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Tag: Publicis

  • TBWA India names Rohit Mukherjee executive creative director in Gurgaon

    TBWA India names Rohit Mukherjee executive creative director in Gurgaon

    MUMBAI: TBWA India has hired Rohit Mukherjee as executive creative director at its Gurgaon office, tasking him with sharpening the agency’s disruption philosophy and raising the creative bar for clients.

    Mukherjee, who brings close to 20 years in advertising, joins from Dentsu Creative Isobar where he rose to group executive creative director, leading integrated, digital-first campaigns for major Indian brands. He began his career with an internship at Rediffusion Y&R and went on to stints at Publicis, Mccann, DDB Mudra and Bates, shaping campaigns for Airtel, Nestlé, Colgate-Palmolive, Dabur, Diageo and Kia Motors. Among his best-known works is Colgate’s “Kya aapke toothpaste mein namak hai?” platform.

    TBWA India, chief creative experience officer, Russell Barrett called Mukherjee “an accomplished creative individual with a great pedigree of ideas and executions,” adding that he was “just the right kind of pirate to lead and inspire the office forward.”

    For his part, Mukherjee said he relished the agency’s disruption credo. “To create in any field, you need to disrupt. The very fact that for tbwa, disruption is its raison d’être is provocation enough for any creative,” he noted.

    Mukherjee’s work has earned recognition at Cannes Lions, Spikes, Kyoorius, Abbys, Effies, New York Festival, Adfest and the Clios. Off duty, he is a collector of stories, whether through photography, trivia or conversations with strangers.
     

  • Publicis brings Ravi Bhaya home to script client-first transformation

    Publicis brings Ravi Bhaya home to script client-first transformation

    MUMBAI: Talk about a full-circle moment, Ravi Bhaya is back at Publicis, this time to steer the ship as chief client officer at Publicis Media India. Based in Mumbai and reporting to Lalatendu Das, CEO of Publicis Media South Asia, Bhaya’s brief is crystal clear: transform client partnerships with a mix of data, AI and creativity that sets the group apart in what it calls a “Category of One.”

    It’s a homecoming for Bhaya, who spent over two decades shaping global media strategies across India, Germany, South Africa, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore and North America. His CV reads like a travelogue of transformation leading mandates for marquee brands including P&G, Samsung, Coca-Cola, BMW and Mondelez, expanding agency capabilities in new markets, and driving growth strategies rooted in performance-led marketing.

    Bhaya also dabbled in the startup world, co-founding Rsquared Global Ventures (R2GV) to advise Martech, Adtech, data and commerce ventures on scaling strategies, while working closely with VCs to spot high-growth bets in emerging tech. Before that, as managing director for global growth at Munich-based Serviceplan Group, he was instrumental in driving alliances, partnerships and international expansion.

    His return to Publicis signals a sharper client-first agenda. With Starcom, Zenith and Performics under his wing, Bhaya is tasked with deepening partnerships and pushing integrated, future-ready solutions in India’s rapidly shifting media landscape. For Publicis Groupe, which has doubled down on data-led and AI-powered offerings, the appointment underscores its ambition to blend global expertise with local impact.

    Or as Bhaya himself put it, coming back feels both “familiar and fresh” rooted in trust, fuelled by renewed ambition, and very much tuned to what’s next for clients in an industry where data, creativity and AI are increasingly inseparable.

  • Publicis drags CCI to court over access to files in ad cartel probe

    Publicis drags CCI to court over access to files in ad cartel probe

    MUMBAI: Reuters has reported that  Publicis has hauled India’s antitrust regulator to the Delhi high court, accusing it of stonewalling requests for access to case files in a high-stakes price-fixing investigation that has rattled the country’s $30bn media and entertainment sector.

    The Competition Commission of India (CCI) stunned the industry in March with dawn raids on WPP’s GroupM, Dentsu, Publicis, Omnicom and others, probing suspected collusion on publicity rates and discounts. Sources told Reuters the CCI’s early findings suggest the firms coordinated via a WhatsApp group, struck secret deals, and teamed up with broadcasters to freeze out agencies that refused to play along.

    Triggered by Dentsu’s whistle-blowing under the CCI’s leniency scheme in February 2024, the probe could see penalties of up to three times profit or 10 per cent of global turnover for each year of wrongdoing. Publicis, which operates through TLG India, says it cannot prepare a defence without access to the records, and wants the CCI to pause its investigation until the files are handed over.

    The watchdog has yet to comment. The court is expected to hear the case next week.

  • Adobe brings the AI thunder to Cannes with creative, campaign and customer orchestration tools

    Adobe brings the AI thunder to Cannes with creative, campaign and customer orchestration tools

    CANNES: Adobe is rewriting the playbook on customer experience with a bold tech salvo unveiled at leading advertising fest, the Cannes Lions. With a sharp focus on creativity-fuelled personalisation, Adobe’s latest updates promise to fuse generative AI, marketing tech and agentic intelligence into a potent cocktail for brands.

    Touted as the next leap from customer experience management, Adobe’s new suite under the banner of customer experience orchestration (CXO) aims to help brands deliver hyper-relevant content at scale across every consumer touchpoint. It’s a creative marketer’s dream: intuitive tools for orchestrating AI agents, conjuring short-form video ads, and even gaming the LLM algorithm to boost discoverability on AI browsers and chatbots.

    ““Delivering one-to-one personalization at scale demands a powerful fusion of creativity, marketing and AI,” said Adobe president digital experience business Anil Chakravarthy. “We are pioneering innovations through Adobe’s AI platform that enable teams to craft the most compelling and relevant customer experiences, helping businesses drive impact and seize this enormous opportunity.”

    Among the star tools:

    * GenStudio for Performance Marketing slashes campaign creation time with generative AI support for video, display, email, and more.

    * Firefly Services offers APIs for 3D images, avatars, and AI-powered video editing with drag-and-drop simplicity.

    * LLM Optimizer is Adobe’s answer to the AI content visibility race, giving marketers an edge in GenAI search results.

    Major brands—from Coca-Cola and Estée Lauder to Publicis and Prudential—are already plugged into Adobe’s AI stack, reporting sharper engagement, higher conversion, and serious time savings
    .
    Also live is the Adobe experience platform agent orchestrator, enabling brands to build and manage intelligent AI agents—like the new data insights agent and product support agent—taking the grunt work out of analytics and user support.

    As Cannes Lions toasts the creative elite, Adobe makes its case clear: in the era of AI-fuelled brand building, experience is everything—and the hotshop is betting big on orchestrating every pixel of it.

  • Ogilvy India rolls out consulting arm, Neeraj Bassi returns to lead the charge

    Ogilvy India rolls out consulting arm, Neeraj Bassi returns to lead the charge

    MUMBAI: Ogilvy India has officially launched Ogilvy Consulting in the country, with seasoned brand whisperer Neeraj Bassi stepping in as head of the India practice. Based out of the Gurugram office, Bassi will also double up as head of strategic planning for Ogilvy India (North).

    Globally, Ogilvy Consulting is all about cracking the holy trinity of modern business challenges — growth & innovation, business design, and digital transformation. It ropes in Ogilvy’s best across brand strategy, customer engagement, commerce, PR, partnerships and influence, bundling them into one potent, integrated offer.

    For Bassi, this isn’t just a gig — it’s a return to base. Having last served as president – strategic planning at Ogilvy Gurugram till 2015, the advertising veteran brings 28 years of strategy-packed experience to the table. His most recent avatar was as chief growth officer at Cheil X, following stints at Publicis, Havas, JWT Dubai, and McCann Erickson, where his journey began in 1997.

    Ogilvy India chief strategy officer Prem Narayan  said, ” I have always admired Neeraj. He is one of the finest strategic minds in the country.   His rich experience across consulting, advertising and driving growth make him one of the rare few who excel at intersecting consumer x culture x brand x business x modern media landscape to deliver business impact and transformation.   There couldn’t have been anyone better to lead and launch the Ogilvy Consulting practice and drive excellence of the strategic planning function for Ogilvy India (North), Neeraj will make us sharper, stronger and sweeter.”

    Bassi, with his trademark cool, added: “I am really excited to lead the Ogilvy Consulting practice in India. Globally we are getting a good traction in this space and I am looking forward to offering independent, unbiased advice for full funnel management of marquee brands – right from fuelling desire to demand conversion at point of sale. Ogilvy Consulting would address the issue of distributed brand narrative that is happening because of domain experts working in their silos. Championing the cause of one brand, one narrative, Ogilvy Consulting will help clients integrate the domains at a strategic level. It’s a homecoming for me and coming home is always special.”

    With this move, Ogilvy India joins the global consulting party — and with Bassi at the helm, expect the narrative to get sharper, the strategies slicker, and the silos shaken.

  • Ashish Singh hops over to Starcom as vice president after a long Mindshare innings

    Ashish Singh hops over to Starcom as vice president after a long Mindshare innings

    MUMBAI: Ashish Singh, a seasoned digital strategist with close to 20 years in media and marketing, has joined Starcom as vice president. The move comes after a rewarding 6-year run at Mindshare, where he last served as principal partner.

    Ashish’s career reads like a masterclass in Indian media evolution — from steering digital growth at Mindshare and Carat, to shaping strategies at Omnicom, Isobar, Hungama, and even a pre-digital era stint at Naukri.com.

    From new business pitches to integrated digital solutions, Ashish has been the go-to guy for driving revenue and innovation. His impressive resume includes managing marquee accounts, building digital roadmaps, leading pitch wins, and mentoring teams across verticals.

    With this power move to Starcom, industry insiders are watching closely as Singh aims to script a fresh growth story at the Publicis-owned agency. Let the planning wars begin.

  • Pooja Tomar hops over to Publicis Groupe as senior director of buying

    Pooja Tomar hops over to Publicis Groupe as senior director of buying

    MUMBAI – Media maven Pooja Tomar is on the move again. After nearly three years as senior business director at Havas Media Group, Tomar has been snapped up by Publicis Groupe, stepping into the newly minted role of senior director, buying from April 2025. She will be based in India, working on-site.

    With more than a decade of navigating the labyrinth of media planning, buying and strategy across FMCG, e-commerce and technology, Tomar brings a bulging toolkit of cross-media skills to her new perch. Her career reads like a masterclass in media evolution — from digital hustle to broadcast muscle.

    Before Havas, Tomar clocked nearly five years across Starcom and Publicis’ ZenithOptimedia, sharpening her cross-platform planning chops. Earlier stints at Madison World and GroupM saw her navigating media buying with a keen eye on both budgets and ROI, across some of India’s top retail, telecom and tech accounts.

    Tomar’s trademark: an uncanny knack for aligning new technology with old-school brand strategy – and for chasing hard numbers with harder insights. Over the years, she has built a reputation for being a strategist who can not just plan campaigns but anticipate market moves, with a solid grip on consumer trends, media fragmentation, and the shifting sands of cross-platform engagement.

    Expect fireworks as she joins Publicis Groupe, bringing her “360-degree media brain” to a fiercely competitive Indian media marketplace.

  • 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.

  • Publicis powers ahead with a pitch-perfect Q1

    Publicis powers ahead with a pitch-perfect Q1

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has come out swinging in 2025, delivering a knockout first quarter with organic growth clockin

    g in at a robust 4.9 per cent and net revenue up 9.4 per cent. Not too shabby in a jittery global economy.
    Despite storm clouds on the macro front, the Paris-based ad titan bagged a record haul of new business—about a dozen juicy wins—keeping the growth engine humming and the champagne flowing. 

    Publicis now confidently reaffirms full-year guidance of four to five  per cent organic growth and a tidy €1.9–€2.0bn in free cash flow (before working capital shifts).

    Since January, the group has splashed out €500m on M&A, snapping up assets in data, digital media and influencer marketing. That war chest spending cements its self-styled “Category of One” status, a blend of consultancy cool and creative chops.

    “We’ve never been in a stronger position to help our clients, in the good times, and even more importantly, in the challenging ones.,” said chairman and CEO Arthur Sadoun, who’s clearly in campaign mode. “Thanks to our unrivalled identity graph and 25,000 engineers, we’re future-proofing clients in the AI era while helping them spend smarter and grow faster.”

    Publicis continues to punch above its weight, proudly touting an industry-high margin of 18 per cent last year, with more juice to come in 2025. Diversified revenues and a connected media ecosystem are helping it dodge economic wobbles while keeping competitors in the rear-view mirror.

    As consolidation looms in adland, Publicis is eyeing not just another year of outperformance—but long-term dominance. Watch this space.

     

  • Publicis and Havas in adland tug-of-war for Madison?

    Publicis and Havas in adland tug-of-war for Madison?

    MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe and Havas Network are in separate talks to snap up a majority stake in Madison World, India’s last large independent advertising group, if media reports are to be believed. 

    Founder Sam Balsara, who set up the agency in 1988, is looking for a deal that strengthens Madison’s future and aligns it with a global network.

    “Madison has always been open to a tie-up, but the terms must be right,” said chairman & managing director Balsara. He declined to reveal the valuation the agency is seeking. Publicis and Havas, meanwhile, stay tight-lipped.

    With an estimated Rs 5,000 crore in gross billings in fiscal 2024, Madison makes its money charging 15–20 per cent in fees. Its roster boasts over 500 clients across media, digital and outdoor, including Asian Paints, Saffola and Blue Star. But not all news is good—Madison recently lost the Godrej Consumer Products account.

    This isn’t the agency’s first dance with global suitors. A decade ago, talks with WPP and Dentsu over a 75 per cent stake sale fizzled out over valuation gaps. Now, with Omnicom snapping up Interpublic Group (IPG) to create an ad behemoth, other networks are scrambling to shore up their portfolios.

    Publicis, which leapfrogged WPP last year to become the world’s largest ad group, counts PepsiCo, Diageo and Skoda among its big clients in India. Havas, with brands such as Reckitt, Tata Motors and Swiggy, runs 25 agencies in India across creative, media and health.

    Madison isn’t new to parting ways with its ventures. In October 2022, the Balsara family fully exited MediaCom, a joint venture with WPP, selling its remaining 26 per cent stake.

    Now, the question is: will Madison go global, or will it like in the past stay fiercely independent and just let suitors court it?