In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the role of AI in shaping social media strategies and digital marketing has become increasingly significant. Bullish on AI, Shubhranshu Singh, Chief Marketing Officer of Tata Motors CVBU, and Rohan Chincholi, Chief Digital Officer at Havas Media India, share their views on social media in an AI era with Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani. 

In this episode of Media Dialogues with Storyboard18, dig into how future-facing marketing visionaries and practitioners are looking at the integration of AI tools in media, the balance between automation and authenticity, and the future of AI-driven personalization. Also, explore the challenges, opportunities, and ethical considerations that come with leveraging AI in social media marketing.

Watch and listen. 

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Content is king, but distribution is kingdom: Media Dialogues With Storyboard18

In an era where authenticity and relatability are the cornerstones of effective marketing, Harman Dhillon, Executive Director of Beauty & Wellbeing at Hindustan Unilever and General Manager of Beauty & Wellbeing at Unilever South Asia, emphasises the evolving role of brands like Dove in shaping societal values.


Dhillon highlights that modern consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that resonate with their personal beliefs and values, making it crucial for brands to present a genuine and consistent point of view.


Dhillon notes that Dove, a global beauty brand under Unilever’s portfolio, has long been at the forefront of purpose-driven communication. The brand’s latest campaign, "Mothermonials," is an extension of this ethos, addressing deep-rooted beauty biases that impact women and young girls, particularly within the context of marriage.


Drawing on insights from the 2020 "Beauty Report" conducted in India, Dhillon explains that nine out of ten women of marriageable age reported being adversely affected by societal beauty standards during the marriage process. These biases often start at a young age, pressuring girls to conform to certain physical ideals at the expense of their confidence and self-worth.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/exclusive-unilevers-harman-dhillon-responds-to-backlash-on-viral-dove-ad-2283.htm">Exclusive: Unilever’s Harman Dhillon responds to feedback on viral Dove ad</a> 


The "Mothermonials" campaign, now in its third iteration, seeks to challenge these generational biases by shifting the focus from physical attributes to values and ambitions when considering matrimonial matches. Dhillon points out that this campaign is not just about raising awareness but also about driving societal change, with Dove positioned as a catalyst for this transformation.


The campaign’s latest phase specifically involves mothers taking a stand against the superficial aspects of matchmaking, advocating for a more holistic approach that considers character, values, and mutual respect as the foundation of a strong partnership.


Dhillon also discusses the measurable impact of such campaigns. Dove, being one of Unilever's largest brands, ensures that the campaign reaches a broad audience, with significant engagement already evident in the early stages. According to Dhillon, the current "Mothermonials" campaign has garnered nearly 4 crore views within a week of its launch, along with 1,00,000 visits to the campaign's dedicated website and 13,000 women interacting with the content.


However, beyond these impressive numbers, Dhillon underscores that the true success of the campaign is measured by the increase in women’s confidence and their perception of their beauty. The ultimate goal is to ensure that more women and young girls feel positive about their appearance, aligning with Dove’s long-standing mission to make beauty a source of confidence, not anxiety.


<em><strong>Edited Excerpts</strong></em>


<strong>We know Dove is a very large iconic brand. But where do you take it from here? What does a campaign like Mothermonials do for the brand, the equity, bottom line?</strong>


<strong>Dhillon:</strong> At Unilever we believe that marketing is now moving to being more authentic, it is moving to being more relatable to the target audience and at the same time the brands need to have a view because the consumers are evolving and they really want to be with a brand which resonates with their value systems, which resonates with the point of view that they have in life and that's where having a point of view on a brand like Dove, like we do on a lot of other Unilever brands is going to be very critical and that point of view has to be very authentic because we have to live and breathe that point of view.


In the long run we believe if we are true to the point of view and if we are bringing about products and the regular advertising that we are doing which we are very committed that on a brand like Dove there is no digital distortion that we do, on a brand like Dove we are talking about really the authentic voices across the spectrum that we put out, in the long run that is going to differentiate one brand versus the other.


<strong>Dove has been at the forefront of purpose-driven communication, branding, marketing and you have recently come out with the third iteration which is now an ongoing campaign for you. Tell me a little bit about the insights that have driven this Mothermonials campaign from the start.</strong>


Dove is one of our mega brands and we do believe that this brand is special and unique and the reason for that is that the philosophy behind Dove is that we believe that beauty should not be a source of anxiety for women and this is the brand which really helps bring alive within women and young girls a positivity about how they look.


Actually in 2020, in India specifically, while of course globally the brand has been on this trajectory, in India in 2020 we partnered with a research agency and we published something which is called the “Beauty Report” and in that there were a couple of insights which were very unique to India. The first being, nine out of 10 women in the marriageable age were really getting impacted by the process itself, which was really focusing a lot on beauty biases. 


The second, we realised that this marriage process, while of course, it's a process to get the right partner, but at the same time, it is fraught with beauty biases, which not only start very young and early, it could be at the time of when the girl child, especially is supposed to be studying for tests, she is being nudged to say, can you do X and Y, so that the prospects for her improve. So that was the whole idea and insight. And that's when we decided that we are going to have a long-term campaign, which really addresses each of these biases, each of these moments when we really impact the confidence of young girls and women adversely as a society. And these are generational biases.


So for us what was very clear is, it is critical that we make the society aware of it and we bring about change with Dove being the catalyst. And last but not the least, it is an inter-generational trauma because the latest edition of the campaign, if you see, it's mothers who are really taking a stand to say, of course, we want to find the best match for the daughters. But at the same time, it should not be just about the physical attributes because any strong partnership is built on the value systems. It's built on the ambitions. It's built on how the person thinks, feels. And that's what we are trying to do- look at matrimonials through the eyes of mothers and hence Mothermonials, which is part three of the campaign.


<strong>And so far, what sort of response have you got on it? Are you looking at scale for a campaign like this? And also a second part to that question would be, what are you measuring on such a campaign?</strong>


<strong>Dhillon:</strong> Dove, is one of our largest brands in the country, so it has to have scale and impact. So for scale, we look at ensuring the message reaches maximum number of people. So if I was to just talk about the current campaign which we broke a week ago, we're already looking at almost 4 crore views for the campaign. On the Mothermonials website we are looking at almost 1,00,000 visits already. And we are looking at all the filters, etc., that we have put out, 13,000 women interacting with that, which tells us that so many women and the target audience is looking at it, but at the same time, we don't just stop at that. We measure the scale and impact by actually measuring the attribute of this helps me view myself in positive light in the way I look and feel, that has to go up. Because at the end of the day, why are we doing all this? We are doing all this because, like I started out by saying, Dove really wants women and young girls to feel more positive about how they look. So we measure that very regularly, and that's the impact we see of a campaign. If that's going up, and if we are seeing more and more women feeling more confident in their skin, we are bringing about a change.

<em>(Edited by : Ajay Vaishnav)</em>


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Modern consumers demand authenticity and relatability in brand messaging, says HUL’s Harman Dhillon

In today’s rapidly evolving media landscape, the sheer complexity and fragmentation across platforms like TV, CTV, digital, and influencer marketing can be overwhelming. Kartik Sharma, CEO of Omnicom Media Group India, provides a nuanced perspective on these changes and their impact on advertising strategies.

Sharma highlights that while digital media is experiencing significant growth, it’s crucial not to overlook traditional media. Contrary to the belief that print is obsolete, Sharma emphasises that measuring its impact is essential. "You can't make a sweeping statement that a particular medium is dead or growing without measuring its effectiveness," he asserts.

India's media landscape is in a phase where various categories and media are growing at different rates. Some may see single-digit growth while others might experience double-digit increases.

Sharma highlights that the focus should not merely be on reaching the maximum audience at the lowest cost but on effectiveness and impact. "If I can save a dollar or a rupee for my client, it’s a dollar earned," he explains. This cost-saving can lead to reinvestment in business growth or increased profit margins, thereby significantly impacting a client's overall business strategy.

Turning the spotlight on Connected TV (CTV), Sharma notes that luxury brands and those targeting premium consumer segments are heavily investing in experimentation. CTV provides an avenue for these brands to test their strategies on a smaller scale before committing to larger budgets. "We never tell a client to start very big," Sharma said. "It’s always about testing and learning." This approach allows brands to tailor their strategies based on the unique reactions of different consumer segments.

Sharma’s insights reflect a broader trend towards personalised and adaptable media strategies. Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach, Sharma emphasised the importance of bespoke solutions tailored to each client’s unique needs. "Over generalisation and saying this will paint the entire category with one brush is not going to work," he stated.

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OMG India CEO Kartik Sharma: Brands need to embrace personalised media strategies

In the latest episode of Media Dialogues with Storyboard18, Delshad Irani sits down with Shweta Jain, a prominent Chief Marketing Officer and one of India's most influential marketers.


Jain's career spans significant roles at Diageo, a major player in the alcoholic beverage industry, and now she serves as the Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at The Leela Group, a renowned name in hotels and hospitality. This episode focuses on the evolving role of forward-thinking CMOs.


Jain reflects on the unique opportunities presented to Indian brands today, noting, “We’re witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime moment where Indian brands are capturing global attention. This rare convergence of opportunity is something we haven’t seen in many years, and these years are all about seizing these moments and sharing our stories with the world.”


At The Leela Group, Jain and her team are harnessing these opportunities, especially around the festive season and emerging trends in leisure travel. She highlights how changing patterns in short breaks, longer indulgent holidays, and new travel occasions are shaping their marketing strategies, bringing together a blend of trends and energies for a dynamic approach to customer engagement.



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The Leela Group's Shweta Jain on seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Indian brands

<strong>Note to viewers: Revised advisory issued on July 3 by MIB on Food & Health sector only with a provision of an annual declaration.</strong><em> 

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), On June 3, adhering to a Supreme Court directive, announced a new mandate requiring advertisers and ad agencies to submit a Self-Declaration Certificate (SDC) before any ad publication or broadcast. The initiative aims to curb misleading advertisements and protect consumers, but achieving this goal remains a significant challenge.


To delve into the impact of these measures on the advertising industry, Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani spoke with Gowree Gokhale, Partner at Nishith Desai Associates; Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist and Investor; Kazim Rizvi, Founding Director of The Dialogue; and Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, Global CEO and Co-Founder of Gozoop Group.


According to Mathias, there is a need for measures that penalise rogue advertisers without compromising freedom of expression. He proposed methods such as temporary bans on advertising for repeat offenders to ensure accountability and integrity in advertising practices.


“The government has kind of, put the onus or responsibility on advertisers, who, in turn, have pushed it to the agencies. And at the second level, they have also put the onus in a sense on broadcasters and media owners, saying, you guys are the second level of defence. However, the real problem is rogue advertisers who have made misleading claims and who have actually misled people, which possibly triggered this whole exercise in the first place. And, therefore, I think the onus has to shift in terms of how do you monitor rogue advertisers without creating a censorship issue,” Mathias stated.


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“I think the idea should be how do we reinforce integrity, and how do you penalise rogue advertisers? If someone has been an offender, I think there has to be a method where he or she gets penalised. If you've deliberately made a false claim, despite certification of which there are regulations in place, do you get banned from media, so to speak, so no advertiser registered in this country can take your communication for a six-month period? That will make advertisers far more cognisant about their responsibility to society. And like I said, there will always be rogue elements, like there is in any society. But I think the issue that needs to be resolved is at that end. What we have really done is right now just complicated the whole issue. At one level, we talk of the ease of doing business, I think this has just needlessly thrown open a can of worms," he added.


He also suggests a system of naming and shaming as a potential solution to enforce integrity within the industry.


Meanwhile, Ahmed Aftab Naqvi pointed to the self-regulatory frameworks of major digital advertising platforms like Google and Meta. These platforms enforce strict guidelines and penalise advertisers who violate them by blacklisting their accounts, which serves as a strong deterrent.


Naqvi suggested that adopting similar punitive measures, such as advertiser blacklisting, could effectively deter deceptive practices in traditional media.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/relief-for-advertisers-as-mib-restricts-sdc-for-ads-to-food-and-health-sectors-only-36128.htm">Relief for advertisers as MIB restricts SDC for ads to food and health sectors only</a>

Experts urge govt to penalise rogue advertisers without curtailing free speech

In a chat with Storyboard18's Shibani Gharat, Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director of Tata Motors, Passenger Vehicles and Electric Vehicle Mobility talks about expectations from 2024, what challenges lie ahead, bifurcating the ICE and EV business and being the largest electric passenger vehicle manufacturer in the country what are their plans with the EV business. 

Listen in. 


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Inflation has impacted entry-level segment: Tata Motors' Shailesh Chandra

In Davos at the recently held World Economic Forum, Ingka Group deputy CEO and CFO Juvencio Maeztu said that Ikea is going to cut prices - up to 20 percent price reduction in more than 250 articles. The price cuts will be implemented in the coming weeks. Maeztu said, “We have a long term vision to create a better life for the people. So, we have a long term approach at everything we do and the time is ready with high inflation and high interest rate."

In an exclusive interview with Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani, Ikea India CEO Susanne Pulverer, commenting on the price cuts, said, "We have seen a positive development when it comes to getting better prices on the products, especially the post-COVID; when we had seen a lot of inflation and increased costs on raw material, transports and everything. So that's what we will immediately give back to customers worldwide. And, of course, that goes for India as well. So, we are currently working on how we can further invest in lowering the prices on a number of products that we know are loved by our customers."

Watch here. 

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IKEA plans for multi-format stores in India: IKEA India CEO Susanne Pulverer

Tata Motors recently became the third Tata Group firm to cross Rs 3 trillion in market cap. In an exclusive client-agency dialogue with Storyboard18's editor Delshad Irani, Shubhranshu Singh, VP and CMO, Tata Motors CVBU, and Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group, share how the customer journey has transformed in the commercial vehicles business, the role of media and acceleration of digital sales of CVs, and how the brand and its agencies are reimagining media and marketing for a new Indian consumer. 

Listen in. 

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Media Dialogues with Storyboard18: AI and digital accelerating Tata Motors CV brand and business

French spirits manufacturer Pernod Ricard, known for its brands such as Chivas Regal, Jameson, Absolut and Blenders Pride, recently launched its first premium Indian single malt brand Longitude77. Now as we step in 2024, Pernod Ricard is taking their new Indian single malt brand to global markets. Ahead of their Dubai launch, in a special chat, Storyboard18 caught up with Kartik Mohindra, CMO, Pernod Ricard India, to understand the market for single malt in India, the marketing and advertising strategies that are undertaken to promote liquor, and the key trends to watch for. 

Listen in.

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Pernod Ricard's Kartik Mohindra on crowning India as a premier global whisky maestro

According to Shashank Srivastava, senior executive officer, Maruti Suzuki, by 2030, the penetration of EVs for passenger vehicles in India will be around 20 percent. For Maruti Suzuki and their own powertrain, by 2030 it’ll be 15 percent EV, 25 percent strong hybrids and 60 percent to be a mix of ethanol blended fuel, CNG and biogas. 

There are a couple of challenges when selling an electric future to Indians. Srivastava said that the cost of acquisition needs to be reasonable. Currently this cost is 1.6 times that of ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles. These costs have to be brought down and one solution to this is battery localisation. Secondly, range anxiety which can be solved by charging infrastructure being built.

Listen in. 

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Media Dialogues with Storyboard18: Maintaining continuity In change, Maruti-Suzuki & Mindshare drive ahead

Acer chairman and CEO Jason Chen reveals the company's plans, including venturing into new segments in consumer electronics, eMobility and AI PCs while in conversation with Storyboard18's Shibani Gharat. Chen says he is very excited about artificial intelligence and how it is being very rapidly being implemented.

The company's enthusiasm for the transformative potential of Generative AI is evident in its forward-looking stance. Acer is actively pioneering this technological shift by developing AI-powered PCs poised to redefine user interactions with computers. “We want to be the first one, if not the first then the first batch of suppliers to come into AI-ready PC,” he adds.

Acer's investments in AI extend across diverse applications, including Integrated Chip (IC) design and initiatives in the medical field. “One area where I'd like to invest some time is incorporating artificial intelligence into the medical field. Thousands of AI-related medical reports, known as smart medical research journals and papers, are being published. However, many of them remain as merely good reports without progressing into impactful scientific research projects,” he said, adding that Acer is in a position to commercialise that research into real products that will benefit medical requirements.

Watch the full interview here.

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PC market demand has come back to normal: Acer's Jason Chen

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Representational image via Unsplash

'Brand Tax': Experts urge for clear guidelines, say 'brand subscription fee' can hinder innovation, growth

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Biz Moves: Interactive Avenues, Verve Media, Foxymoron and Grapes

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Dubai court rejects Honasa Consumer grievance filed over fiasco with UAE distributor

Tipplers to raise their bar this festive season, premium liquor in demand

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Piyush Pandey

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Big salary gaps in Indian communications: Freshers start low, women hit glass ceiling

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In conversation with IHCL’s Puneet Chhatwal & GroupM’s Kate Scott-Dawkins

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In conversation with VMLY&R’s Hari Ramanathan

Indian full-service airline Vistara will merge into Tata-owned Air India on November 12. Singapore Airlines said on Friday that it has received the Indian government's nod for foreign direct investment as part of the Air  India-Vistara merger. Vistara is a joint venture between Air India and Singapore Airlines (SIA). After the merger, SIA will acquire a 25.1% stake in Air India. The proposed merger was announced in November 2022, and The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved it in June this year.

On August 10, both airlines secured the CAR (Civil Aviation Requirement) 145 approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to integrate their aircraft line maintenance operations.

According to Tata SIA Airlines Ltd, the customers will not be able to make bookings with Vistara starting from September 3 onwards. "Starting 03 September 2024, customers will, progressively, no longer be able to make bookings with Vistara for travel on or after 12 November 2024," the company said.

However, Vistara will continue to take bookings and operate flights as usual till 11 November 2024. Air India will operate all Vistara aircraft. The bookings for the routes operated by these aircraft will be redirected to Air India's website.

Vinod Kannan, Chief Executive Officer of Vistara, said in an official statement, "We are immensely grateful to all our customers for their support and patronage over the last 10 years. As we progress further in our growth journey, we want to emphasize that this merger is about offering them more choice with a larger fleet and a wider network, while elevating the overall travel experience. Vistara and Air India are committed to ensuring that this transition is smooth and hassle-free. We are excited about this new phase in our journey and look forward to welcoming our customers again soon - as Air India."

"The joint team looks forward to offering our guests an expanded network, additional flight options, an enhanced frequent flyer program, and the best of both antecedent airlines," Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, of Air India, said.



Vistara bookings to stop from next week onwards, merger with Air India from 12 Nov

Zoho, the Chennai-based technology powerhouse, has officially marked its entry into the payments sector with the launch of Zoho Payments, announced at the Global Fintech Fest on August 29. This new offering is a comprehensive payment solution designed to streamline online payment acceptance for businesses, adding a significant layer to Zoho's already robust suite of financial management tools, as stated by media reports. 

The company also introduced advanced B2B payment features, leveraging the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) from NCPI Bharat BillPay Limited (NBBL). These enhancements aim to simplify the complexities of invoice management and payments, offering businesses an integrated approach to handling their financial transactions.

"At Zoho, we strongly believe that business finance, banking, and payments should work together," said Sivaramakrishnan Iswaran, Global Head of Finance and Operations BU at Zoho. "With the launch of Zoho Payments today along with our B2B payment capabilities, we have taken a significant step toward realizing this vision. NBBL's BBPS standardizes invoice presentment and payments, providing multiple payment modes, instant payment confirmations, invoice financing, and a unified platform for invoice transmission and reconciliation. This marks a major advancement in the fintech domain," he further added.

A key strength of Zoho Payments lies in its seamless integration with Zoho's finance and operations suite, which includes Zoho Books, Zoho Billing, and Zoho Invoice. 

Zoho also announced that businesses can access financing for unpaid invoices via the TReDS platform through the BBPS network, providing added flexibility and financial support. 

Moreover, Zoho Payments supports multiple payment methods, including NEFT, RTGS, IMPS, UPI, cards, and net banking. It also automates the reconciliation of payment information with corresponding invoices, reducing manual efforts and simplifying the payment process, particularly for bulk transactions.

Zoho ventures into payments sector with launch of Zoho Payments

The German furniture fitting brand- Hettich India has appointed Wondrlab as its creative partner. 

The platform-first martech network will enhance Hettich's brand presence and engage target audiences for its furniture fittings, door hardware, and built-in appliances categories in a more meaningful way through creative storytelling across various platforms. 

Wondrlab, leveraging its full funnel expertise, will partner Hettich in its strategic brand positioning to maintain its global standards and leadership in the India market.

Jiteen Aggarwal, CMO, Hettich India & SAARC said, "We are excited to partner with Wondrlab as we embark on a journey to redefine the brand’s narrative and take the brand forward. Their creative vision aligns with our goal of elevating the emotional resonance of our brand while staying true to our legacy of innovation and functionality. We believe this partnership will help us communicate how our solutions bring everyday magic into homes, making Hettich not just a choice for functionality but a brand that enhances lifestyles.”

Rakesh Hinduja, Co-founder and Managing Partner, Wondrlab Network India added, "With the real estate industry booming in India, consumers are increasingly investing in premium solutions to design their homes and offices. Hettich’s technologically advanced solutions perfectly align with this, offering the quality and innovation that today’s discerning customers demand. Our team is excited to support Hettich India’s vision with a robust full-funnel strategy, fresh ideas, and creative energy. Together, we aim to elevate the brand and connect with its audience in meaningful ways."

Hettich India appoints Wondrlab Network as Creative Partner

Lowe Lintas has won the creative mandate for Amaron, the flagship brand of Amara Raja Energy & Mobility Ltd (formerly known as Amara Raja Batteries), after a keenly contested multi-agency pitch. 

The incumbent ad agency was Ogilvy, which has been associated with the brand for over two decades. 

It is to be noted that this is the second loss for Ogilvy, in a row, after it lost the KFC account to FCB, last month.

In May, Storyboard18 broke the news of Amaron's creative account going up for grabs.

The full-service creative agency of MullenLowe Lintas Group- Lowe Lintas will help energise Amaron's brand presence and market share. 

Read more:<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/leading-auto-battery-brand-amarons-creative-business-on-pitch-exclusive-30439.htm"> Leading auto battery brand Amaron's creative business on pitch: Exclusive</a>

Amaron is one of the India’s leading manufacturer and supplier of industrial and automotive batteries, catering to various sectors, including the auto aftermarket, OEMs, industrial power backup, home energy solutions, and electric vehicles (EVs) with products such as cells, packs, and chargers. In addition to its core battery business, Amaron has strategically diversified into lubricants, positioning itself as a leading player in the energy and mobility sector. 

Commenting on the partnership, Harshavardhana Gourineni, Executive Director – Automotive & Industrial of Amara Raja Group, said, “The decision to partner with Lowe Lintas comes as we look to the future and aim to scale new heights. We chose the agency for its proven track record of building some of the biggest brands in the country through strategic thinking and creative effectiveness, which aligns perfectly with our vision for the next phase of Amaron's growth in taking the brand to newer heights by building the brand which will now represent all the products the brand is diversified into.”

Lowe Lintas will amplify Amaron's brand narrative and drive consumer engagement by creating deeper connections at local, ethnic, cultural, and sub-cultural levels.

S Subramanyeswar (Subbu), Group CEO – India & Chief Strategy Officer – APAC, MullenLowe Group, said, “It is a privilege to be chosen as a partner to lead Amaron’s electrifying journey as they take big strides in the automotive sector! Taking the baton from the brand’s longstanding and respected peer, it is a massive responsibility for us. I’m glad Amaron found in us the right mix of strategic, creative, and digital capabilities to accelerate the brand and the business in their ambitious next phase of growth.”

EXCLUSIVE: Lowe Lintas wins creative mandate for battery brand Amaron

Interactive Avenues, the digital arm of IPG Mediabrands India, has bagged the creative and media mandate for Super League Kerala (SLK), Kerala’s football league. 


The agency will craft SLK’s brand identity, and will be responsible for their social media presence, TVCs, digital content & creatives, OOH design, and cross-media campaigns. Interactive Avenues will handle the account out of their Mumbai office.

 

he agency works with various sports teams and bodies including the IPL team Rajasthan Royals, WPL team UP Warriorz, Pro Kabbadi League’s Tamil Thalaivas, F4 Indian Championship, Indian Racing League, and Argentine Football Association. 


The agency’s partnership with SLK will focus on building a premium football league that helps everyone succeed in the game through sustainable community building, healthy competition, youth development, and wholesome entertainment, stated the agency.

 

Firoz Meeran, Vice Chairman – Group Meeran & Managing Director – Super League Kerala, shared his thoughts on the collaboration, “We endeavour to transform the dreams of Kerala’s young football enthusiasts into tangible career options leveraging an exhilarating league format with six dynamic franchises. Given Interactive Avenues’ creative and sports marketing prowess, we are confident they are the perfect partner to help us build a transformative brand narrative that embodies Kerala’s rich sporting spirit.”

 

Shantanu Sirohi, COO, Interactive Avenues, said, “We’re delighted to embark on this exciting football odyssey with Super League Kerala as their Creative partner. Leveraging cultural insights and community building strategies, we will help them drive impact and build a loyal fan following – not just during the upcoming league season, but way beyond.” 

 

Matthew Joseph, CEO – Super League Kerala, commented further, “To celebrate the deep love Kerala has for football, we wanted to partner with people who have that love and understanding themselves. We’re confident that we have found that partnership with Interactive Avenues and look forward to a triumphant debut season of Super League Kerala.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/auto-major-volvo-initiates-global-media-review-39083.htm">Auto major Volvo initiates global media review </a>




Interactive Avenues wins the creative and media mandate of Super League Kerala

dentsu has announced the launch of its Business Transformation Practice, Dentsu BX, in India. Narayan Devanathan will lead the new practice, adding to his existing role as President & Chief Strategy Officer, South Asia. 



He will continue to report to Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu, while also reporting to Chris Bower, Managing Director, Business Transformation Consulting, APAC, dentsu, and Yuichi Toyoda, Global Practice President - Business Transformation (BX).


 
In his expanded mandate, Devanathan will collaborate with businesses to co-create transformation strategies that accelerate sustainable business growth. He will aim to deliver transformative solutions that drive substantial value for clients, businesses, and society. 



Working with a group of agile client transformation specialists internally and specialized strategic alliances externally, Dentsu BX will create innovative strategies for businesses to explore new categories, revolutionize their operations, and stay ahead of the times, true to dentsu’s promise of ‘Innovating to Impact’, stated the company.



Commenting on the expansion, Harsha Razdan said, “Dentsu’s relentless commitment is on delivering exceptional client- outcomes. As we have evolved to become more client-centric across all practices, the expansion of Dentsu BX into India represents a natural progression.  I am confident that Narayan is the perfect leader for this initiative. His extensive expertise and proven track record make him ideally suited to lead this strategic and industry-leading offering. In addition to his existing remit, Narayan will harness our key expertise to craft innovative and transformative solutions that drive significant business impact for brands. With his elite ‘special ops’ team for Dentsu BX, Narayan will leverage the full strength of dentsu to deliver innovative, outcome-driven solutions for our clients.”


 
Devanathan added, “I am excited to lead the Dentsu BX practice in India. We have already launched the practice in stealth mode and engaged with multiple businesses on various projects. Clients already get ‘efficiencies and best practices’ with your garden-variety consulting firms and that’s now what Dentsu BX is about. Our goal is to create Next Practices for them via distinctive solutions built on three cornerstones: creativity, our ability to move people and activate and execute outcomes that benefit customers, society, and business. Our solutions span growth hacking, sustainability acceleration, innovation, and incubation – in short, all the ingredients businesses need to create a better, more sustainable future for themselves, their customers, and society. That’s the essence not just of Dentsu BX but of dentsu itself, and we will harness all the extraordinary talent and expertise of dentsu South Asia to deliver it.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/dentsu-group-india-biz-showing-encouraging-signs-after-long-period-underperformance-39680.htm">Dentsu Group: India biz showing "encouraging signs" after long period underperformance</a>

Narayan Devanathan to lead newly launched Dentsu BX in India

On August 18, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) unveiled a significant new project designed to tackle the issue of microplastic contamination in food. The initiative, which commenced in March, focuses on developing and validating analytical methods for detecting micro and nano-plastics in various food items. The project also aims to evaluate the prevalence and potential health impacts of these contaminants nationwide.

Key objectives of the project include establishing standardized protocols for analysing micro and nano-plastics, conducting comparative studies across different laboratories, and gathering crucial data on the levels of microplastic exposure among consumers. This comprehensive approach is intended to provide a clearer understanding of the extent of contamination and its potential health implications.

The study is being carried out in collaboration with several esteemed institutions, including the CSIR-Indian Institute of Technology Research in Lucknow, the ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology in Kochi, and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani. These partnerships are expected to enhance the accuracy and reliability of the findings.

The initiative follows a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which revealed the presence of microplastics in common food products such as sugar and salt. The FAO's findings underscored the urgent need for more detailed data to fully understand the health risks associated with microplastic consumption.

The FSSAI's project represents a crucial step towards addressing this emerging food safety concern. It also aims to ensure that food products in the country are free from harmful plastic contamination.

FSSAI launches major initiative to detect microplastics in food

Global FMCG major Unilever has consolidated its creative and strategic duties across the world with ad holding company WPP. The Ogilvy-parent WPP already had responsibility Unilever’s Dove and Vaseline. 


After the streamlining, WPP will handle the creative duties for brands such as Sunsilk, Tresemme, Clear, Pond's, Nexxus and Shea Moisture, while continuing its work on Vaseline. 


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/women-of-hul-from-leena-nair-to-prabha-narasimhan-hindustan-unilever-has-created-iconic-female-leaders-33360.htm">Women of HUL: From Leena Nair to Prabha Narasimhan, Hindustan Unilever has created iconic female leaders</a> 


Previously, these brands were managed by Interpublic Group of Companies, Omnicom Group, and Brandtech Group's Oliver in various regions.


In January 2024, Unilever launched a global media review of its media planning and buying account. In the US, UK and Ireland, most of Unilever's media business is managed by GroupM's Mindshare. 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/unilever-initiates-global-media-review-for-its-3-4-billion-business-20655.htm">Read more: Unilever initiates global media review for its $3.4 bn business; India included</a>


Unilever's beauty business consolidates global creative duties with WPP

Oriflame, the renowned Swedish beauty brand known for its direct and community selling strategy has called for a media and creative pitch. Oriflame is recalibrating its marketing and expansion strategies for the Indian market.

A source at Oriflame confirmed the development and said, “We are looking for creative and media agencies. We are in talks with couple of agencies but we want to explore more options to ensure that when we launch our expansion strategies, the media and communications part is also in sync.” 

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/exclusive-hero-motocorps-media-mandate-up-for-grabs-auto-major-calls-for-pitch-35419.htm">Read more: Hero Motocorp's media mandate up for grabs; auto major calls for pitch: Exclusive</a>

The brand is also expanding its wellness category and focusing on the younger generation to enhance growth in the region. Oriflame offers a wide range of products in India, including skincare, makeup, fragrance, hair and body products catering to both adults and kids. The skincare category generates the most revenue for Oriflame.

According to Markets and Data report, the Indian Skin Care Market was estimated to be worth USD 2.56 billion in FY2023. Facial care was the market's largest category both in terms of value and volume. The market is expected to reach USD 3.73 billion by FY2031 growing at a CAGR of 4.82% for the forecast period between FY2024 and FY2031.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/tata-motors-media-review-for-passenger-vehicles-business-underway-exclusive-35869.htm">Read more: Tata Motors media review for Passenger Vehicles business underway: EXCLUSIVE</a>

According to Oriflame’s 2023 Annual report, Oriflame entered Asia in 1986, and currently has operations in China, India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Sri Lanka. The year, 2023 continued to be a difficult year in Asia with a sales decline in all Asian markets. 

All COVID related restrictions were relaxed in all Asian countries. The sales of Oriflame products were impacted adversely due to increased competition from local e-commerce brands and also due to people returning to work post COVID which affected recruitment. The increased focus on digital tools and Wellness/Skincare categories progressed according to plan. 

Exclusive: Beauty brand Oriflame calls for Media and Creative pitch

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed on Wednesday that the Out-of-Home (OOH) agency, rather than the advertisers, will be held responsible in the event of a mishap. BMC’s draft policy includes terms like permit holder, advertiser, and agency to clarify accountability in case of an accident. A senior BMC official told Storyboard18 that in such incidents, the OOH agency is regarded as the offender, not the advertiser.

Kiran Dighavkar, Deputy Commissioner (Special) of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, told Storyboard18, “The hoarding applicant will be responsible for any mishap. BMC does not deal with advertisers; we deal with OOH agencies when granting permissions to erect hoardings, etc.”

Further elaborating, Dighavkar said, “An advertiser deals with the OOH agency and not with BMC. For example, if there is an OOH campaign for Dabur or Bisleri, and we find any irregularities, the OOH agency will be responsible for the incident, not the advertisers.”

Dighavkar added, “There is no way that the advertiser will be penalized in the case of a mishap or will be held responsible.”

A senior BMC official said, “When it comes to registering an offense against the defaulter in the event of an accident, the complaint is filed against the OOH agency, not the advertiser. It is the responsibility of the agency to follow all the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure there are no accidents or mishaps due to the OOH installation.”

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/bmc-releases-hoarding-policy-includes-stringent-regulations-for-dooh-holds-advertisers-responsible-for-mishaps-39315.htm">BMC releases ad hoarding policy; Revises SOPs, specifies liability</a>

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/how-it-works/bmcs-new-ooh-advertising-policy-could-do-more-harm-than-good-fear-stakeholders-37646.htm">Read more: BMC's new OOH advertising policy could do more harm than good, fear stakeholders</a>


EXCLUSIVE: BMC clarifies, OOH agencies and not advertisers responsible in case of ad-hoarding mishaps

Who doesn’t love a good laugh? After all, laughter is the best medicine. A lot of brands often choose to go down the comedy route with their ad campaigns as comedy as a genre generates incredible mass appeal. 
 
However, not all brands manage to hit it out of the park with their campaigns because comedy can be tricky. One brand, though, managed to stand out for its ingenious incorporation of humour, that brought a smile and made thousands of people laugh. 
 
Last year, Sprite launched the ‘Joke in a Bottle’ campaign. With "Scan Karo, Joke Suno, Thand Rakho!" as the tagline, consumers could scan a QR code on every Sprite pack that would offer them fresh comedy content. The campaign featured over 200 jokes curated by both renowned and regional comedians, available in six languages to cater to a wide audience. The campaign even featured popular film stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rana Daggubatti.
 
Standup comedians are professionals who understand their audiences and know how to make their jokes land well. Thus, for a campaign to work wonders, partnering up with standup comics seems like the most logical choice, doesn’t it?

Sprite’s campaign had a clear objective: to position itself not just as a refreshing beverage, but as a source of entertainment and relief. By doing so, the brand successfully built a connection with consumers, thereby driving engagement. 

Sprite’s ‘Joke in a Bottle’ was indeed a tremendous success. It was short comedic content, available in multiple languages and easily accessible via WhatsApp. It covered all the bases. As a result, with nearly half of Gen Z turning to humour as a means of de-stressing. 
 
Today, brands need to have a strong focus on what the young consumer desires i.e. personalisation, short-form, yet engaging content, leveraging social media and trends. Sprite delivered on all of this. The brand understood the demographic and created out a very successful campaign that resonated with the audience. All this while driving brand awareness and increasing engagement.
 
Encouraged by the love shown by consumers, Sprite has now launched the second season of ‘Joke in a Bottle’, where the brand has collaborated with leading names such as Kapil Sharma, cricketer Suryakumar Yadav, and India's top 14 comedians including Biswa, Kenny, Mallika Dua, Prashasti, Urooj, Anirban, Saikiran, Varun Thakur, Niharika NM, Danish Sait, Sorabh Pant, Mir Afsar Ali, Naveen Singh, Niranjan Mondal. This time round there are 500+ jokes available in nine languages via scan of the QR code which will lead them to their WhatsApp, unveiling regional comedy content. 

In essence, Sprite's 'Joke in a Bottle' campaign not only quenched thirst but also brought laughter and entertainment to countless consumers. By understanding the pulse of their audience and leveraging the power of humor, Sprite successfully created a memorable and engaging experience, proving that a good joke truly does go a long way.

Laughter in Every Sip: Sprite's 'Joke in a Bottle' Campaign

Gan.AI, a leading startup in conversational AI research and products has announced the launch of Myna-mini, a text-to-speech (TTS) model and API. The TTS model supports 22 official Indic languages including English.

"Myna-mini represents a significant step towards making AI accessible and useful for everyone, regardless of the language they speak," said Suvrat Bhushan, founder and CEO of Gan.AI. "We're excited to bridge the language gap and bring advanced voice technology to over 1 billion people."

Gan.AI has also announced plans for more advanced models, including: Myna and Myna-Large: Set to be the one of the world's largest TTS models in terms of training data and parameter count, Zero-shot cross-lingual voice cloning, Lip-sync API, Avatar API

Gan.AI's technology has been used by brands for personalizing video and audio campaigns, including Uber, Cadbury, Swiggy, Zomato, the San Antonio Spurs, and Mumbai Indians.

The key features of Myna-mini includes support for 22 Indic languages and English for comprehensive linguistic coverage, multiple distinct voices which reflects diverse regions of India, native code-mixed language support for seamlessly handling of multilingual inputs among others. 

Moreover, its code-mixed support helps Myna-mini to seamlessly handle text that mixes multiple languages in a single sentence or paragraph. This reflects how people naturally communicate, switching between languages mid-conversation. 

Myna-mini is the result of extensive research and development by Gan.AI's team, which includes experts from prestigious institutions and tech giants such as Stanford, FAIR, IITs, BITS, Samsung, Microsoft, and Adobe Research. The team boasts over 1000 combined research citations in the field.

Gan.AI launches Myna-mini, a TTS model supporting 22 Indic languages

The results of Unilever's major global media review are in and everyone's a winner. But one ad holding company and its agency have come out at the very top. Unilever has reappointed WPP’s Mindshare in the US, UK and China, as per industry reports. However the FMCG giant has changed up its agency roster in other markets to include Havas, Dentsu and Publicis Groupe, in addition to WPP, Omnicom and Interpublic. 

Omnicom Media Group lost Canada to Interpublic’s Initiative. Publicis Media now has Unilever's media business in Thailand, Philippines and Vietnam, taken away from WPP. WPP has also won Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa. India has been retained by WPP and GroupM's Mindshare, as per sources. 

Unilever said the media review was aligned to Unilever’s Growth Action Plan."

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/unilevers-brand-and-marketing-investment-up-180bps-to-15-1-focused-on-power-brands-38050.htm">Read more: Unilever's brand and marketing investment up 180bps to 15.1%, focused on Power Brands</a>

The global FMCG juggernaut initiated a review of its global media planning and buying account in January 2024. The FMCG giant last reviewed its media account in 2021. When GroupM expanded its account in 2021, the billings at the time were worth $3.4 billion.

Mindshare, which also has the mandate in India, re-pitched for the account. GroupM-owned Mindshare had retained the account in the last review, beating out stiff competition from other major holding companies' media agencies. The review happens every three years.

<a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/unilevers-beauty-business-consolidates-global-creative-duties-with-wpp-39789.htm">Read more: Unilever's beauty business consolidates global creative duties with WPP</a>


Unilever global media review results in; All six ad holding companies get the FMCG's business

Efficacy Worldwide, a full-service advertising and marketing agency, has become the Agency of Record (AOR) for Hero Cycles. The agency has bagged this mandate after a multi-agency pitch. 

 
“With this partnership, we aim to captivate our target audience with compelling marketing campaigns that highlight the brand's unique value proposition. Efficacy and its expert team are aligned with our objective to take Hero Cycles to a different level. We’re hopeful to leverage their expertise to build a fresh brand identity” says, Rohit Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Hero Cycles.

 
"Partnering with Hero Cycles, a name synonymous with quality and innovation, is a great opportunity for us. As they continue to lead the market, our focus will be on driving impactful, multi-channel campaigns to amplify the brand reach. We will optimize the brand's presence across all media platforms through targeted and impactful campaigns", says Vishnu Sharma, Founder & CEO, Efficacy Worldwide.

 
Aligned with Hero Cycles’ vision, Efficacy is set to provide its marketing and advertising services (TV, Print, Digital, Radio, Outdoor, Cinema and other allied services) with the impetus it needs to make its indelible mark on the industry, stated the agency.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/exclusive-hero-motocorps-media-mandate-up-for-grabs-auto-major-calls-for-pitch-35419.htm">Hero Motocorp's media mandate up for grabs; auto major calls for pitch: Exclusive</a> 

Efficacy Worldwide bags media AOR mandate for Hero Cycles

Wondrlab, India’s platform-first martech network, has announced its brand mandate win with Blue Heaven, a name in Indian cosmetics.


This partnership will debut with a soon to be unveiled festive campaign.



Commenting on the partnership, Jayanti Choudhary, head of marketing at Esme Consumer, Retail stated, “As we embark on this new chapter for Blue Heaven, it was important for us to partner with a creative agency that understands our journey and vision. Wondrlab’s innovative approach and deep consumer insights make them the ideal partner to help us engage with a younger, more dynamic audience.”

 

Rakesh Hinduja, managing partner and co-founder, Wondrlab Network said, “We’re thrilled to be part of Blue Heaven’s transformation journey. With their rich history and our data first full funnel marketing strategy, we aim to craft campaigns that will not only resonate with their current target audience but also bring in newer groups for its new product portfolio. We aim to elevate the brand’s aspirational appeal, backed by the brand's investments in innovations.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/dentsu-x-wins-the-integrated-media-mandate-of-vi-john-healthcare-indias-shaving-category-42914.htm">Dentsu X wins the integrated media mandate of Vi-John Healthcare India's shaving category</a> 

Wondrlab bags the brand mandate of Blue Heaven

Vi-John Healthcare India – a manufacturer of personal care, healthcare products & cosmetics, has awarded the integrated media mandate of the Shaving Category to dentsu X. The account was won following a competitive multi-agency pitch and will be serviced from dentsu X's Gurugram office.


As per the mandate, dentsu X - a branding and marketing agency from dentsu India, will drive innovation to position the brand in the market. Integrating creativity, technology, and strategic insight, will deliver transformative solutions to create immersive brand experiences that push traditional boundaries. The agency’s team will spearhead dynamic media planning and execution across TV, Print, Radio, Cinema, OOH, and Digital channels for the brand’s shaving category products. 

 
Commenting on the partnership, Jose Leon, CEO, dentsu X India said, “We at dentsu X are thrilled to add Vi-John – a reputed CPG brand, to our clientele. By combining creativity, technology, and strategy, this partnership is set to deliver impactful and transformative brand experiences for Vi-John. We are dedicated to innovating and redefining these experiences, pushing boundaries to drive remarkable growth and influence.”

 
Anita Kotwani, CEO Media, South Asia, dentsu added, “We are excited to embark on this strategic partnership with Vi-John, a brand that holds a deep-rooted legacy in the Indian market. At dentsu X, we pride ourselves on creating transformative experiences. This collaboration presents opportunities for us to craft innovative strategies that align closely with their distinctive vision. By combining our expertise with their dynamic spirit, we are confident in creating something truly exceptional.”


Ashutosh Chaudharie, General Manager Marketing, VI John commented, “We are happy to partner with dentsu X on our Shaving Category. The company is at an important juncture in its six decades of market leadership and we wanted strategic partnerships with a media partner that has both - experience in handling large-scale FMCG brands along with the expertise of giving customized media solutions that are market-specific. denstu X was a clear choice and we are excited to work with them to meet our business objectives.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/dentsu-group-india-biz-showing-encouraging-signs-after-long-period-underperformance-39680.htm">Dentsu Group: India biz showing "encouraging signs" after long period underperformance</a> 

Dentsu X wins the integrated media mandate of Vi-John Healthcare India's shaving category

Publicis Groupe announces the acquisition of Mars United Commerce, an independent commerce marketing company.  


Under the leadership of its CEO Rob Rivenburgh, Mars’ proprietary technology and solutions will further scale and supercharge Publicis’ existing commerce capabilities. 


Winning in commerce, by changing shopper behavior to drive business results, is increasingly a core element of marketers’ winning strategies. But activating in commerce has become increasingly complex, as brands must navigate a fragmented array of channels, media, technologies and data, stated the company.
 

Concretely, it means that Publicis Groupe clients can now create and implement end-to-end commerce solutions that optimize:


<strong>Strategy and Insights:</strong> Fusing the power of Epsilon’s first-person identity data with Mars United’s proprietary data on shoppers and shopping behavior will give clients 360-degree insight into purchase journeys and new opportunities to motivate shopper behavior change.   


<strong>Media and Activation:</strong> Combining the scale of Publicis Media with Mars United’s comprehensive understanding of retail organizations – including media, marketing, merchandising and operations – will help clients win the last mile of purchase in physical and digital locations with more efficient and effective campaigns. 


<strong>Performance and Measurement:</strong> Merging insights into ecommerce sales and operations from Publicis’ digital shelf platform Profitero, with Mars United’s data set on commerce media performance will give clients a complete view of their commerce marketing performance – online and offline – and an unmatched ability to drive brand growth.

 
Rob Rivenburgh, Global CEO of Mars United, said, “Joining Publicis Groupe will help Mars realize our vision of being the preeminent global commerce company faster and more completely. We’re excited to have the support of Publicis to bring new opportunities to our existing clients and also to share our connected commerce solution with new clients around the globe. We look forward to writing the next chapter of commerce together.”


Arthur Sadoun, Publicis Groupe CEO, said, “We are delighted to be welcoming Rob and his incredible teams at Mars to Publicis Groupe. Their innovative spirit and proprietary platforms will further connect and complement our existing capabilities, to deliver industry-leading, end-to-end commerce solutions for our clients, both online and offline. With the acquisition of Influential this summer, and now Mars, Publicis is uniquely positioned to help our clients understand both existing consumers and future prospects, and connect that knowledge at an individual level to the new media channels that work hardest for their business: Connected TV, Commerce and Creators. All of this, in clients’ own ecosystems, giving them control over their customer relationships and transparency in their investments and outcomes.” 


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/publicis-groupe-to-acquire-influential-for-500-million-37933.htm">Publicis Groupe to acquire Influential for $500 million </a>

Publicis Groupe acquires independent commerce marketing company Mars United Commerce

Wondrlab has acquired OPA, one of India’s influencer marketing platforms. This marks Wondrlab's second strategic acquisition in the influencer marketing space and its sixth overall. 


OPA collaborates with over 300,000 influencers and 500+ brands including Nykaa, Vero Moda, Purplle, Sugar, Plum, etc. 


Saurabh Varma, Founder & CEO of Wondrlab Network, commenting on the acquisition said, "We are super excited to welcome OPA to the Wondrlab family. With Rupansh and Chandan, we hope to supercharge our influencer offering. We remain extremely bullish about the creator economy and believe that mid-funnel and driving engagement will be critical for every brand.” 


Rupansh Goyal, Co-Founder of OPA, stated, “Wondrlab is a team of heavy hitters in the marketing landscape. We are incredibly excited to join forces with them. Their unparalleled expertise in scaling businesses and our technology create an ideal partnership. We’re confident that we’ll unlock new opportunities for brands and influencers, driving even more impactful collaborations. This collaboration truly feels like a perfect match, and we’re eager to see where it will take us.” 


Chandan Routray, Co-Founder of OPA, added, “OPA has only just scratched the surface of the creator economy with branded collaborations. There is a vast opportunity to help brands leverage creators’ influence. With Wondrlab’s 360-degree marketing expertise and deep industry knowledge, we are excited to begin this new chapter. Together, we can bring innovative solutions that benefit brands and empower creators.” 


Varma further added, "At Wondrlab, we have always believed in backing extraordinary founders and helping them scale their dreams. Rupansh and Chandan, both IITians, as Co-Founders of OPA have created a remarkable platform. I truly believe that we are at an
inflection point in the creator economy space and with the two of them at the helm, I am confident in Wondrlab having the best shot in finding, creating and executing the next moonshot.” 


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/schbang-acquires-dutch-design-agency-addikt-to-form-combined-entity-with-turnover-rs-300-cr-exclusive-42563.htm">Schbang acquires Dutch design agency Addikt to form combined entity with turnover Rs 300 cr</a> 

Wondrlab acquires influencer marketing platform OPA

The independent homegrown advertising agency— Schbang— has acquired Amsterdam-based design agency— Addikt— to become AddiktSchbang and offer fully integrated marketing solutions. 

Securing a strong agreement, Schbang has acquired 50% of the shares with a combination of call-and-put options and aims to work together for the next 10 years. 

Founded in 2015, Schbang closed the FY24 at Rs 225 crore in terms of revenue— up from Rs 175 crore in FY23 on a consolidated basis and is close to achieving Rs 275 crore. Addikt, on the other hand, is currently running at about 2 million euros annually (around Rs 20 crore) and aims to grow to 4 million euros within two years, with the expansion into the Indian market.

“We see Addikt adding a reasonable top line to Schbang— about 8%. We also see an India hub for the Netherlands team being built over the next few months,” Harshil Karia, MD and Founder of Schbang told Storyboard18, in an exclusive conversation.

Additionally, the agency is expecting its UK set up to be on a 750,000 pounds-a-year run-rate, soon. 

“AddiktSchbang will also be able to help build more business in the UK because of the depth of the portfolio and the credibility and the experience,” Karia shared. 

Going forward, in terms of its global ambitions, the creative, media and technology transformation agency expects to grow into Africa and the Middle East.

Addikt, which claims to have over 20 years of experience in the European market, has worked with brands like AkzoNobel, Rabobank, Prada X Armani, StarSports IPL and Booking.com. For its part, Schbang has already contributed to brand identities for the likes of PhonePe, Tata Motors, and Maruti Suzuki.

Schbang currently has over 150 brands on retainer and looking to add 12 more brands by the end of the current fiscal. 

Karia further noted that the acquisition will enable the agency to offer the best of global design to Indian corporates looking to scale internationally.

"The Dutch design influence from Addikt elevates our capabilities, empowering us to create culturally immersive experiences, such as the visual takeover for Pride Amsterdam or Fabrique Lumiere’s "Girl with a Pearl Earring" exhibit. We foresee similar innovation in Indian contexts, like Diwali or Ganesh pandals- where we can blend tradition with global creative excellence,” he highlighted.

Barry Schwarz, Co-founder of Addikt, shared that he is hoping for retainer relationships to expand significantly with the partnership, which will further enhance the base of its international clients.

“For our international clients, we see that we often have to turn down work with international clients in areas such as retainerships because talent in the Dutch market is pretty hard to come by. So, we definitely see those retainer relationships expanding significantly with our ability to deliver more. Apart from Amsterdam combined with the London office, we want to be working more for the entire European market or even global clients; and then from India, we can target Asian accounts,” he added. 

Addikt's current client base is mainly Dutch and Indian-based with some US clients, at present.

With the entry to the Indian market, Schwarz expects Addikt’s revenue to grow 100% in the next two years and subsequently to get stabilised at 20%. 

The agency offers services mostly around branding, content creation, storytelling, and experiential design and events. With Schbang now, it is hoping to add a layer of technology.

Upon being asked if Schbang would continue to be on the lookout for another acquisition, Karia shared that the agency remains in an 'exploratory phase'. 

“While we explore potential avenues- whether through an acquisition or another model- we remain proudly independent and homegrown. Acquisition is not a strategy unless it makes sense for us. We’re not the largest player in this market, but we have a clear vision of building a global Indian company. As a small business with big ambitions, the agency is focused on achieving this vision without taking external investments for now,” he shared.

At present, the agency employs more than 1,300 professionals and has seven agencies including Django Digital, SchbangQ, 88GB and Spek Digital, as network partners.


Schbang acquires Dutch design agency Addikt to form combined entity with turnover Rs 300 cr

FCB Group India announces the launch of its Creative Council. The council is designed to elevate the culture of creativity, embrace new-age problem-solving, and set global benchmarks for exceptional work across the group by leveraging new-age tools using technology and data.

 
The council will also focus on developing groundbreaking work that resonates with audiences and delivers real solutions to client challenges, stated the company.


The council will drive the agenda of fostering a dynamic creative culture that inspires future-proof ideas and innovation.

 
The council will consist of Mayuresh Dubhashi, CCO, FCB India; Hemant Shringy, CCO, FCB Ulka; Rakesh Menon, CCO, FCB Interface; Neville Shah, CCO, FCB Kinnect; Kartikeya Tiwari, Creative Digital Partner, FCB Group India; Anusheela Saha, NCD, FCB India; Udayan Chakravarty, NCD, FCB India; and Suchitra Gahlot, NCD, FCB Ulka.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/rohit-ohri-retires-from-fcb-42405.htm">Rohit Ohri retires from FCB</a> 

FCB launches Creative Council for India to elevate culture of creativity

Lauritz Knudsen Electrical and Automation, formerly known as L&T Switchgear, has partnered with L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, a part of Publicis Groupe India, as its new advertising agency. 
 

Directed by filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia and featuring an anthem by musician Shankar Mahadevan, the film takes the viewer on a journey through houses, hospitals, agricultural lands and various geographies to show how L&T Switchgearhas contributed to the country’s growth through its partnerships and products, stated the company.


Rajat Abbi, VP-Global Marketing, CMO, Schneider Electric India said, “Lauritz Knudsen Electrical and Automation, Formerly L&T Switchgear, boasts a remarkable 70+ year legacy in powering the electrical industry and resonating with the heartbeat of the nation. Despite the name change, our core identity remains unchanged – it's only the trust of our customers and partners that now carries a new name. Collaborating with L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, we're happy that the team aligned with our values and helped us bring our vision to life. Effective storytelling is pivotal to any campaign, and our new brand film weaves together our entire journey and our key offering, beautifully. We eagerly anticipate the creativity that L&K Saatchi & Saatchi will bring to the table next.”


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ey0CzAK0VnU?si=QbntUv0skZ3I3ixk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>



Rohit Malkani, Chief Creative Officer, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, said, “One doesn’t often get to work with a musical genius, a renowned filmmaker and a voice that has moved millions, all in one TVC! That’s precisely what Lauritz Knudsen offered us in terms of an opportunity. The film has really been the icing on the cake after a toughly contested pitch. The challenge was to not just establish the new name and identity strongly but also tell the story of L&T Switchgear and its journey in building India. The result is a seamless piece of storytelling, weaving all practices in one symphony.”


Atin Wahal, Executive Director, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, said, “It is our privilege to partner with Lauritz Knudsen Electrical & Automation, a brand with a rich 70-year legacy in India, at this pivotal stage of their rebranding journey. At L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, we prioritise understanding our client’s business and delivering impactful results. This campaign underscores the brand’s legacy of trust while highlighting its continuous evolution towards a brighter future. The campaign is reassuring, uplifting and beautifully integrates the core values of both the brands.”


The campaign has been rolled out across TV and digital platforms, ensuring broad reach and engagement. It also includes a partnership with India’s game show Kaun Banega Crorepati. 


The campaign is being broadcast in multiple languages — Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Tamil, and Kannada.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/meet-lk-saatchi-saatchis-kartik-smetacek-and-rohit-malkani-find-out-what-the-mandate-for-ccos-is-today-27571.htm">Meet L&K Saatchi & Saatchi's Kartik Smetacek and Rohit Malkani: Find out what the mandate for CCO's is today</a> 



Lauritz Knudsen Electrical and Automation onboards L&K Saatchi & Saatchi as advertising partner

McCann Worldgroup has been appointed as the global creative agency for Italian lager Peroni Nastro Azzuro. 


As stated by McCann Worldgroup, they will take on the task of delivering a long-term, global core creative platform that will serve as the foundation for Peroni Nastro Azzurro’s consistent brand narrative across multiple consumer touchpoints and markets. 

 
On the appointment, Nathalie Pfaff, Chief Growth Officer at Asahi Europe & International said, “Creatively and strategically, McCann impressed the team over the course of a rigorous pitch process and we’re excited to start this next chapter of growth together.”

 
Javier Campopiano, Global CCO of McCann Worldgroup and McCann added “To be entrusted with taking this incredible brand to its next phase has energized and inspired our entire team at McCann Worldgroup. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is the brew of choice in Italy, and we’re excited about ensuring that it captures the hearts of beer drinkers around the world.”

 
And McCann London CEO Polly McMorrow said: “There is a reality that some pitches just mean more. And this one means more. Peroni Nastro Azzurro is an iconic brand, led by a brilliant team of people. The opportunity to work with them to deliver an enduring brand platform that will not only honour the heritage of this brand, but also drive its future growth across key markets, is a unique one. We can’t wait to get started.”



Peroni onboards McCann Worldgroup as its global creative partner

The Delhi High Court has pulled up Wikimedia Foundation Inc., the organization behind Wikipedia for failing to disclose information regarding the edits made on the Wikipedia page of the Indian news agency, Asian News International (ANI).

Justice Navin Chawla on Thursday gave a stern warning to the US-based organization saying, "If you don't like India, don't work here", Live Law reported.

Justice Chawla issued a contempt notice to Wikimedia, and said, "We will ask the government to block Wikipedia".

The Indian news agency has filed a defamation case against Wikimedia over allegedly defamatory content on its Wikipedia page this year.

Following this, the high court issued a summon to Wikimedia on 9 July. Wikimedia appeared before the court on 20 August. As per the ANI's case, Wikipedia did not dispute that three individuals, who were made defendants in the defamation suit, were not administered on the platform, Live Law reported.

Considering the said submission, the court directed Wikipedia to disclose the ANI subscriber details of the three individuals available within two weeks.

ANI filed a contempt plea against Wikimedia for not complying with the order. The news agency has also sought Rs 2 crore as damages from the company.

The court has asked an authorized representative of Wikipedia to remain present before the court on the next day of the hearing.

Wikipedia page mentioned that ANI has been "criticized for having served as a propaganda tool for the incumbent central government, distributing materials from a vast network of fake news websites and misreporting events".

ANI in its suit added that the Wikimedia Foundation has allegedly published false and defamatory content with the malicious intent of tarnishing the image of the news agency.

The next hearing of the case is on 25 October.

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