands look for, along with her focus on structured, data-driven approaches, sits well for Klugklug’s growth in India”.

    Ruchika said the role felt like a natural alignment. “I am excited to join Klugklug at such a pivotal time in its growth journey. The company has already shown a completely novel and audacious approach to influencer marketing, and this resonated with my experience and passion for driving real and impactful business outcomes & unlocking true value to every brand’s Influencer deployment. I am stoked to be a part of the talented team at Klugklug, especially since the Founders, who have been entrenched in the Influencer space for over a decade, and the growth of this category has only just begun”.

    Klugklug currently serves over 200 Indian and global brands across FMCG, D2C, electronics, beauty, health, and e-commerce. Its AI-powered platform analyses more than 400 million influencers across 150+ countries, 35,000+ cities, and 160+ languages. With robust tools for audience insights, credibility scoring, and campaign intelligence, Klugklug is building transparency into every layer of the influencer marketing funnel.

  • Socioclout brings in Jayanth Kumar as managing partner to boost digital dominance

    Socioclout brings in Jayanth Kumar as managing partner to boost digital dominance

    MUMBAI: In a move that feels more like a plot twist than a press release, Socioclout has turned up the heat in India’s influencer marketing game. On 21 April, the integrated media agency named Jayanth Kumar—aka JK—as its new managing partner, signalling its next big growth sprint in the chaotic, meme-fuelled world of digital advertising.

    Known for its swagger in producing brand DVCs and pairing them with creator mojo, Socioclout is doubling down. And it’s bringing in heavyweight muscle to do it. JK, formerly senior director at DoubleVerify, knows a thing or ten about digital media measurement, market expansion, and making data dance. At DV, he helped carve out a solid India presence. Now, he’s bringing his know-how and digital war stories to Socioclout’s corner.

    “I am incredibly excited to embark on this entrepreneurial journey with Socioclout. The influencer marketing landscape in India is brimming with potential, and Socioclout is uniquely positioned to capitalise on this growth. I am impressed by Bitesh’s vision and the agency’s track record of delivering exceptional campaigns. I look forward to working closely with the team to drive innovation, expand our service offerings, and further elevate Socioclout’s position as a market leader,” said Kumar.

    Founded by Bitesh Singh, the agency has built an enviable portfolio. With over 100 exclusive creators and more than 10,000 campaigns under its belt, Socioclout’s strategy mixes creator relatability with DVC polish—an approach that’s clicked with global and local brands alike.

    “We are thrilled to welcome JK to Socioclout. His extensive experience in the digital advertising industry, combined with his strategic insights, will be instrumental in accelerating our growth and expanding our footprint. We are confident that his leadership will enable us to deliver even greater value to our clients and further solidify our position as a leading integrated media agency,” said Singh.

    The firm’s CRO Abhilash Singh added, “We are delighted to have Jayanth Kumar join us as managing partner. His proven track record in scaling businesses and deep understanding of the digital landscape will be a tremendous asset to our revenue growth objectives. We believe his strategic vision will perfectly complement our existing strengths and help us unlock new opportunities in the market.”

    Socioclout’s charm lies in its hybrid formula—influencer-led storytelling meets high-production-value brand films. Toss in data-backed insights and a pricing model that doesn’t set off CFO alarms, and you’ve got a cocktail clients can’t resist.

    With JK in the driver’s seat, the agency is gearing up to scale operations, broaden offerings, and ride the next wave of India’s digital boom. 

  • Creativefuel scoops up Missmalini for Rs 6 crore

    Creativefuel scoops up Missmalini for Rs 6 crore

    MUMBAI: In the world of content queens and digital clout, the original ‘blogger-to-brand’ icon has just switched sides. Missmalini Entertainment – the sparkly pioneer of India’s celeb-and-lifestyle blog boom – is now officially part of the Creativefuel empire.

    Price tag?

    A cool Rs 6 crore.

    Sass?

    Still intact.

    Creativefuel, the marketing and content agency run by brothers Nikhil and Tushar Sukhramani, has been on a buying spree like an influencer with a fresh credit card. The latest in their cart? The domain and social media assets of Missmalini, once the glittering jewel in the Good Glamm Group’s content crown.

    “Missmalini has long been a cultural touchstone in India’s digital storytelling space. Bringing it into our fold allows us to amplify its voice and legacy in new ways,” said a senior executive from Creativefuel.

    Under the deal, Good Glamm Group keeps the talent management vertical while parting ways with the brand’s core online presence. Essentially, Creativefuel gets the stage and the spotlight – GGG keeps the backstage crew.

    Missmalini Entertainment was founded in 2008 by Malini Agarwal and shot to stardom by blogging Hindi cinema before Hindi cinema knew what blogging was. GGG bought it in 2021 as part of its multi-brand content strategy – but with rising pressure to cut the fat, they’re now selling off the family silver.

    This is not an isolated event. GGG, once the unicorn strutting in sequins, has been quietly divesting. It’s already sold Sirona back to its founders, waved goodbye to Scoopwhoop, and exited its sneaker fantasy, 7-10.

    Rumours swirl that Organic Harvest and The Moms Co. are next on the auction block.

    Meanwhile, the group is reportedly raising Rs 150–240 crore at a drastically slashed valuation—down from $1.26 billion to a humbling sub-$120 million. Ouch.

    But for Creativefuel, it’s all opportunity and optimism. This move follows their recent pick-ups—Youtube channels Hasley India and Pataakha – positioning them as serious players in the ‘digital entertainment multiverse’.

    Their game? Build a media house that dances across platforms and demographics, blending viral with viable.

    Missmalini’s portfolio comes with strong verticals like Girl Tribe, Ignite Edge, Agent M, MM Studios and of course, its juicy celeb gossip heritage. Add Creativefuel’s marketing chops, and you’ve got a cocktail with brand equity, nostalgia, and serious monetisation mojo.