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Tag: Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar

  • Salt just got tastier as Sudeep Puthyathaya steps in as executive creative director

    Salt just got tastier as Sudeep Puthyathaya steps in as executive creative director

    MUMBAI: Just when you thought salt was merely seasoning your fries, along comes Salt Brand Solutions, sprinkling some creative magic into its leadership pot. Picture this: seasoned storyteller Sudeep Puthyathaya struts into Salt’s Mumbai office, bringing with him over 23 years of crafting iconic brand stories and enough creative spice to make even a bland briefing taste delicious. Could this be the recipe for ‘Salt 2.0’ we’ve all been waiting for?

    On 11 March 2025, Salt Brand Solutions announced the hiring of Puthyathaya as its new executive creative director, joining the existing duo—executive director Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar and director Mahesh Chauhan (Mash)—who’ve been shaking things up for quite some time.

    Welcoming the newest spice in Salt’s creative curry, Mash said, “This is a significant step towards further strengthening Salt’s creative leadership.” He further added, “with Sagar, Sudeep, and me coming together, it definitely will add great value to our clients, and this makes me truly excited for Salt 2.0.” Indeed, what good is curry without the right spices?

    Echoing his sentiments, Mahabaleshwarkar remarked, “Sudeep brings a deep understanding of storytelling that connects with real people. His craft in creating human insight-led narratives perfectly complements the creative force we are building at Salt.” Translation? Expect ads that tug at your heartstrings—or at least your purse strings.

    Puthyathaya isn’t exactly new to the storytelling circus. Having juggled creative campaigns for bigwigs like Mercedes-Benz India, Taj Hotels, Royal Enfield, J&J, and Citibank, he’s now ready to spice things up at Salt. With a passion for ‘human-centred narratives’, his style is less boardroom monotony and more Netflix binge-worthy storytelling.

    “I’ve always believed that the most powerful brands are built on stories that resonate at a human level,” Puthyathaya said. “Salt’s culture of bold, insight-driven thinking is a perfect fit for the kind of work I want to create. I’m excited to collaborate with Mash and Sagar to craft narratives that strengthens brand narratives and leave a lasting impact.” Forget salt bae; it’s story bae season now.

    Adding credibility to his creative cooking skills, Puthyathaya has judged the prestigious New York Festivals and Abby’s, proving he’s not just here to cook up stories—he knows how to taste-test them too.

    Founded in 2011 by Mash, Salt Brand Solutions prides itself on being the invisible yet indispensable seasoning of the branding world. With Sudeep now joining Mash and Sagar, expect the creativity (and the seasoning) to be dialled up to eleven, turning more heads, breaking more norms, and making brand storytelling anything but bland.

  • Kartik Aaryan lounges around in Bata’s Relaxed Workwear collection

    Kartik Aaryan lounges around in Bata’s Relaxed Workwear collection

    New Delhi: After a span of one year, offices have reopened, but it is posing a major lifestyle challenge for those who have made their peace with the work from home scenario. Bata India has launched a new TVC starring Kartik Aaryan to aid people as they make the transition with the launch of its Relaxed Workwear collection.

    The collection showcases four latest comfort technologies- memory comfort tech, lifesole comfort tech, contour fit, and Hush Puppies Bounce to enable people to experience home-like comfort in the office.

    The TVC conceptualised by Contract Advertising features Kartik Aaryan as he listens to his roommate cribbing about having to wear formal shoes all over again. He expresses his worry about working all day long from the office in uncomfortable shoes. Kartik then proceeds to take out a comfortable pair of shoes from Bata’s Relaxed Workwear range and asks his friend to try it. The friend tries on the pair and feels surprised by the comfort of Bata shoes. As he steps out of the shoes, Kartik takes them away and cheekily asks him to visit a Bata store and get a new pair for himself.

    Bata India vice-president – marketing and customer services Anand Narag said, “With offices resuming, people are staring at yet another lifestyle-altering change in a span of just one year. We wanted to contribute in making the transition easier for people, which led us to conceptualise and develop probably footwear industry’s first Relaxed Workwear range for both women and men. Through this campaign, we want consumers to come and experience our new styles across Bata Red Label, Bata Comfit, Hush Puppies and Naturalizer in our stores and from online site bata.in. The footwear range looks formal and stylish yet offers the comfort of a casual footwear and is available in season’s latest colors and designs.”

    Contract India chief creative officer Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar said, “It was an interesting task where the official work wear brand wanted to redefine what work wear meant in the post pandemic times. Currently, there is a genuine need for relaxed footwear that one can easily wear to work as well. Kartik Aaryan, the new brand ambassador is an apt choice who delivers this message in his own tongue-in-cheek manner.”

  • Bata India initiates #Kickout2020

    Bata India initiates #Kickout2020

    NEW DELHI: The year 2020 has put a dampener on everyone’s spirit with most people having been confined to their homes for the major part of the year. However, to beat the pandemic blues and spread positivity, footwear major Bata India has launched its first big campaign of the year – #KickOut2020. The campaign launch is also accompanied by the launch of new collection – ‘Ready Again’, which comprises of a wide variety of footwear to go with every outfit and occasion. Casuals, festive, fitness, dress, fashion, you name it, the ‘Ready Again’ collection has all the comfortable & stylish designs.

    The new campaign urges everyone to kick out 2020 with it all its negativity, take things in their stride, and get ready once again to rejoice in the good times with friends and family, but of course within the purview of reason and safety. Through the campaign, Bata India seeks to boost consumer morale and motivate them to take charge of their lives once again and kick out the mundane blues that captivated lives for long. The brand also urges one and all to follow and ensure all the precautionary measures prescribed by the government and maintain social distancing.

    The ‘Kick Out 2020’ TVC, conceptualized by Contract Advertising features Kriti Sanon as she comes back home after shopping at a Bata Store and advises her brother that it is time to kick out 2020. As the TVC progresses, Kriti proceeds to showcase the different shoes she had bought for different occasions, and her excitement at having bought new shoes for working out to be fit, visiting friends and celebrating with family after so long, is quite palpable. She then presents her brother with his ‘new year’ gift-a stylish pair of shoes for his next date. The TVC ends with Kriti urging everyone to kick out 2020 with Bata’s new ‘Ready Again’ collection.

    Bata India VP marketing Anand Narang said, “As the Covidstorm continues, people have been stuck at home and adapting to a life of isolation and monotony. As they cope with the mental, physical and emotional stress, at Bata we wanted to inspire them to embrace positivity and focus on the better things in life, to start rebuilding their lives and the economy back. It is now time to kick out all the negativity and by naming our latest collection ‘Ready Again’, we wanted to remind everyone that it is time now to take charge of their lives again and get ready to welcome togetherness, happiness & celebrations. Being from the creative and innovation industry, we didn’t want to sit back and let life pass by. It’s time for brands & marketing fraternity to be original, be agile, to inspire, and remind people to adapt to the new normal and move ahead. We hope that the uplifting tone of the #Kickout2020 campaign along with the message to be Ready Again strikes an emotional chord with consumers, showing the humane &authentic side of the Bata brand.”

    Contract India CCO Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar said, “How do you get rid of the most despised year ever? Simple, you just Kickout 2020 and get ready again. That’s the idea behind this campaign. A simple idea that provokes you, makes you think and motivates you. An annual yearend campaign thus turned into something rather unforgettable by Bata India.”

  • Contract Advertising appoints Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar as CCO

    Contract Advertising appoints Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar as CCO

    MUMBAI: Contract Advertising has announced the appointment of Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar as its chief creative officer. With over three decades of experience across leading advertising agencies in India and abroad, Mahabaleshwarkar is a highly feted creative professional with multiple domestic and international awards under his belt. In his long and successful career, he has left his mark on brands like Samsung, Adidas, Grants, Apollo Munich and Jet Airways.

    Contract Advertising CEO Raji Ramaswamy said, “I am delighted to welcome Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar as the chief creative officer responsible for guiding the creative output of Contract in the digital age. He is a seasoned new age creative leader who has the finest art and design sensibilities. He has worked on some of the biggest brands in the country across both traditional and new media platforms and excelled in every one of them. He has a deep understanding of digital and technology with a strong belief that the future lies in the meeting of the two. He has built strong integrated teams in his earlier roles and we are confident that he will take the agency to the next level as an integrated agency of the future with big ambitions”.  

    On his appointment, Mahabaleshwarkar said, “The vision of Contract and the direction that JWT group is taking globally, is to make brands agile and to make brands purposeful. That’s a dynamic shift which is challenging and forward looking. Having worked on a winning note in a highly competitive, tech-first consumer business for the last three years, I am confident the shift is in the right direction.”

    J Walter Thompson chairman and group CEO Tarun Rai said, “We have been in discussions with Sagar for the last few months. And I am very happy that we have him on board, finally. Sagar is an industry stalwart who has built his reputation over the years across many agencies in India and abroad. He is the ideal creative leader to take Contract to the next level and make it a creative powerhouse.”  

    "I would like to thank Ashish Chakravarty for providing Contract with the creative leadership and support and in getting us to where we are today. I would also like to wish him the very best for the future,” Ramaswamy added.

    Contract's erstwhile CCO, Ashish Chakravarty, is moving to McCann Worldgroup.

  • Cheil India makes senior appointments

    Cheil India makes senior appointments

    MUMBAI: Advertising agency, Cheil India has appointment Moosa Khan and Nitin Pradhan to strengthen its senior creative leadership.

    Moosa Khan will now become the head of digital creative and Nitin Pradhan has taken on the role of senior executive creative director. Khan and Pradhan will both report to Cheil WW India chief creative officer, Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar.

    Mahabaleshwarkar mentions, “I am delighted to welcome Moosa and Nitin to our team. Both of them are exceptional creative talents to have on board. While Moosa has immense understanding of new age digital media, Nitin is a fantastic creative talent with great ability of storytelling. Most importantly, we all have a shared passion for creative excellence and digital innovation. With these beliefs firmly at the heart, Moosa and Nitin will be a tremendous asset to our bold creative ambitions.”

    Moosa Khan and Nitin Pradhan have joined Cheil WW India with the responsibility of inspiring and mentoring the creative and digital team to think big and embrace the agency’s philosophy of technology + creativity.

    Cheil WW India chief operating officer Atika Malik says, “We are the Agency of Now where creativity is inspired by technology.  I am extremely happy that Moosa and Nitin will add their digital capability, creativity and energy to Cheil.  I look forward to working closely with them to inspire new ideas and solutions for our progressive brands. For 15 years Cheil in India has provided brand solutions across retail, experiential, digital and communication to transform our client’s businesses.”

    Khan brings with him over 10 years of experience in digital as well as traditional advertising. He has worked across agencies such as Dentsu Webchutney, Madison, TBWA and Jack in the Box Worldwide. Some of the clients he’s worked with include Airtel, Whirlpool, United Nations, ITC, Panasonic, Times of India, Payback, Tetra Pak, Nissan, Microsoft & Pepsi. He has won multiple awards including metals at Goafest and the Kyoorius Creative Awards.

    Nitin Pradhan, a known name among the advertising fraternity, has 17 years of experience working with the best in the industry – Ogilvy, JWT, McCann, Leo Burnett and the likes. In addition to his diverse experience, he boasts of many accolades to his credit. An alumnus of MICA, he has to his credit many successful campaigns like – KBC Season 2 : Umeed Se Dugna, KBC Season 3 : Kuchh Sawaal Zindagi Badal Saktey Hain, Amaron, Bank of India (Rishton ki Jamapunji campaign) Tata Sky and Tata Sky Plus (campaigns featuring Aamir Khan), Red Label & 3 Roses Tea, Ceat tyres, Nestle Alpino, Maggi and Makemytrip among others.

     

  • Samsung’s new campaign on customer service

    Samsung’s new campaign on customer service

    MUMBAI: Samsung India recently launched a nationwide digital and television campaign showcasing its initiative to take customer service to the doorsteps of consumers in the hinterlands.

    The new campaign – conceptualised by Cheil India and unveiled across 50 channels — showcases the journey of a young Samsung engineer, who is on his way to help with services in a remote village in India. The commercial underlines Samsung’s vision of creating long-term relationship with its consumers through timely service.

    Samsung India CMO Ranjivjit Singh said their new initiative of expanding to rural India, right up to the taluka level, helps them in taking care of their valued customers, wherever they were. The new campaign video gives a glimpse of yet another initiative towards ‘Make for India’ commitment.

    Cheil India CCO Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar said even the most advanced products needed some TLC once in a while. While others might expect visiting the service centres, Samsung visits the consumer instead. That’s the measure of Samsung’s emotional investment in its customers.

  • Samsung’s new campaign on customer service

    Samsung’s new campaign on customer service

    MUMBAI: Samsung India recently launched a nationwide digital and television campaign showcasing its initiative to take customer service to the doorsteps of consumers in the hinterlands.

    The new campaign – conceptualised by Cheil India and unveiled across 50 channels — showcases the journey of a young Samsung engineer, who is on his way to help with services in a remote village in India. The commercial underlines Samsung’s vision of creating long-term relationship with its consumers through timely service.

    Samsung India CMO Ranjivjit Singh said their new initiative of expanding to rural India, right up to the taluka level, helps them in taking care of their valued customers, wherever they were. The new campaign video gives a glimpse of yet another initiative towards ‘Make for India’ commitment.

    Cheil India CCO Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar said even the most advanced products needed some TLC once in a while. While others might expect visiting the service centres, Samsung visits the consumer instead. That’s the measure of Samsung’s emotional investment in its customers.

  • Asheesh Malhotra joins Bates CHI&Partners as Mumbai head

    Asheesh Malhotra joins Bates CHI&Partners as Mumbai head

    MUMBAI: Bates CHI&Partners has appointed Asheesh Malhotra as president and head of its Mumbai office.

     

    Malhotra will report to CEO Srikanth VS and will work closely with chief strategy officer Sourabh Mishra and chief creative officer Manmohan Anchan (Maac), NCD Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar and other members of the management team to drive the India growth agenda.

     

    Srikanth said, “Asheesh is one of the most talented people in our business today. In particular, he shines at growing existing client relationships and winning new business. His appointment is key to our growth agenda, by demonstrating fully our ability to deliver ‘Big Ideas for Ambitious Brands’.”

     

    Malhotra with 18 years of experience, including his term with Ogilvy Mumbai from where he moves to Bates CHI&Partners, saw him leading the business on the largest Unilever portfolio  – the beverages division for south Asia. Besides Unilever, he also led the Castrol lubricants global hub in India, BP corporate and a clutch of financial businesses – Bank of India, SBI Life Insurance and Federal Bank.

     

    Anew business junkie Malhotra said, “Bates CHI&Partners is a true blue new model agency. It breaks the traditional mould of ‘in-house only talent and resources’, and instead practices true collaboration by pulling together the best resources that the world has to offer, especially in the disciplines of digital, social and retail. As a result, we can offer solutions that are designed to break through more quickly, thus saving clients loads of media bucks. Recent interactions with clients have reaffirmed the need for such a nimble and creative agency model.”

     

    From 2001 to 2009, Malhotra worked at Lowe Mumbai where he headed the Prudential Life Insurance brand since its inception in India.

  • Sipahimalani back at Bates as ECD

    Sipahimalani back at Bates as ECD

    MUMBAI: Sanjay Sipahimalani has returned to Bates as executive creative director. His immediate mandate will be to take care of the Colgate account and will report to Bates national creative director Sagar Mahabaleshwarkar.

    Sipahimalani quit Bates to join Percept/H as executive creative director in August 2011 where he was responsible for planning, conceptualising and implementing creative strategies, managing the creative team, and handling business development.

    Sipahimalani started his career as a creative director at Grey Worldwide in 2000 and continued there for four years. After that, he moved to Publicis as creative director. Spending a year and two months at Publicis, he joined Vyas Giannetti Creative as executive creative director in 2005. After working at the agency for about three-and-a-half years, he shifted to Bates.