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Tag: RajDeepak Das

  • An OREO could be your ticket to space!

    An OREO could be your ticket to space!

    Mumbai: Imagine space travel being within your reach by just buying an Oreo cookie. This is exactly what we’re offering consumers with Oreo’s latest launch: Space Dunk cookies. Oreo—World’s No.1 and India’s favourite cookie brand—is giving consumers an opportunity to become the second Indian to go to space by simply buying and scanning an Oreo Space Dunk cookie pack. This limited edition pack will be available in the market during May & June of this year, and is an extension of a successful global campaign.

    India’s recent space exploration missions have captured the imagination of young and old across the nation. There is an increased curiosity and adulation for what the country has managed to achieve in the realm of space exploration. In the 40th year anniversary of the first Indian to go to space, Oreo is giving one lucky Indian the opportunity to experience space for themselves! Through this campaign, Oreo is giving billions of Indians a chance to make their dream come true with an out-of-the-world reward – a chance to become the next Indian in space.

    The special edition ‘Space Dunk’ packs with space themed cookies come with a QR code which, upon scanning, will redirect the consumer to a microsite – www.oreospacedunk.in – and give them a chance to be the first person to Twist, Lick, Dunk in space. The brand is partnering with Space Perspective to offer a chance to embark on a transformative six-hour journey to the edge of space in Space Perspective’s Spaceship Neptune—a pressurized capsule propelled gently by a SpaceBalloon™. Their reimagined spaceflight experience will allow the winner to safely enjoy unprecedented views of planet Earth with no special training required, no weightlessness and no heavy g-forces. The winner can also expect breathtaking views from the largest windows ever flown to space, a world-class meal and complimentary Oreo cookies, Wi-Fi and even a Space Spa with a bathroom — all the comforts of the world’s first Space Lounge. In addition to this, consumers can also win exclusive space related experiences at a reputed space center and luxurious stargazing experiences at Astroport Sariska.

    Speaking about this, Mondelez India VP- Marketing Nitin Saini said, “Oreo brand has always been synonymous with unlocking playfulness and through this campaign, we want to transport consumers to a place full of excitement and childlike curiosity!  All of us at some or the other point in time have wondered what it would be like in the outer space and I am very happy that as a brand we are able to offer an Indian a chance to embark on this journey and experience the grandeur of space.”

    Publicis Groupe, South Asia & Chairman – Leo Burnett , South Asia CCO Rajdeepak Das added, “Everyone of us has dreamt of going to space as a kid. And Oreo is on a mission to turn this dream into a reality. This literally ‘out-of-this-world’ experience needed a campaign that’s just as iconic. We have crafted a story which plays on Oreo’s iconic Twist, lick, Dunk, but with a cosmic flavour to capture the audience attention.”

    Wavemaker India chief client officer & office head, West, North & East Shekhar Banerjee said, “We are elevating the ritual of Twist, Lick and Dunk to newer heights with this initiative. By leveraging cutting-edge tech and immersive experiences across media channels, we are making this extraordinary opportunity a tangible reality. As our campaign unfolds, expect quite literally some out of the world experiences as we get the nation to suit up for space.” 

    To celebrate the launch, Oreo is releasing a captivating film that takes the brand’s iconic proposition, Twist, Lick, Dunk, on a spacewalk! Witness a simple yet dramatic narrative that reimagines the classic Oreo ritual with a touch of space-age wonder. The campaign will be supported by elements across social, print, outdoors and  travel apps.

  • P&G Shiksha launches new campaign to drive awareness on learning gaps in children

    P&G Shiksha launches new campaign to drive awareness on learning gaps in children

    Mumbai: P&G Shiksha, the flagship CSR program of P&G India, launched its new campaign – #StandUpForLearningGaps, to spotlight the issue of learning gaps in children, which affects over six crore children in the country as per National Achievement Survey 2021.  Over the years, P&G Shiksha has been dedicated to remediating the learning gap in underprivileged children by helping them attain a strong conceptual understanding through dedicated interventions. This year, the initiative addresses the critical issue of gaps in foundational knowledge, which can sometimes manifest online as seemingly naive responses by children, often leading to mockery.

    The film takes a leaf from memes flooding the internet recently where – children are seen struggling to respond or being mocked if they give a wrong answer to a question. In fact, as per a Forbes report, a recent video of a child incorrectly answering to a journalist was one among the top 10 most searched memes in 2023 in India. However, this laughter often masks a more serious issue: a lack of understanding that hinders a child’s academic progress. When faced with a question they don’t understand, they might struggle or be made fun of if they give the wrong answer. Therefore, this year, P&G Shiksha is recreating a life-like situation through the campaign, where it leverages humour to engage the audience, helping them pause to realize the issue of learning gaps by raising a pertinent question: “Would you laugh if this happened with your child?”. With a completely fresh outlook, the campaign “Stand Up for the Learning Gap” aims to address this problem and urge collective action.

    Speaking about the new film, P&G India vice president – brand operation and category leader – grooming Abhishek Desai said, “For 19 years now, P&G Shiksha has championed access to education for millions of underprivileged children in India, impacting over 45 lakh children. We have reinforced this with our commitment to driving large-scale awareness regarding learning gaps, which impact over 6 crore children in India. These gaps can lead to frustration, a lack of understanding, and even ridicule. However, what often gets missed is the reason behind it. By raising a pertinent question – “Would you laugh, if this happened with your child?” we are seeking to educate parents, guardians, teachers and well-wishers on the existence and impact of learning gaps, while also empowering them to identify and take steps to bridge these. We can come together to #StandupForLearningGap. Timely action can unleash a child’s full potential in leveraging education as an enabler for a brighter future.”

    Conceptualised and created by Leo Burnett, the film begins with two memes being played in a standup comedy show, in which a journalist asks very simple math questions to the children. The children misunderstand the question being asked, and answer incorrectly, eventually sending the audience into a laughing frenzy. Amidst the laughter, the show lead – famous standup comedian Rahul Dua, poses a pertinent question to the audience – “Would you laugh, if it were your child in the video?” This is when the focus turns to the audience as they take a pause and realize that the incorrect answers in the meme were symptoms of a learning gap. At this stage, the film then moves on to the interventions that P&G Shiksha is driving on the ground along with its NGO partners to remediate learning gaps and urges the audience to stand up against learning gaps.

    The campaign goes beyond the film, driving widespread awareness through a multi-pronged approach. This includes a powerful discussion featuring renowned personalities from diverse backgrounds who will explore the issue of learning gaps. In-store activations at partner retail locations will further amplify the message.  A unique baseline test will empower parents and guardians to identify potential learning gaps in children around them. These initiatives, along with others, aim to make the issue of learning gaps impossible to ignore.

    Leo Burnett South Asia  CCO Publicis Groupe South Asia and chairman Rajdeepak Das said, “To draw attention to one of the most overlooked problems in education in our country, “The Learning Gap” – we have used humour as a platform for our latest campaign for P&G Shiksha. We often come across memes of children making mistakes on the internet, not realizing the grim reality behind this. This is actually a learning crisis that affects almost 6 crore kids in India. By using stand-up comedy as a medium, we want to build awareness of this critical gap in learning.”

    P&G India’s flagship CSR program, P&G Shiksha, has been working to provide access to education to underprivileged children since 2005.

    As part of this, to improve learning outcomes in children, P&G Shiksha leverages AI-backed technology with ‘Mindspark’, a computer-based adaptive learning tool, in partnership with Educational Initiatives. The program also implements on-ground remedial learning interventions in partnership with Pratham Education Foundation, using both community-based and in-school models supported by trained volunteers and teachers. Additionally, P&G Shiksha focuses on early childhood education through Pratham Education Foundation, developing motor, cognitive, social-emotional, language, and creative skills in children to prevent learning gaps, and laying a strong foundation as they begin school.

  • Whisper teaches young girls – periods ka matlab healthy hai aap!

    Whisper teaches young girls – periods ka matlab healthy hai aap!

    Mumbai: India’s leading feminine-care brand Whisper, from the house of Procter & Gamble, is raising awareness about— the early onset of menstruation among young girls — as part of the fifth edition of its #KeepGirlsInSchool (KGIS) movement. With girls starting periods as early as eight years of age, the need to create awareness early on is crucial, as 26 million girls can be at risk of dropping out of school without period education and access to period products.* Studies have found that one out of five girls could be dropping out of school due to a lack of period education and access to period products.**

    In India today, girls as young as eight years of age are beginning their menstrual cycle, as per several reports, and so are at a higher risk of dropping out from school due to lack of period education. This could lead to escalation in absenteeism and increased drop out rate if they do not learn and are made aware at the right time. Whisper is at the forefront of educating girls across the country about the importance of menstrual hygiene, normalising any myths and taboos about periods, with an aim to decrease dropout rates caused by insufficient information and lack of access to period products. To date, Whisper’s Keep Girls In School program has taught over 100 million schoolgirls and mothers about periods and period products, and provided free sanitary napkins to girls.

    Whisper’s new emotional film features young eight-year-old girls who know nothing about menstruation and think up the worst possible scenarios as the cause of unexpected bleeding in one of their friends. The film aims to normalise this natural biological change in their body by educating young girls in school about the early onset of periods with a fun, catchy jingle that reiterates, “periods ka matlab healthy hai aap (periods means you are healthy)”.

    Publicis Groupe – South Asia chief creative officer and Leo Burnett – South Asia chairman Rajdeepak Das said “Our ongoing research about the changing conversations around menstruation identified a glaring anomaly – girls today are getting their periods much earlier than before. However, they are being educated about periods at a much later stage or oftentimes not at all. Whisper and Leo Burnett have been on a journey to keep girls in school for a long time and we wanted to bridge this gap. Our latest work talks to the 8-year-olds in a language they can understand, with a heartwarming song that teaches them that getting periods means they are healthy. The goal is to not just teach the little girls but also use the song as a tool to equip her ecosystem- parents and educators, enabling them to teach periods in an empowering manner.”

    “There is a seismic shift happening in period biology. This heightens the need to educate girls early on and to prepare them to embrace this biological process. Through this initiative, we strive to educate them about how periods are healthy and how they can take care of themselves on their period days. Every year, Whisper goes to more than 60,000 schools to create period education programs and we are now also going to younger standards. Consumers too can do their bit buying a Whisper Ultra pack which will help us educate and donate pads to one girl to keep her in school,” said Procter & Gamble Vice president & category leader – India feminine care Girish Kalyanaraman.

    KGIS is an initiative by Whisper which aims to reduce the stigma attached to menstruation, create awareness and reduce the number of girls who drop due to the lack of information around menstrual hygiene. KGIS has taught over 100 million school girls about periods and period products till date. For the first time, Whisper has used music to raise awareness about periods; through a fun  and catchy jingle, “periods ka matlab healthy hai aap”.

  • Leo Burnett India onboards Anirban Roy as chief strategy officer

    Leo Burnett India onboards Anirban Roy as chief strategy officer

    Mumbai: Leo Burnett India, part of  Publicis Groupe India has strengthened its senior leadership team by appointing Anirban Roy as chief strategy officer. Anirban will report to Leo Burnett – South Asia, CEO Amitesh Rao. The appointment comes from the agency’s unprecedented growth and success in India.

    Commenting on the announcement, Leo Burnett, South Asia CEO Amitesh Rao shared, “The appointment of Anirban is a significant milestone for the agency as it brings together cohesive strategic leadership to Leo Burnett which will play a critical role in our growth ambitions. Anirban brings a wealth of experience, great leadership acumen and a tenacious commitment to excellence which will not only benefit our existing brand partners but help us drive our new business growth plans. He has a proven track record of success, and I am sure that given our diverse set of brands, partnered with his expertise, will set the bar high for the future.”

    Leo Burnett, South Asia CCO, Publicis Groupe, South Asia & chairman Rajdeepak Das added, “What sets Leo Burnett India apart is our approach to creativity – which has always been rooted in people and purpose. Anirban’s appointment reinforces our commitment to our strategic approach to creativity. I would like to welcome Anirban to the Leo Burnett family.”

    Commenting on his appointment, Leo Burnett India chief strategy officer Anirban Roy said, “Leo Burnett is a remarkable brand which has steadily built a pool of top tier talent, creative momentum and has earned a reputation for doing award-winning work that moves the market. These ingredients, along with the stellar leadership team & the enviable client roster is what drew me to Leo Burnett. I am excited to see what we can do together to unlock fame and growth for the brands we serve.”

    Anirban is known for his ability to challenge the status quo & steer brands by keeping things simple yet impactful. He has worked for 21 years across some of the biggest organisations including Ogilvy, McCann and most recently Wieden & Kennedy where he served as head of strategy, India.

    During his career, he has steered brands such as  Amazon, Maggi, Jio 5G, Titan, BMW, Yum Foods, Coke, Sprite and Bingo! – to name a few. His writings have been published in WARC, Economic Times & The Drum. His work has brought in awards at Effies, Cannes, AMEs and D&AD. 

  • Anupama Ramaswamy, Ashish Chakravarty, and Rajdeepak Das Named Abby Awards 2024 jury chairs

    Anupama Ramaswamy, Ashish Chakravarty, and Rajdeepak Das Named Abby Awards 2024 jury chairs

    Mumbai: Anupama Ramaswamy, chief creative officer, Havas Worldwide India, Ashish Chakravarty, executive director, and India head of creative, for McCann Worldgroup and Rajdeepak Das, chief creative officer Publicis Groupe, South Asia and chairman, Leo Burnett, South Asia, join as jury chair for Still Digital category, Audio category, and Film (below 1 minute) category respectively, at The Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show.

    Havas Worldwide India chief creative officer Anupama Ramaswamy has been appointed jury chair of Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show in the Still Digital category.

    Anupama is touted as one of the most celebrated creative minds in the country. She has made an indelible mark through her clutter-breaking work, passion for art direction and pure play advertising.

    Through her career, she has worked with some of the leading agencies in India and several marquee global and indigenous brands across sectors including Maruti Suzuki, Reckitt, Ikea, Vivo, Paytm, Subway, Tata Tea Digital, Samsung Mobiles, Airtel, Dabur, Lacoste, and many more.

    Her recent campaigns, including the Paytm Divide and Chotu, made her win the One Show, a couple of Spikes, and New York Festivals, and she was featured as one of the Impact Creative Stars ’21. During her stint at JWT Delhi as senior creative director, Anupama led the Delhi office to its first Cannes Lions and Clio Gold.

    She has also been a recipient of some of the most coveted awards including Cannes Lions, Clio, Adfest, New York Festivals, Abby, Effies, Spikes, Global Healthcare Awards, IAA Awards and The One Show and her work for Fuji Film has been featured in the prestigious Gunn Report as one of the top 20 most awarded print campaigns in the world.

    Anupama has been on the jury of several prestigious awards like The One Show and Spikes Asia and the grand jury at AME awards, and New York Festivals.

    Ashish Chakravarty executive director, and India head of creative, for McCann Worldgroup

    has been appointed jury chair of Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show in the Audio category.

    Ashish has worked in most of the major agency networks and on some of the biggest global, and Indian brands.

    He is the recipient of more than 400 national and international awards on top advertising shows like One Show, Cannes, D&AD, Clio, Ad-fest, Spikes, Kyoorius, and Goafest, among others.

    Ashish has served as jury or jury chair, at many top international advertising awards, as well as all the top Indian award shows.

    Ashish has been recognized as one of the top 10 Creative Directors in India by Economic Times, the leading business newspaper, and was also ranked among the top ECDs in the world in industry rankings

    Rajdeepak Das chief creative officer of Publicis Groupe, South Asia and Chairman of Leo Burnett, South Asia has been appointed Jury Chair of the Abby Awards 2024 powered by the One Show in Film (below 1 minute)category.

    Raj firmly believes that the true potential of creativity and technology is finding human-centric solutions for the biggest brands because what’s good for people is good for brands. And his body of work reflects his vision for creativity.

    Raj was the force behind the iconic work for P&G Whisper ‘Touch the Pickle’ – one of the first social movements to break the taboo around periods in the Indian sub-continent. To his recent work for Whisper – the Missing Chapter which won him a Grand Prix in Sustainable Development Goals at Cannes Lions 2022 – an award which is very close to his heart as it made a real difference in the lives of young girls by breaking period taboos and getting the chapter on periods added in school books, helping 23 million girls stay in school.

    He and his team gave every Indian a piece of national treasure, by building Bajaj motorbikes out of the legendary warship INS Vikrant. In collaboration with India’s biggest petroleum brand and the government of India, they innovated the world’s first anti-collision road management system to reduce road accidents on Himalayan Roads.

    For one of India’s biggest financial brands, he created India’s 1st social media-based microfinancing system.

    Raj was featured in the Netflix Docuseries – Creative Indians Season 4 – a series which showcased the most talented Indians from Oscar winners to Bollywood Stars and artists to Grammy Awards-winning musicians. He has led and been a part of several jury cohorts at some of the biggest platforms including Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, Dubai Lynx, and One Show to name a few.

    His HumanKind approach to creativity led Leo Burnett India to win multiple Grand Prix and metals at prestigious platforms like Cannes Lions, One Show, D&AD and Spikes Asia. But he believes his biggest creation to date is Apollo 11 a specialised division of Leo Burnett India, consisting of what he calls ‘the mutant creatives’. Team of young people in their 20s with backgrounds in aerospace engineering, product design, data analysis and environment scientists solving human and brand problems with him.

    “I have always believed that an award is as good as its jury. This year too, the Abby Awards powered by One Show have a stellar lineup of both domestic and international luminaries as Jury Chairs, across 23 categories. Over the last two years the number of women jurors has been significant, and this year, with over one-third being women masters of their craft. To win recognition from such respected Jury Chairs is a matter of immense pride for the AdClub, the participating agencies and brands.” said Ajay Kakar, chairperson of Awards Governing Council, Abby Awards 2024 powered by One Show and managing committee member, The Advertising Club.

  • Gatorade’s ‘Turf Finder’ initiative utilises data to unlock urban playgrounds

    Gatorade’s ‘Turf Finder’ initiative utilises data to unlock urban playgrounds

    Mumbai: Gatorade, PepsiCo India’s iconic hydration brand, has introduced its ‘Turf Finder’ initiative aimed at promoting the love and will for playing sports, amidst the hustle and bustle of India’s metropolitan areas, in partnership with Leo Burnett India. Gatorade seeks to inspire young individuals to embrace physical activity as a key part of their daily lives.

    Addressing the scarcity of recreational space in urban India, Gatorade’s ‘Turf Finder’ initiative is committed to finding us places to play, wherever and whenever space permits in the city. Utilizing historical maps data, Gatorade will pinpoint appropriate locations, including vacant parking lots or empty streets, and transform them into accessible playing areas for citizens across India’s metropolitan cities. The first Turf will be launched in Mumbai, with successive releases planned for other metropolitan cities, including Bengaluru.

    To launch the initiative, Gatorade has released a compelling film that depicts the chaotic and fast-paced lifestyle of city dwellers. Amidst the frenzy of bustling schedules and cramped quarters, the film delivers a powerful reminder, that all one needs is the will to play and we will find them the space. Gatorade is leading the charge by showing us how these spaces can be used to embrace an active lifestyle.

     

     

    Speaking on the initiative, PepsiCo India associate director, energy & hydration Ankit Agarwal said, “Gatorade has consistently championed the importance of fitness and an active lifestyle as integral components of well-being. However, in today’s fast-paced and chaotic society, finding both time and a suitable space for physical activity poses a significant challenge. We firmly believe that this initiative will make sport accessible to a lot more people, thereby cultivating a healthier lifestyle. By providing convenient and inviting spaces for play, we hope to inspire communities to embrace the intrinsic value of staying active amidst the demands of modern life.”

    Adding further, Publicis Groupe – South Asia CCO & Leo Burnett – South Asia chairman Rajdeepak Das said, “This is a true HumanKind idea where we are using technology to find solutions for modern day problems. Our cities are temporal in nature, they behave different by day and different by night. We have validated this spirit and used historic Google map data to find empty spaces at specific times which can be made into a turf. The most exciting part is that this campaign can be scaled across the country and not only promote an active lifestyle but also make a cultural impact in communities making sport an equalizer.”

    Gatorade’s new initiative will be amplified through a 360-degree campaign across digital, outdoor, and social media. Gatorade is available in 3 variants – Blue Bolt, Orange, and Lemon at 250 ml @Rs 20 and 500 ml @Rs 50 – both in traditional and modern stores and through leading e-commerce sites/apps.

    Consumers can visit Gatorade’s exclusive website to find out more details and clues on the upcoming Turf drops – www.gatoturffinder.com 

  • HDFC Life’s brand campaign inspires families to support children in their journey of pride

    HDFC Life’s brand campaign inspires families to support children in their journey of pride

    Mumbai: HDFC Life’s latest brand campaign encourages parents to believe in their children’s abilities and proactively plan for their future.

    Over the years, HDFC Life, one of India’s leading life insurers, has showcased various stories highlighting how parents play a pivotal role in ensuring their children’s success. With India’s young generation adopting digital life faster than ever, there has been a definite shift in lifestyle and habits, with parents also having to adapt to this change.

    HDFC Life’s latest campaign presents a heartwarming story where a seemingly distracted young boy surprises his parents with his thoughtfulness, leaving them overwhelmed and proud. The film’s insight is based on the fact that today’s Gen Z live in the digital age; they are self-driven risk-takers with diverse opportunities, yet remain close to their family for guidance and support. With numerous choices and options available, parents must provide proper guidance and financial support to enable them achieve their dreams.

    Speaking on the campaign, HDFC Life chief marketing officer and group head, strategy Vishal Subharwal said, “Today’s young generation is far more adept at dealing with the fast-evolving world around us. In this scenario, it becomes necessary for parents to have faith in their children’s capabilities and be adequately financially prepared to support their children with the education that would enable them to chart their success stories.”

    Adding further, Publicis Groupe CCO – South Asia, Leo Burnett chairman – South Asia Rajdeepak Das said “Often today’s generation is underestimated and misunderstood because of their different approach to life. Our film takes one such example and shows how a son surprises his parents with his thoughtful gesture of using technology as the driving force in helping their business grow. And as parents the best support we can offer the next generation is insuring their future, so that their ideas can soar.”

    The campaign is available across multi-media platforms – television, digital and outdoor.

  • Amitesh Rao appointed as Leo Burnett South Asia CEO

    Amitesh Rao appointed as Leo Burnett South Asia CEO

    Mumbai: Publicis Groupe South Asia has announced the appointment of Amitesh Rao as the chief executive officer of Leo Burnett South Asia. In this role, Rao’s remit will include all operations of Leo Burnett India including Leo Burnett Orchard, across Mumbai, Gurgaon, Bangalore, Chennai, and rest of South Asia. In addition, he will provide oversight on Publicis Health and Publicis Business. The role will report into Anupriya Acharya, CEO Publicis Groupe South Asia and will work closely with Rajdeepak Das, chief creative officer, Publicis Groupe India and chairman, Leo Burnett South Asia.

    Leo Burnett India has been a premiere, creative powerhouse in the country, known for its iconic advertising and modern, human, and purposeful marketing solutions. Over the last many years, its meteoric rise and trailblazing performance on new business and new-age work has taken it to the top position.

    Rao, with his cross-disciplinary and cross-category experience from various leadership roles, remarkable track record on client businesses and wealth of expertise across technology, data and creativity has been handpicked to lead Leo Burnett South Asia into its next stage of growth and creative ambitions.

    An alumnus of IIM Bangalore, Rao comes with more than 25 years of leadership experience across advertising, marketing and technology entrepreneurship in gaming and simulation. He joins from McCann India where he was the executive director, heading North and West Operations. Prior to this, Rao has also held top positions at TBWA, Rediffusion, and JWT and in his advertising stints worked across markets with marquee clients such as PepsiCo, Airtel, Nestlé, Reckitt, Coke, Mastercard and Nissan.  His marketing and sales experience has been in the Telco and Data space with MTS and RPG.

    Publicis Groupe South Asia CEO Anupriya Acharya said, “I am delighted to welcome Amitesh Rao. We are in an age of constant invention and re-invention and in Amitesh, we found the perfect leader who brings both a thorough appreciation of the power of creativity in building strong brands and an intimate understanding and fluency in diverse languages of technology, gaming, data, and platforms. His easy demeanour and candid attitude are an added asset for clients, our teams and our Groupe’s Power of One agenda. I look forward to working with him.”

    Amitesh Rao said, “I look forward to leading Leo Burnett South Asia in an era where the confluence of technology and creativity is redefining the playing field. With its outstanding creativity and top accolades, a remarkable roster of blue-chip clients and amazing talent pool, the agency offers an incredible canvas. I hope to bring new perspective on client businesses, strengthen seamless solutions and look forward to accelerating growth for Leo Burnett and its clients.”

    Publicis Groupe India chief creative officer and Leo Burnett South Asia chairman Rajdeepak Das said, “Having built Leo Burnett South Asia over the last 10 years and making it synonymous with iconic, inspiring creativity that transforms brands and businesses, I am delighted to find in Amitesh a leader who resonates with LB’s ethos and brings with him strong and diverse experience that can take Leo Burnett South Asia to the next level of success and build on the agency’s stellar offerings. We all look forward to partnering him!”

  • The Water Sustainability Score launched at COP28

    The Water Sustainability Score launched at COP28

    Mumbai:  COP28 launched The International Water Sustainability Coalition, a joint initiative of AquaKraft Group Ventures (www.aquakraft.net) Leo Burnett India (www.leoburnett.com) & UAE based Quazar Investments (www.quazarinvestment.com) to address the burgeoning need of water sustainability & water security  in the world.

    The International Water Sustainability Coalition is to develop a coalition of Water Conscious enterprises,  governments & enablers  committed to water stewardship & sustainability. The coalition, first of its kind in the region, will address the unique challenges and characteristics of water resources by getting countries to commit to international collaboration and cooperation to make equitable access and distribution of water for society a reality by 2050.The stakeholders joining the coalition will be incentivized for their sustainability by AquaKredits – Water Credits on AquaKraft’s AqVerium – World’s 1st Digital Water Bank and ranked with a Water Sustainability Score (WSS) developed jointly by Leo Burnett India and AqVerium. The coalition will also drive green & sustainable solutions for managing the world’s precious resource, WATER.

    Speaking on the occasion, Publicis Groupe CCO South Asia & Leo Burnett chairman Rajdeepak Das said, “At Burnett we believe that creativity’s true power is to impact a billion. The looming water crisis demands immediate attention and by adopting the Water Sustainability Score – a first of its kind report card on how water positive a brand really is, can bring transparency and accountability in the indiscriminate use of water. The water sustainability score will help corporates to be more responsible and will give the consumers to choose the right product. When initiatives like the Water Sustainability Score are embraced It’s a win – win for both People & Planet. When more corporations and countries engage in these discussions, the greater the impact becomes because sometimes a small act goes a long way.”

    “Leo Burnett operating in several other countries have joined the coalition with a commitment to influence and drive their customers to subscribe and practice water sustainability. Meraki Digital (www.merakidigital.co.in) – a planet positive communications agency dedicated to climate action has joined the coalition. The coalition will drive the “Blue Taxonomy” jointly being developed by AquaKraft and  Frost & Sullivan, UK.” said The International Water Sustainability Coalition convenor Sami Souissi.

    Speaking on the occasion, Quazar Investment CEO Waleed Khalid Al Ali said, “It is a very momentous occasion for UAE to host The International Water Sustainability Coalition and Quazar is very proud to be a part of it. We invite all the stakeholders across the world to join this coalition and aim to sign an The International Water Treaty on UN World Water Day 2024 in Dubai. We are also very happy to announce our investment in the joint venture, AquaKraft BlueTech Solutions LLC, which will address the water & food security in UAE and Middle East, and work with all stakeholders in achieving The UAE Water Security Strategy 2036. We are very impressed with Dr. Subramanya’s vision and together we will make the world water positive.”

    AquaKraft BlueTech Solutions LLC., U.A.E., will leverage the collective philosophies & strengths of AquaKraft Group Ventures & Quazar Investment and is poised to redefine the “Circular Water Sustainability” with its latest innovation Sustainable AquAgro Circular Economy.

    “A lot has been spoken about climate action & resilience but Water which is core to sustainability has been clearly missing the narrative. It is a proud moment for us to launch The International Water Sustainability Coalition along with congruent minded partners, Leo Burnett India and Quazar Investments. We are equally excited with our partnership with Quazar as both our philosophies are congruent towards sustainable impact and together we will drive the water sustainability narrative across the middle east which is by far the most water bereft regions of the world. Our objective is to treat over ten billion litres of water in UAE and extrapolate this model across the Middle East capturing significant share in over USD 50 billion and growing water opportunity in the next 3 years,” said AquaKraft Group Ventures founder chairman & CEO Dr.Subramanya Kusnur.

    AquaKraft BlueTech will implement AquaKraft’s AqVerium (www.aqverium.com) – World’s 1st Digital Water Bank which will audit, verify & validate water use and efficiency data, incentivize water positivity with AquaKredits – Water Credits and provide and digital marketplace to offset water deficit by buying AquaKredits. It will also provide a platform to sell recycled sewage water for agriculture by water conscious stakeholders.

    Quazar Investments CFO Sameer Salgar added “Quazar  has incubated the joint venture with an investment of USD 9 million and we are very bullish about potential and growth. We are very impressed with the vision and legacy of  AquaKraft as they address complex challenges in the highly unstructured water markets across the world. Their understanding of grass root problems in every geography and curation of simple & customized solutions make them stand differently from all in the space. One of our major focus areas will be creating the world’s 1st  WATER EXCHANGE which will revolutionise the global Water Market.”

  • Dheeraj Sinha steps down as Leo Burnett South Asia co-chief executive and BBH India chairman

    Dheeraj Sinha steps down as Leo Burnett South Asia co-chief executive and BBH India chairman

    Mumbai: Publicis Groupe India has announced that Dheeraj Sinha, will be stepping down from his roles of Leo Burnett South Asia co-chief executive and BBH India chairman. After a successful seven years with the Groupe, Sinha is exploring other opportunities. He will be with the Groupe till the end of October and in the coming months, will continue working closely with Rajdeepak Das who leads Leo Burnett India as co-CEO, in addition to holding the position of chair, of the Publicis Groupe South Asia Creative Council.

    Sinha joined the Groupe as chief strategy officer of Leo Burnett India, and has played multiple roles within the Groupe – from leading strategy to leading Leo Burnett as chief executive officer in partnership with Rajdeepak Das. Under their leadership, Leo Burnett India has grown tremendously with some of the best and most reputed clients entrusting the agency with their business. It is also home to some of the best talent, strong culture, and most awards across domestic, regional, and global levels. As chairman of BBH, Sinha has played a pivotal role in strengthening BBH with the new leadership of Himanshu Saxena and Parixit Bhattacharya, a growing roster of top clients, and continuing with the unmatched creative pedigree.

    Publicis Groupe CEO South Asia Anupriya Acharya said, “ Thanks to Dheeraj’s leadership,  Leo Burnett India is one of the most dynamic agencies and at the very top today. It is a powerhouse of creativity, talent, and pathbreaking advertising that solves for clients’ biggest challenges and unlocks growth while BBH India has been refreshed and put on a firm growth trajectory. After seven years with the company, Dheeraj would like to embark on a new challenge. I thank him for his energy and contribution and wish him the very best in his future endeavours. He will be missed! We will build further on the solid foundation that has been put in place.”

    Sinha said, “It’s been a dream run for me at the Publicis Groupe for the last 7 years. Together, we built Leo Burnett to be the No.1 agency in India and No.2 in Asia. I always dreamt of building a large, successful organisation where people came together do the best work of their lifetime. I think we got that feeling on our floors. We won more awards than we could celebrate, we won the biggest pitches, and served the best coffee in town. BBH, Publicis Business and Publicis Health reverbed with the same winning energy. In Raj, I found a partnership that’s forever. Thanks to Anupriya for all her support, my leadership team, all the client partners and everyone in the agencies who walked in everyday to be the best in the world, bar none! I leave with a heavy heart but great confidence that this transformation is forever. I’ll always be cheering for my people who turned me into a leader!”  

    Das said, “In partnership with Dheeraj, we have built iconic agency brands that stand for modern purposeful advertising and taken Leo Burnett to the top position. I have really enjoyed my time with Dheeraj who’s dynamic, enterprising, and full of ideas. I wish him nothing but the best for his future endeavours. And hope to build further on the success of our creative agency brands, continuing our new business momentum and carrying on our rich legacy of inspiring, uplifting, very human creative work.”