Tag: Mullen Lintas

Mullen Lintas bags Bajaj Avenger’s creative duties

MUMBAI: Bajaj Auto has appointed Mullen Lintas as the creative agency for its Bajaj Avenger range of bikes.

Mullen Lintas has been given the mandate for integrated campaigns for Bajaj Avenger and would collaborate with group company LinTeractive, to create a seamless brand experience across the entire eco system including television, print, OOH, web and mobile (including social media).

Bajaj Automobiles head of marketing Sumeet Narang said, “We welcome Mullen Lintas as our brand partners for Bajaj Avenger. We were really impressed with their holistic thinking on Avenger that went beyond the conventional approach. We look forward to an infusion of their thinking for developing the next phase of brand Avenger and strengthening our position as the pioneers of the leisure biking category.”

Mullen Lintas chairman and CCO Amer Jaleel added, “It’s a lovely feeling for us to work with a great brand like Bajaj. Avenger is one bike that clearly stands apart in the sea of sameness. It is an important and premium brand for Bajaj and we are delighted to have been entrusted with the task of growing it to even higher levels. It’s a big high for us at Mullen Lintas.”

Bajaj Auto recently launched its new Avenger range – The Avenger Cruise 220, Street 220 and Street 150. The new Avenger series redefines the cruiser bike segment to offer unmatched international styling and cruising comfort.

On the brief received from the client for Avenger, Mullen Lintas CEO Virat Tandon said, “Bajaj’s brief to us was to show them how we would relaunch the new Avenger bikes and grow the franchise significantly in numbers. We believe we’ve managed to display to the client how we will not just launch the new bikes, but also create a following for this new tribe of Avenger riders.”

February 17, 2016
Voonik launches maiden TVC featuring Farah Khan

NEW DELHI: Indian fashion marketplace for women Voonik has unveiled its first television ad campaign featuring Bollywood director Farah Khan.

The TVC promotes the idea that every day is an occasion to be fashionable.

This concept is highlighted with the campaign tagline, “Har Din Fashion Karo.” Mullen Lintas was the agency behind the ad campaign and the film has been produced by Jamic Films with Nikhil Rao as the director.

The ad will go on air across leading TV entertainment and lifestyle channels from 10 January onwards. It will first air on 10 January at 8 pm on Colors & Colors HD during the screening of the Stardust Awards 2016, which is co-hosted by Farah Khan.

Voonik CEO and co-founder Sujayath Ali said, “Through this TVC, we aim to engage with ‘real women’ between the ages of 21 and 35 who desire to be fashionable but often make an effort only on special occasions. For too long, fashion has been the preserve of a few and the real woman was never part of that movement. Voonik changes that by giving them easy access to the largest collection of women’s fashion with over 15 lakh products, by showing them an insanely relevant shopping feed through an intelligent engine that understands their personality, tastes, lifestyle and budgets and through a fabulous shopping experience that is enjoyable and engaging.”

The TVC film uses Bollywood thematic elements by showcasing women in every day scenarios like shopping in a vegetable market, picking up a bike in the garage and going to office. They are shot in typical Bollywood style with a focus on their clothing and attitude. Khan further reinstates the core message by saying, “Zindagi ek film set hai; imagine karo. Jahan mauka mile; fashion karo.” (Imagine that your life is a Bollywood film set; be fashionable each day!).

Speaking on the ad film, Mullen Lintas national creative director Shriram Iyer said, “Voonik wanted us to create a very simple yet appealing film that would hit a chord with its female customer base. Our idea is based on the insight that every woman has an innate desire to dress up and look good, no matter what the occasion. Sometimes, we just get too caught up in conventions. This campaign encourages women to seize every opportunity to celebrate her beauty. The TVC aims to encapsulate this message and create a deeper connect with the women audience through the use of Bollywood-centric elements. Farah Khan fits in with this concept perfectly through her strong association with all things filmy and the glamour quotient associated with her brand of cinema.”

Voonik has also appointed Lodestar UM, part of IPG Media brands, India to lead its media mandate in the country. “We chose Lodestar after a multi-agency pitch because of its excellent approach to segmenting and targeting the women audience, buying efficiencies and flexibility. We felt they are the best match to drive our ROI focus to customer acquisition,” said Ali.

Lodestar UM CEO Nandini Dias added, “We are excited to deliver a differentiated solution to Voonik. It is a pleasure to be associated with a company, which is young and growing immensely. We will leave no stones unturned to make this campaign a success across critical media touch points.”

To celebrate this concept on a wider platform, Voonik is launching this campaign digitally with its hash tag “#HarDinFashionKaro”.

January 7, 2016
TGB launches Tata Coffee Grand with disruptive campaign

MUMBAI: Known for inspiring campaigns like Jaago Re, Tata Global Beverages (TGB) has launched a new marketing campaign for its new premium product Tata Coffee Grand.

Tata Global Beverages regional president- India Sushant Dash says, “We are excited to launch Tata Coffee Grand at a time when coffee consumption is poised to grow significantly in the country. We are launching an innovative product and in keeping with this, we decided on a marketing mix that is different and disruptive. This is a refreshing take using compelling storytelling that speaks to both existing coffee drinkers, as well as young, curious prospective consumers who are looking for a new beverage of choice. With this campaign, TGBL looks to challenge the category codes in a way that is uniquely Tata Coffee Grand.”

Conceptualised by Mullen Lintas, the campaign will be supported by an extensive social media plan and media integrations. The advertisement will be aired in Hindi, Tamil and other languages.

Mullen Lintas NCD Shriram Iyer adds, “With the launch of a new product in one of the oldest categories in the country but one that’s just beginning to see a surge in growth, came along an opportunity to do something really unique and interesting. We’ve tried to break away from the monotony of conventional advertising on coffee by enlisting the help of a South Indian grandmother who’s anything but traditional. Decked in hip hop gear and bling, through an integrated 360 degree campaign, she teaches consumers on what it takes to make great coffee and to stop drinking what has now begin to pass for coffee, by rapping it.”

December 29, 2015
Lowe Singapore hires Vinay Vinayak as global business director on Lifebuoy

MUMBAI: Lowe Singapore, part of the Mullen Lowe Group, has appointed Vinay Vinayak as global business director for Unilever’s health and hygiene skin cleansing brand, Lifebuoy.

Vinayak will assume the responsibilities of Lowe Singapore’s previous Lifebuoy lead, Virat Tandon, who was recently appointed CEO of the advertising network’s new agency Mullen Lintas, in India.

Vinayak comes to Singapore after five years with Lowe’s Lifebuoy team in Mumbai. At Singapore headquarters, he will lead and develop the brand across markets in South East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America.

He has over ten years across both agency and client-side in the advertising industry, directing brands such as HSBC, Cadbury (now Mondelez), Samsonite and BBC World. With Lowe in Mumbai, he was part of the core Lifebuoy team that among various brand initiatives also conceptualised and implemented the multi-award winning social mission programme – Help A Child Reach 5.

Lowe Asia Pacific regional president Rupen Desai said, “Lifebuoy is an amazing brand where the purpose and profit both work in perfect sync. We’re delighted that Vinay agreed to take up this challenge leading the team here in Singapore. He has a great track record with the brand, and working with the client and agency teams globally. Lifebuoy is one of our most lauded partner brands, so it was crucial that we had exactly the right fit for this senior position.”

Vinayak added, “The Lifebuoy brand is on an interesting trajectory, and is deeply committed to improving the hygiene habits of families and especially children, everywhere. Coming to Singapore means that I can not only be a strong part of the brand’s journey, but help shape it as well. Singapore also means being at the vortex of some of the newest opportunities for content – as it is a key centre for Asia, and also because it offers the ability to lead integrated work for the brand, alongside specialists like Lowe Open and Lowe Profero.”

September 2, 2015
Mullen Lintas makes multiple senior level appointments

MUMBAI: Mullen Lintas, the recently launched creative agency of Mullen Lowe Lintas Group, has appointed its senior management team across cities.

Announcing the new team, Mullen Lintas CCO and chairman Amer Jaleel said, “I’m thrilled with the all-star-lineup that Mullen Lintas has been able to assemble in such a short time. With this kind of firepower at the start, this team has the weight-class to rival the biggest and the best. I look forward to cutting our teeth into briefs, and creating some great work together.”

EktaRelan has been appointed as the senior VP and planning head – national brands. Based in Mumbai, Relan’s mandate would include leading the strategic planning function across offices and brands for the agency.

The creative art function for Mullen Lintas would be led by Garima Khandelwal, who has been appointed as executive creative director. In her last role, Khandelwal was group creative director at Lowe Lintas where she worked for five years.

The business mandate for the Delhi office will be led by Syed Amjad Ali, who has been appointed as executive director. Ali moves into this role from Lowe Lintas Delhi, where he spent 20 years in multiple business leadership roles managing large client portfolios across product categories.

On the other hand, Ayyappan Raj, who assumes the role of executive vice president, will lead the mandate of Mumbai office.

August 11, 2015
Virat Tandon roped in as Mullen Lintas CEO

MUMBAI: Creative agency Mullen Lintas, which will officially launch on 1 August, 2015 has appointed Virat Tandon as its CEO.

Tandon will return to India after a three year stint with Mullen Lowe Group in Singapore where he was global business director for the Unilever brands Lifebuoy and Fair & Lovely.

A part of the network for over a decade, Tandon first joined Lowe Lintas at its New Delhi office in 2004 and has undertaken numerous senior and leadership roles in the agency. A Unilever veteran of over 10 brands and 60+ countries, he has worked in India on clients including Maruti Suzuki, Nestle, Dominos, Sony Audio and Dabur among others.

Prior to joining Lowe Lintas, he worked with WPP agencies Rediffusion, Grey and Contract.

Tandon said, “Mullen Lintas is born ahead of the curve and intends to remain a mash-up of the enduring and the emerging. Our founding team has the pedigree and the class of massive brand-successes under their belt. Big agencies are today, dealing with the new marketing landscape and adapting their offerings to it. Our advantage is that Mullen Lintas has no such baggage and that allows us to leap-frog this need to change and adapt. We understand that a great brand needs a great narrative that flows seamlessly through screens, experiences, shopping environments and conversations. We will equip ourselves to play a pivotal role for our brands.”

Also joining the Mullen Lintas leadership team is Shriram Iyer, who takes on the role of national creative director.

Iyer said, “A great ambition for the agency and a wonderful team to work with, I am excited about what we can create. Our approach to enriching our capabilities is what we call ‘core plus one’. While we continue to practice our core skill sets, we will commit ourselves to adding people who bring with them a +1 skill or area of expertise. We believe this is critical and makes us ‘present ready’.”

Currently ECD and creative head for the Delhi offices of Lowe Lintas, Iyer moves to Mumbai in this new role. He has been with the group since 1998 and has played various roles in the creative team at Lowe Lintas’ Mumbai and Delhi offices.

Headquartered in Mumbai, the new agency will have offices in New Delhi (NCR) and Bengaluru.

Mullen Lowe Lintas Group group CEO Joseph George said, “India has birthed several big brands over the last two decades. However, for a long time, the top agency brands have remained largely unchanged. Mullen Lintas is a product of the evolving marketing landscape, and with our “big agency” ambition, we intend to partner brands whose ambitions are driven by a passionate pursuit of leadership by presenting ourselves as a compelling challenger to the likes of Lowe Lintas, Ogilvy and JWT.”

Mullen Lintas chairman and CCO Amer Jaleel concluded, “Virat has been a great business partner to me in managing the global mandate on Lifebuoy, and Shriram has been a driving force behind what Lowe Lintas Delhi has achieved in the past few years. I thoroughly enjoy working with both of them and couldn’t have asked for better friends to the start the Mullen Lintas journey with.”

July 28, 2015
Lowe Lintas + Partners rebrands; to create dual agency structure

MUMBAI: After the recent news of the global union of IPG agencies Mullen, and Lowe and Partners (to form Mullen Lowe Group), the India operation of the network, Lowe Lintas + Partners has been rebranded as Mullen Lowe Lintas Group.

As part of this move, the Group has also gone in for a two-creative-agency structure. In addition to Lowe Lintas, the group will be soon launching an independent creative agency called Mullen Lintas.

Lowe Lintas joint national creative directors Amer Jaleel and Arun Iyer have been promoted to chief creative officers. While Iyer takes on the role of CCO at Lowe Lintas, Jaleel will take on the role of chairman and CCO of Mullen Lintas.

R.Balakrishnan (Balki) and Joseph George (Joe) will continue as group chairman and group CEO respectively, of Mullen Lowe Lintas Group.

Iyer said, “I’ve spent most of my career at Lowe Lintas and have thoroughly enjoyed the journey so far. Right now, we’ve got great momentum on all fronts and we’re committed to making it better. I am delighted at the opportunity to run the creative function at the agency in the rapidly evolving marketing landscape, and confident that we will keep Lowe Lintas ahead of that curve.”

Jaleel added, “I’ve always worked in large and established setups. To be entrusted with building a new agency from scratch is both humbling and exciting at the same time. I am looking forward to the journey of growing and nurturing Mullen Lintas to fulfill the group’s ‘large agency’ ambition for this independent venture.”

July 20, 2015