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Tag: J. Walter Thompson

  • In memoriam: the passing of a lesser-known advertising legend, Walter Saldanha

    In memoriam: the passing of a lesser-known advertising legend, Walter Saldanha

    MUMBAI: Walter Saldanha passed away silently almost unknown to many in the advertising and marketing world over the weekend. For those who don’t know of him, he is the reason the creative shop Leo Burnett – which is part of the Publicis group today – is around in India.

    Actually, Leo Burnett was called Chaitra Leo Burnett for a long time and Chaitra Advertising for even longer even before that.

    Walter Saldanha and Brendan Pereira co-founded Chaitra Advertising in 1972, in the midst of “one of the worst recessions in advertising history.” Walter was this mild mannered, extremely slender, bespectacled man who looked more like a suited accountant than an advertising professional. He actually began his career as a typist in 1947 a little shy of 16. 

    Four years later somehow or the other he landed up at advertising agency J Walter Thompson and worked there in various roles before joining Aiyars  – an advertising agency –  where he and creative wizard Brendan formed a bond.  They worked together on many accounts, Brendan the creative type and Walter the client management guy who had to clean up after his colleague had an argument which turned wild with the client losing his top. 

    Walter rose to become MD of the agency which was owned by Aiyar and had some of the more prestigious accounts at that time. The owner had promised to give them equity but when it came to delivering on the promise he procrastinated every time, despite all the good work they put in. This was getting too much for both Walter and Brendan.  And they showed it. One day, Walter returned from one of his domestic client meetings only to find his office taken over by Aiyar and he was informed the board had decided to eject him as managing director. 

    This broke the soft spoken but tough-as-nails Walter who burst into tears in front of Brendan (he was offered the role to run the agency replacing Walter, which Brendan of course refused. In fact, it made him furious.)

    A lot of drama happened after that, but, to cut a long story short, the duo took along some of the gee-whiz advertising professionals of that time working at Aiyars who were livid at the treatment meted out to Walter. 
    Sheila Sista, Jean Durante, Prakash Deshpande, Shantaran, Julien Almeida, Eddie Myers, Arvind Gosavi, among others were taken on as shareholders of Chaitra. The agency was born out of this bond the two shared between themselves and 12 other team members, with no clients and out of Brendan’s flat in Colaba. 

    Amongst Chaitra’s first clients was this pan chewing businessman in white kurta pyjamas who wanted to promote his brand of polyester fabric. When both Walter  and Brendan met him at his office in Dhobi Talao (Mumbai) he kept on wiping his mouth with the towel as he chewed his pan. His brand was Vimal and he was going to launch his first retail showroom at Roxy cinema in Mumbai. Amongst the first questions Dhirubhai Amabni asked the two was  “So, what business do you have, who are your clients,?” Both Brendan and Walter told him they  had no clients. “Ha, so I’m going to be your first client. Very good. You take my business.” 
    He wanted invitation cards, bags, name boards, leaflets to be designed and a press  announcement to be made. He also gave Walter and Brendan a free hand to come up with something unusual. 

    Billings in year one for Chaitra were in double digit lakh. But the agency was unstoppable and it grew fast with many clients coming on board because of its outstanding creative. Brendan and he parted ways from Chaitra in 1983 when he returned after three months of  being away from the agency. Walter and the management informed him that they wanted to manage creative with Brendan offering creative guidance. The reason: clients were pretty miffed with Brendan refusal to cooperate with them on creative changes and adjustments, and the list was long. This was something that was unacceptable to Brendan.  For him that was it, and he left.
     

     

    Chaitra’s reputation had spread far and wide and it attracted Leo Burnett to become its affiliate in 1987 as most foreign agencies were beginning to expand internationally in order to be able to offer their international clients services in India. Leo Burnett entered India in 1992, when it invested in Chaitra which became Chaitra Leo Burnett. After around eight years, the Chaitra name was dropped and Leo Burnett India was born when Walter, as he liked to be called, gave majority to it. He retired but continued as chairman emeritus. Under his watch Chaitra had grown to be one of the top agencies of the country. 

    Walter went beyond advertising. After his retirement, he started the  Asian Institute of Communication and Research, a small business school he built in the hills of Matheran, in 2001 after retiring from Chaitra. The school has given birth to many advertising and marketing professionals who are in leading positions in leading companies today. 

    Walter was honorary treasurer of the Society for Eradication of Leprosy – something he was very passionate about – the care of those infected and eradicating it totally. He was also a trustee of the Sangeet Abhinay Academy, an organisation devoted to the development of musical talent and the Shanti Avedna Sadan (a home for terminally ill cancer patients). And yes, he  fought for the rights of  slum dwellers and he was the former Chairman of Slum Rehabilitation Society. 

    He remained extremely low key throughout his career seeking very little attention, instead focusing on bringing out great advertising for his clients and serving society in whatever manner he could. Brendan was the better known of the two, as he ran creative and was in the limelight, while at Chaitra and after that.

    I remember spending some time in Chaitra’s Kemps Corner office with Walter in the early nineties. He preferred to let Arvind Sharma – who later led the agency phenomenally well – to do most of the talking. He preferred to exchange stories about his social work, even when I spoke to him in later years – about his institute, his leprosy work and the problems slum dwellers face. Students of the institute he set up remembered him fondly when they learned of his passing  on Linkedin on how he helped shape their careers with his encouraging words and guidance. 

    11 years or so after setting up Chaitra, Walter and Brendan took their own paths. 

    Death, however, did not set them too apart. 

    Brendan passed on in July 2024, Walter on 28 December 2024., if I have got the date right. 

    May they both rest in peace! 

    (Some of the information in this piece was gleaned from Brendan’s book Changing  Faces. Any errors of information omission or inference are unintended. Picture of Walter lighting the lamp, courtesy  Vaishali  Nikalje on linkedin)

  • Tista Sen bids adieu to Wunderman Thompson after 21 year stint

    Tista Sen bids adieu to Wunderman Thompson after 21 year stint

    Mumbai: After spending 21 years at the agency, Wunderman Thompson South Asia regional creative director Tista Sen has called it a day. Her next destination remains unknown as of now.

    Talking to Indiantelevision, Sen says, “It feels like I’m leaving my home because WT has always been a home, a comfort place for me. I just thought it is time for me to get out of my comfort zone and do something different.”

    Commenting on her leave, a spokesperson from Wunderman Thompson said, “Sen now wants to embark on a new career journey that takes her away from WT India that has been home to her for the past 22 years. We wish her all the best in her next adventure.”

    Sen started her career with Whitelight Productions, one of India’s leading ad film production companies, after which she joined Lowe Lintas as a writer. Five years down the line, she moved to Ogilvy for a brief stint and returned to Lowe Lintas. In 2001, Sen joined Wunderman Thompson (previously J Walter Thompson) and had been there ever since.

    She has assisted on over 60 commercials, and has worked on brands such as Johnson’s Baby, Stayfree, Cadbury Eclairs, Cadbury Five Star, Oberoi Hotels, Asian Paints, Sunlight, Comfort, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk, Fair & Lovely and Pepsodent for Unilever. In her most recent role, her portfolio included GlaxoSmithKline, ITC, Unilever, Godrej, and many other brands.

    Sen has been ranked among the 20 most creative people in Asia, and has worked on campaigns that have won numerous metals across the world including at Cannes, Clio and Spikes Asia. Her recent wins include a gold, silver, bronze, finalist at AdFest; gold, finalists & merit awards at One Show; gold, finalist at Cannes, gold at Clio; Grand Prix, gold, silver at Spikes Asia, etc. The campaigns that are close to her heart include sunsilkgangofgirls.com, campaigns for Aditya Birla Financial and the Lux Abhi-Ash commercial.

    The Mumbai office of Wunderman Thompson (the erstwhile J Walter Thompson) has won over 40 metals at Goafest 2014 and 57 in 2015 including the Grand Prix under her creative leadership. Over the years she has sat on the jury of several advertising festivals in India and abroad, including Cannes and D&AD. In 2015, she had the pleasure of being the only Asian on the inaugural Glass Jury at Cannes, which honours gender diversity in communication.

    As per her LinkedIn profile, a student of English literature and life, and having worked on global brands, Sen believes that an idea and insight can cut across geographies and connect with culture. Her ability to simplify things and find a human connection is what makes her approach to communication relevant and meaningful.

  • J Walter Thompson creates #LostVotes campaign for Times of India

    J Walter Thompson creates #LostVotes campaign for Times of India

    MUMBAI: J Walter Thompson has conceptualised and created a nationwide campaign ‘Lost Votes’, which calls for policy and electoral reforms to bring in the vote of Indian migrants, for Times of India (TOI).

    Elaborating the idea behind the campaign, JWT mentioned in a statement that considering today’s India’s countless population is on the move for work or education, or marriage, the right to vote should also move along just like the mobile phone numbers, PAN and Aadhar details, and bank accounts. The basic concept is to turn these lost votes into votes that count because they can shape the destiny of our nation.

    Commenting on the campaign, TOI brand director Sanjeev Bhargava said, “We are the largest democracy in the world. But are we the most robust? To strengthen our democracy, it is important that the right to vote and the facility to vote both be made available to the entire voting population.”

    J Walter Thompson chief creative officer Senthil Kumar said, “The idea of the film is to evoke the voice of the lost vote. A voice that amplifies the angst and echoes the emotion of over 20 crore Indians losing their vote. To play the voice of the lost votes on loud speakers and yet feel the voice being drowned by the distance, lost in the middle class multitudes out there. Losing your right to vote is like that fading homing signal. It’s like missing the last train home and losing the hope of making a difference in your hometown from your distant work station. Mera haq kahin pe kho gaya.”

    J Walter Thompson national creative director Sambit Mohanty added, “When we started working on the ‘Lost Votes’ campaign, I knew the film had to be poignant and soul-stirring. It needed to capture that ineffable feeling of being a stranger in a strange land. One who has to deal with the pain of not just losing touch with his roots but also not mattering in the larger scheme of things, because he/she is unable to vote (despite having the right to.) Whether you’re a face in the crowd or the crowd itself, nobody is immune from this pain. The ‘Lost’ poster-frame is meant to be symbolic of this feeling of becoming insignificant.”

  • Tinder rolls out ‘Adulting Can Wait’ campaign

    Tinder rolls out ‘Adulting Can Wait’ campaign

    MUMBAI: Dating app Tinder has rolled out its latest brand campaign ‘Adulting Can Wait’ to tap into Gen Z’s reality by establishing that pre-adulting life stage must be cherished and championed and not be underplayed as just transitional.

    The Tinder campaign kick-starts with a digital video, and will be supported in the first phase by an outdoor and digital media campaign. The film has been created and conceptualised by J Walter Thompson, Delhi.

    J Walter Thompson Managing partner Joy Chauhan said, “Young people would like to give choice a chance and see where it takes them. If only adulthood wasn’t looming. Tinder first released dating from its limitations and now it is empowering the young with control; to make discoveries, to meet people who open new doors, to explore a charmed life. Everyone has to grow up but why waste your ‘young’ in anticipation of it? This content just gives them that nudge with heart, humour and a lightness of touch!”

    J Walter Thompson national creative director Sambit Mohanty added, “Tinder is more than just an app that enables 'dating'. It's a plethora of life experiences and a whole lot of fun. That's the spirit we wanted to capture with our new campaign – tailor-made for a young and restless generation that doesn't want to commit to adult choices.”

    Tinder has also launched a specially designed OOH campaign, featuring recreated popular memes at key locations across metro cities.

    Commenting on the campaign, Tinder India GM Taru Kapoor said, “Experiences in our early 20s serve as lessons in how to adult and eventually “settle down”. Growing up isn’t really optional, and we will achieve the goals that we seek and the ones we didn’t know we seek. We will all get there, whatever ‘there’ is. But until then, we want to celebrate the unexpected surprises at every corner – the craziness we will be nostalgic about sooner than we think, the relationships that will leave us better than they found us, the adventures that will make us challenge our own limits and the people who will leave an indelible mark on our lives.”

    Taru further added, “Tinder represents endless possibilities where each right swipe opens up a new world of unique possibilities. Every swipe is a new connection, a potential epic memory or a valuable lesson in self-discovery. The film captures all the potential connections and social interactions, which eventually shape our worldviews as well as self-identity that Tinder can facilitate.”

  • JWT elevates Tista Sen and Priya Shivakumar

    JWT elevates Tista Sen and Priya Shivakumar

    MUMBAI: J Walter Thompson's (JWT) Tista Sen has been elevated as the regional creative director of India with the additional responsibility of JWT Sri Lanka. Sen is currently national creative director (NCD) at the agency.

    In addition to this, Priya Shivakumar, currently the executive creative director of JWT Bangalore, has been promoted to NCD. She will now drive creative excellence for clients across Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad.   

    JWT CEO Tarun Rai said; “Both Tista and Priya are exceptional creative professionals and their promotions are richly deserved. They have helped build so many brands and have been true ambassadors of JWT.”  

    “This is surely the sign of things to come as geography becomes history all over again. Tista and Priya are two of our best creative leaders, now empowered to lead from the front and drive creativity across the country and beyond,” added J Walter Thompson CCO Senthil Kumar.  

    Sen has been involved in crafting memorable and well-loved campaigns for some of the most iconic brands in India. Her deep understanding of the advertising landscape empowers her to orchestrate integrated communications that build future-ready brands and businesses. Over the years she has served as jury at several advertising festivals in India and abroad.  

    Shivakumar brings both traditional media and digital media together with her ideas and has led the Bangalore office of JWT successfully for over seven years now as ECD. Her work cuts across categories like fashion, beauty, luxury, travel and technology.

  • Forevermark’s new campaign highlights the concept of self-determination

    Forevermark’s new campaign highlights the concept of self-determination

    MUMBAI: Forevermark, the diamond brand from The De Beers Group of Companies, has launched the ‘The Better Half Within’ Campaign, a reflection of the poised, powerful, and self-determined personality of the woman of today.
    The campaign includes a film and will utilise national media channels such as TV mainlines, set of print and outdoor ads, digital display, social media, radio channels, and in-store.
    The campaign will debut on TV with 30 and 50-second commercials, to be screened on 15 September 2018. The TVC will be shared on social and digital with shorter edits.
    Through extensive research commissioned through Kantar IMRB, it was found that Indian women are slowly evolving the meaning of femininity by combining strength with an essential grace. They currently enjoy increasing levels of economic power and whilst celebrating the achievements of their family, while being focused on their personal growth as an individual.
    A half-carat diamond characterises this large percentage of women who are financially independent and have the power to invest in the reflection of their self-worth and hard work. ‘The Better Half Within’ campaign has been conceptualised to define this emotional connect between a woman and a half carat diamond as the perfect expression of her focus on personal achievements.
    Forevermark India President Sachin Jain says, “Diamonds are symbols of a wider range of emotions, including pride, joy, and achievement. Most women these days are breaking clichés by buying diamonds for themselves. With this campaign, we aim at giving these empowered women the choice of the half carat diamond as a precious, long-lasting representation of their individuality, and a mark of their achievement at an attractive price point. Women can purchase a half carat Forevermark diamond with the same assurance that they will be getting their money’s worth with the most beautiful, rare and responsibly sourced diamonds that go beyond the 4Cs.”

    The first film focusses on a mother who creates her own recipes for her blog and through the help of her daughter becomes an internet sensation.

    The second film is based on a doctor who despite having had a long day celebrating her daughter’s birthday finds the motivation to head out for an emergency surgery.
    The campaign film has been developed and conceptualised by J Walter Thompson India (JWT, India) and the media agency for the campaign is Mindshare. It has been produced and directed by Native.
    J Walter Thompson SVP and ECD Nandita Chalam says, “J Walter Thompson’s campaign for Half Carat Diamonds from Forevermark is based on a simple insight – whenever a woman is about to give up on her dreams, something deep within her urges her to go on. This is her better half. Half carat diamonds from Forevermark are a tribute to this bold, bright and beautiful better half within every woman. The television commercials tell two charming stories of a doctor and a food blogger who harnessed their inner better halves. Through TV, film, print, radio, and digital, the campaign will urge every woman to let her better half shine.”

  • Goodknight Cool Gel targets semi-urban, rural consumers

    Goodknight Cool Gel targets semi-urban, rural consumers

    MUMBAI: Goodknight has come up with a new commercial for its recently launched product, Goodknight Cool Gel.

    The TVC conceptualised by J Walter Thompson (JWT) India showcases a typical summer night in a small town in Northern India, where people prefer sleeping on roof tops to keep the heat at bay and how the mosquito menace does not let them sleep until Cool Gel comes to their rescue. The ad is a parody on a popular old Hindi song – ‘Hai re Hai’.

    The ad film opens with a senior member – grandfather – in a joint family trying to sleep on the rooftop of his house one summer night; however, mosquitoes do not let him sleep. To address the issue in a comic manner, the grandfather claps his hands and starts singing an old Hindi song – ‘Hai re Hai’. Another man gets up with a blanket on his head and continues the song – ‘Neend nahi aye’. One more grown up man slaps himself on the face and continues singing – ‘Machhar bada sataye’. Then a young girl joins in and sings – ‘Cream chip chipaye’, the girl touches sticky arms and frowns. Her brothers pop up in the same frame and make a hand gesture depicting the irritability caused by the sticky and oily mosquito repellent cream they have applied.

    Just then the mother in the family enters the rooftop area with a solution to all their problems where she is shown applying Goodknight Cool Gel to her youngest son. After applying Goodknight Cool Gel, the family is shown sleeping peacefully. The TVC further informs that unlike other mosquito repellents, Goodknight Cool Gel is a non-sticky and gel-based repellent with the goodness of aloe vera. Goodknight Cool Gel not only keeps mosquitoes at bay for eight hours but also gives a cooling sensation and helps one sleep peacefully. The ad film also introduces the new Goodknight Cool Gel sachet available at Rs 10.

    Godrej Consumer Products CEO of India and SAARC Sunil Kataria says, “Goodknight is a brand that has its focus on consumer bases not only in metro cities, but also smaller towns in India. We have cost effective and efficient solutions for the mosquito menace for all our consumers. Brand Goodknight has always understood mothers and their struggle to protect their families from the mosquito menace. The new ad film aptly captures this emotion.”

    “Goodknight Cool Gel is an innovative product in the personal repellent category. It comes in a tube and a sachet format for the convenience of consumers,” Kataria added.

    J Walter Thompson managing partner Rajesh Gangwani mentions, “The campaign is targeted towards semi-urban and rural consumers who normally sleep outdoors/open air during warm summer nights. The key benefit that we wanted to propagate is that unlike other mosquito repellent creams, our product contains Aloe Vera gel, which is non-sticky and has a cooling sensation. The communication is crafted keeping in mind the rural sensibilities and is delivered through an engaging and catchy sing-song between the family members.”

  • Goodknight puts an end to coils with new power chip

    Goodknight puts an end to coils with new power chip

    MUMBAI: Household insecticide brand, Goodknight, has launched its latest innovation ‘Goodknight Power Chip’. Its new television commercial understands the emotions of a mother and her plight to protect her family from the mosquito menace.

    The new TVC opens with a kid inviting his friends over to his house to watch a match. However, his friends have decided to go to the kid’s house whose mother has successfully managed to keep her home mosquito free. The first kid wonders what must be the trick to keep mosquitoes at bay, to which his friend responds that his mother has the power of 100 coils. The mother protects her home with the newly launched Goodknight Power Chip. She is delighted to see her son enjoy with his friends. The mother and the kid twirl their fingers in a playful manner depicting the power of 100 coils.

    Godrej Consumer Products CEO of India and SAARC Sunil Kataria says, “We are very excited about the new launch. Goodknight Power Chip is the new entrant to the Goodknight family. Brand Goodknight has always understood mothers and their struggle to protect their families from the mosquito menace and has always offered an effective solution to address their concerns. The new ad film has captured this emotion aptly.”

    J Walter Thompson South Asia JWT CEO Tarun Rai adds, “Power Chip is a breakthrough innovation created for the semi-urban and rural consumers. Our biggest challenge was to build format relevance for these consumers by upgrading them from the burning formats (coil) to an electric format. Coil is a benchmark of efficacy for these consumers. We strategically referenced coils to establish our new product superiority with the claim of ‘Power of 100 coils’. The communication is created to match the sensibilities of our target group and is delivered through an endearing banter between the kids and acknowledging the Goodknight mom.”

  • JWT Mumbai launches next phase of AMFI campaign

    JWT Mumbai launches next phase of AMFI campaign

    MUMBAI: In its continued association with Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI), J. Walter Thompson, Mumbai, has rolled out the next phase of the multimedia campaign aimed at creating investor awareness about mutual funds.

    Phase one of the ‘Mutual Funds Sahi Hai’ campaign was launched a year ago with the objective of getting potential investors to be comfortable with mutual funds by dispelling the myths surrounding them. The campaign was brought alive depicting slice-of-life situations in a conversational tone of voice.

    The campaign garnered positive response from investors and industry captains alike. It was recently awarded the bronze metal at the AME Awards 2018 in New York, becoming the only Indian entry in the financial services category to achieve this honour.

    The results were quite resounding as mutual fund companies saw an overall addition of 32 lakh new investors over the last one year. The industry also witnessed AUM growth of almost 25 per cent from March 2017. Monthly SIP contribution for the industry touched Rs 7119 crore from 2.11 crore SIP accounts (Source: AMFI). Moreover, 60 per cent of respondents recalled specific campaign messages like ‘everybody can invest in mutual funds’ and ‘One can start with Rs 500’. (Source: Research by Nielsen)

    It was evident that people had warmed up to the conversation and were interested in knowing more. The new campaign takes the conversation forward and aims to build greater confidence in mutual funds and guides investors on finding out more through the microsite, mutualfundssahihai.com, while addressing some barriers as earlier.

    The films, shot over a week, encourage investors to take active steps towards investing in mutual funds. Each TVC carries forward the conversation using the same characters albeit in a different set up while keeping the tonality, and execution framework consistent for continuity and relatability. The films will be supported by Print, Radio, Outdoor and Digital communication.

    AMFI chairman, A Balasubramanian said, “The campaign has worked really well for us. Research results and industry data only prove to show the magnitude of the campaign effect. At AMFI, as an industry association body, it is our constant endeavour to propel the category further through a collaborative effort. With new insights and deeper understanding of the audience’s mindset we are set to achieve that.”

    JWT Mumbai managing partner Rajesh Gangwani added, “The AMFI campaign connected with the audience because of its easy conversational style which reassured investors that mutual funds were right for them. The new campaign takes them on to the next leg of the journey by challenging some misconceptions and importantly guiding them about what to do next as far as investment in mutual funds was concerned”

  • Engage explores duality with Yin & Yang in latest campaign

    Engage explores duality with Yin & Yang in latest campaign

    MUMBAI: Fragrance brand Engage, from the house of ITC, has unveiled its first range of Eau de Parfum. 

    Engage has taken a bold step forward to redefine fragrance concepts inspired by the traditional philosophy of duality. Based on the principle that all things exist in contradictory opposites, Engage presents ‘Yin’ for the Engage Man and ‘Yang’ for the Engage Woman.

    In a new television commercial for Engage Eau De parfum, the brand elucidates the dichotomy of love and the role of fragrances in creating passionate memories. The film directed by Whitelight film’s Subir Chatterjee and Namita Roy Ghose explores the arguments and friction that is inevitable in any romance but illustrates the core of intense love that binds one another with the promise of a new beginning because love will always find a way. 

    The TVC opens with a couple in the middle of an intense, passionate fight. The famous Leonard Cohen song ‘Dance me to the end of love’ serves as the perfect score for the crisp storytelling of separation and reuniting in an energetic interplay of Yin and Yang.

    The philosophy defines that two opposites attract and complement each other. The symbol illustrates that each at its core has an element of the other. Designed as two halves, the glass perfume bottles and the packaging design also echo the concept of duality.

    J Walter Thompson SVP and national creative director Tista Sen says, “Yin and Yang embody the very paradox of love. As poignant as a lovers’ quarrel, it is the perfume that helps the reconciliation. With a haunting music track and visual imagery that brings home the utter pain and longing of a lover’s anguish, the new range of EDP is the ultimate tribute in what brings lovers together. ‘Because love will always find a way’ captures the intensity, passion and opposing views of a young relationship with symbolism and fluidity that Engage the brand has come to epitomise with perfection.”

    Engage Eau De Parfum is the most recent launch in the Engage portfolio. Available in four fragrances – Yin for Engage Man, Yang for Engage Woman, Femme and Homme, the fragrances are priced at Rs 499 for a 90 ml bottle.