Fast food restaurant Burger King, which was in a decade long partnership with PepsiCo, is currently in advanced negotiations to sign a deal with Coca-Cola as its beverage partner in India, according to The Economic Times.

 

Once the deal comes through, both Burger King and its rival McDonald’s both will have deals with the beverage giant.

 

If the deal is materialised, this will give Coca-Cola the visibility in more than 391 stores of Burger King in India. The alignment with Coca-Cola is expected to be formalised and announced by the end of next quarter, according to the report.

Burger King to sign Coca-Cola as its beverage partner in India: Report

If the deal is materialised, this will give Coca-Cola the visibility in more than 391 stores of Burger King in India.

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Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar defends net neutrality amidst telco push for OTT charges

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Why are Indian brands advertising in NYC's Times Square?

What Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick teaches us about leadership

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Ogilvy’s former NCD Rajiv Rao recalls his first iconic ad campaign with Piyush Pandey

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Zee-Sony merger to take place by December this year

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Sanjay Dutt and Arshad Warsi reprise their roles as Munna Bhai and Circuit in Acko's latest ad campaign

Watch out Ajay Gupte and Amin Lakhani, says EssenceMediacom CEO Naveen Khemka

Introducing ‘The Visionaries’: The highest honour for the brightest and most innovative marketing minds in India

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E-commerce company Amazon, which has been touted as one of the biggest advertisers in the world, has put its media account for review. The account, which is worth $20.6 bn, is reviewing its account at IPG's Initiative, who has been handling its mandate since 2017, states a media report.



Recently, the e-commerce company won its fight against the European Union (EU) tech rules which highlighted Amazon as a ‘very large online platform’ where it was necessary to provide access to the researchers and authorities to its ad repositories (a central location where one can find data stored and managed). This was in order to check how the ads were targeted.

Amazon puts its $20.6 bn media account up for review

Reliance Retail’s omni-channel beauty retail platform, Tira, announces the opening of its very first store in Hyderabad. Building on the success of its stores in Mumbai at Jio World Drive and Infinity Mall Malad, which launched earlier this year, the brand’s newly launched Hyderabad store is strategically located in the city’s Sarath City Mall. This marks a significant milestone in the brand's journey and is a testament to its commitment to bring forth the finest beauty products and experiences to the vibrant city of Hyderabad.


Tira offers a strong curation of global and homegrown beauty brands for the new era of customers and with a vision of providing an elevated shopping experience.


There are several delight touchpoints a customer experiences upon visiting a Tira store. The most popular is the vending machine that dispenses beauty treats and samples for every customer to take home. Specially curated “Tira Signature Looks” have garnered high interest from customers, who can also avail their favourite complimentary glam look by our highly skilled beauty advisors. 


Dedicated gifting stations with an engraving machine helps customers personalise their purchases and make gifting a bit more special. The store incorporates innovative elements such as the 'Fragrance Finder,' which is one of its kind in a retail environment and a tool designed to assist customers in selecting perfumes based on categorized fragrance notes.



Tira's Hyderabad store aspires to revolutionize the beauty retail experience, offering an interactive and tech-driven ambiance for customers to explore and embrace their unique beauty preferences. As Tira continuously reimagines the beauty retail landscape, it paves the way for an inclusive and empowering beauty journey for all beauty enthusiasts.



Tira has recently unveiled its inaugural high-impact 360-degree campaign, titled 'For Every You,' featuring iconic personalities Kareena Kapoor Khan, Kiara Advani, and Suhana Khan. This campaign pays homage to the diverse roles, emotions, and moods that individuals encounter, with the goal of inspiring self- expression and encouraging individuals to embrace and express their true selves, regardless of where they stand on their beauty discovery journey. 


The Tira app has already garnered an impressive milestone of over 1.5 million downloads, signalling its growing popularity. Moreover, Tira’s extensive reach covers 98 percent of pin codes across India, reaching consumers in over 100 cities.

Reliance Retail's Tira opens its store in Hyderabad

Ogilvy's iconic leader Piyush Pandey has announced that he's stepping into an advisory role, handing over the reins of the agency to Ogilvy veteran Hephzibah Pathak who will take on the role of executive chairperson of Ogilvy India. VR Rajesh will move from his current role as Group President of Ogilvy India to chief executive officer (CEO) of the agency. Chief creative officers Harshad Rajadhyaksha, Kainaz Karmakar and Sukesh Nayak, and chief strategy officer Prem Narayan will join the Ogilvy Board.


The WPP-owned ad agency Ogilvy's global CEO spoke to Storyboard18's Shibani Gharat about the leadership changes at Ogilvy India. Bulchandani addressed the leadership changes and the importance of the India market in WPP and Ogilvy's global scheme of things.
 

Bulchandani said, "Piyush and I have been talking about this (succession) for a while. They've sort of been doing the job right while Piyush has been here in his role." 


She added, "It's our belief that creativity is not a department. It is our business. So having that (three creatives) seat at the table and having the creative voice go broader than just the work that we do, but be involved in how the business is run is super important. And by the way, Piyush has done that in his role." 


Bulchandani said India is one of the top five markets for the agency. "It's a growth market for us. It's a market where our creative product is the best. We also have over a thousand people in Coimbatore and Hyderabad. That is our tech team which is a tech delivery team for the rest of the world, where we run campaigns, whether it's on Salesforce or Adobe. So India for us is a twin peaks of growth agenda." 


The tech and enablement service offerings is a big priority for her, said Bulchandani. "I'm not at all biased when I say that it's also the jewel in the crown. It's not just because when we land up on the global stage, India performs for us consistently. A lot of markets will come up and down. But the one thing I know is that when we're on the global stage, India will be consistent in its creative performance." 


Ogilvy global CEO Devika Bulchandani: India is a top-five market, it's a growth market for us

PepsiCo India, a player in snack and beverage industry, has introduced a new TVC to celebrate the expansion of its Sizzlin' Hot platform. This TVC features the complete Sizzlin’ Hot range including Lay's, Kurkure, and Doritos.


The TVC portrays a spectrum of reactions that unfold when people snack onto the Sizzlin' Hot range. Set against a backdrop of diverse scenes, including cozy living rooms, bustling offices, and vibrant public spaces, each moment captures their responses to the spiciness.


Anshul Khanna, vice president and foods category head of India and South Asia, PepsiCo said, "Last year, we introduced one of our most successful global platforms, Sizzlin’ Hot in India and have witnessed an overwhelming response. As we approach the festive season, we're thrilled to announce the expansion of the platform with localised flavours for the unique Indian spice palate across our beloved brands, including Lay’s Maxx, Kurkure, and Doritos Dinamita. The launch will be accompanied by a comprehensive 360-degree marketing campaign that is sure to get people to intrigued about the fiery range. We hope that consumers love this new range and continue to spice up their snacking occasions."

 
“The Sizzlin’ Hot flavour is available in 3 formats – Kurkure, Lays and Doritos. No matter which one you pick up, the fiery taste is likely to make you react in unexpected ways. From fiery exclamations to bizarre sounds, the execution of the TVC brings together a gamut of expressions in a way that you can’t help but watch it again. Pretty much like the product, that you can’t help but eat another”, added Vikram Pandey (Spiky), National Creative Director, Leo Burnett India.


The TVC will be supported by a 360-degree surround campaign.


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PepsiCo celebrates its Sizzlin' Hot range through a new TVC

The Man Company, grooming and lifestyle brand, has partnered with Megalodon, a marketing and communications company that specialises in AI-driven creative solutions.


The collaboration between The Man Company and Megalodon signals a shift in the way brands approach creativity in the digital age. Leveraging AI-powered tools and design techniques, Megalodon is working closely with The Man Company to develop marketing campaigns, content, and personalised experiences that resonate with their target audience.


"We strongly feel that AI can change the way customers consume branded content while making it experiential, relatable and engaging. At The Man Company we have always prioritised adoption of new technologies and trends to deliver impactful, clutter breaking campaigns to our audience and our recent campaign with Megalodon is a testament to that." says Jatin Luthra, brand marketing head - The Man Company.
"At The Man Company, we have always prioritised innovation and excellence in everything we do. By teaming up with Megalodon, we are confident that we can take our creative strategies to the next level and continue to provide our customers with exceptional experiences."


"We are excited to work with The Man Company as their AI Design Partner," says Rashi Agarwal, founder, Megalodon, "This partnership is a testament to The Man Company's commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation. Together, we will explore the limitless possibilities of AI creativity and create campaigns that leave a lasting impact."



The Man Company Partners makes Megalodon its AI design partner

Advertising and marketing agency Efficacy Worldwide opens its first international office in Singapore. Efficacy Worldwide, which was established in 2021, has extended its footprint beyond its Gurugram headquarters to key cities, including Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, and Lucknow and in the international market. This strategic lays the foundation for the agency's future operations in South Asian markets and the Middle East.

To support the expansion, the agency has expanded the roles of the founding team and bolstered its leadership team.

The founding team, Vishnu Sharma and Sapna Sharma will have additional responsibilities, more diverse functions, and larger portfolios. Nazda Khan will continue to lead business development as chief growth officer.

Saumya Agarwal joins as the head of the West and South business, bringing extensive industry expertise to drive growth in these regions. He has joined Efficacy from Nykaa where he was working as associate vice president, marketing and communication.

Apoorva Snehil Katyayen shoulders the role of business head, responsible for leading U.P. and Tier 2 cities and strengthening the agency's presence in emerging markets. Ravindra Singh, who has been with Efficacy for more than 2 years, has expanded his role to head the North and East markets, in addition to leading national delivery efforts.
Arijit Ray takes the helm of the Kolkata office, reporting to Ravindra Singh, to spearhead strategic initiatives in the East.

Karishma Sharma, who has been instrumental in driving business development, will continue to do so along with spearheading the growth in the influencer marketing vertical as well as guiding the agency's e-gaming initiatives.
Shubham Sharma will oversee the digital vertical for the agency across India, hand in hand with the key leadership team, and will fuel new tech initiatives. Shubham has been with Efficacy since the inception days.

Tushar Sharma remains focused on building the communication vertical, securing creative wins, and driving innovation. He has been associated with the agency for close to 2 years.

Commenting on the development, Vishnu Sharma, founder and CEO, of Efficacy Worldwide, shares, "This expansion marks the first step in realising our vision to become the first and largest Indian agency to go global and sign on Indian-origin international businesses. It reflects our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional services and success for clients on a global scale. We are excited to broaden our horizons and find clients in new markets. Limitless possibilities lie ahead, and we’re going to make the most of them to continue trailblazing in the advertising and marketing industry."


Efficacy Worldwide enters Singapore market; bolsters its leadership team

Let’s be honest.

There’s only one nemesis that any creative mind needs to be saved from. It’s called the existential itch. This itch can attack at any point. Sometimes for days, months or even in phases. It’s known to have side-effects of overthinking, leading to questions like-why are you doing what you’re doing, does it matter to anybody?

The worst is when this itch spreads like wildfire, influencing your colleagues, your feeds and worst.. your thoughts.

Hand on heart, I have this itch every year and somehow working on purpose driven campaigns has been the lifeline that I needed. With every project I’ve found that not only does it give the right kick to funk induced creative mind, but it also kept my skills sharp.

Here’s how:  

Let’s answer the first existential question, why we do what we do. Purpose led campaigns give you just that - a great purpose.

These are problems that our way bigger than our own, just because of the sheer scale at which it affects people. When you understand that, it really humbles you.

This was our north star, where after four years we finally got to The Missing Chapter. The sheer number of 23 million girls dropping out of school was purpose enough to solve for.

<strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/the-making-of-pgs-cannes-lions-grand-prix-winner-the-missing-chapter-505.htm">The making of P&G's Cannes Lions Grand Prix-winner ‘The Missing Chapter’</a></strong>

Then you’re not doing it for a great line, or an appraisal or even an award. You’re doing it just for the number of lives you could actually effect.

No great idea ever comes from glass walled boardrooms. In our day to day of solving for a billion, we forget the most basic insight. That we’re human too.

Empathy is the only skill that a creative needs to keep sharpening. When you truly feel for something, the mind doesn’t stop thinking about it.

True story, zoom call number XVII with PepsiCo’s agronomists shooting down our ideas, Our CCO Raj pleaded to the client saying, “Look at our fancy sneakers. They’re clean. They need some mud.”

That led to a year long journey across farms in India, and it opened up Pandora’s box of problems to solve for.
The first two initiatives to be born from there where Biochar and Smart Farm, where we worked with the farmers and innovated technologies to help them fight climate adversities and form new sustainable agricultural practices.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tZvfMdaH_MM?si=8PceeNR1FdElnG0q" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>

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We’re already working on our next project, to enable access to the female farmers of India, who make up almost 75 percent of the farming population in the country.

Daily rounds of feedback and rejections are demotivators. It kills the creativity. But here’s what we need to remember- we’re privileged enough to work in an industry where brands (some) have the budgets and the power to do good. So, it’s okay to use this platform and do a little good. I mean, it feels good to be Robin Hood.

They’re actually extremely powerful mediums that reach more than a billion people everyday. This drove us to create, The Water Sustainability Score, a first of its kind report card that tells you how water positive a brand truly is. Adopting this score by any brand acts as a commitment from organisations to bring transparency and accountability in their efficient use of this precious commodity.

One simple act from a brand, a big step towards conserving water.

Executing any sustainability initiative isn’t easy. You’re collaborating with many partners, trying to cut through a lot of red-tape, treading waters that you might not know anything about and nothing goes according to plan. Know that there will be roadblocks, it’s inevitable.

But it definitely teaches you how to deal with landmines every day and be agile to find solutions. When your purpose is strong, you’ll always find a way to make it happen.

So when you feel stuck, I mean super-duper stuck and nothing really seems to inspire, remember, that the world has enough problems. We don’t need to be creating our own, we just have to pick one. We’re amazing at solving everybody else’s problem over our own, and it’s a great place to start.

The creative mind thrives in hope, it needs to see the silver linings, needs to craft beauty and it needs to know that there are still solutions to create. So open your mind to sustainability campaigns. You’ll create the hope that we need.
 
<em><strong>Ayshwarya Sharma is brand strategy partner at Leo Burnett India. She was also Storyboard18’s YoungGun (Class of 2023). Views expressed are personal.</strong></em>



How does working on campaigns around sustainability help creative minds

Humans of Bombay (HOB), a storytelling platform, issued a legal notice against People of India (POI), an Instagram based storytelling platform. The former approached the Delhi High Court requesting for an injunction to prevent the latter from sharing or using its content.  They went on to highlight that the content shared by POI was similar to what HOB had been highlighting. And, based on the lawsuit, the Delhi High Court summoned POI.

 

Now here's the twist in this alleged copyright infringement case. Brandon Stanton, founder of Humans of New York (HONY), the original page that started a global trend, took to social media platform X to say, “I've stayed quiet on the appropriation of my work because I think @HumansOfBombay shares important stories, even if they've monetized far past anything I'd feel comfortable doing on HONY. But you can't be suing people for what I've forgiven you for.”

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I&#39;ve stayed quiet on the appropriation of my work because I think <a href="https://twitter.com/HumansOfBombay?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HumansOfBombay</a> shares important stories, even if they&#39;ve monetized far past anything I&#39;d feel comfortable doing on HONY. But you can&#39;t be suing people for what I&#39;ve forgiven you for. <a href="https://t.co/0jZM05YyTt">https://t.co/0jZM05YyTt</a></p>&mdash; Brandon Stanton (@humansofny) <a href="https://twitter.com/humansofny/status/1705574758450893126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

Stanton's tweet went viral and fuelled the backlash against Karishma Mehta, founder of HOB. Several users were also  surprised to learn that the platform is monetised and to the extent it is. Responding to Stanton on X, HOB called his comment as a ‘cryptic assault’ on their efforts to protect their intellectual property, further added that they are all for the ‘power of storytelling’.



<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/JcgZOc8A6g">pic.twitter.com/JcgZOc8A6g</a></p>&mdash; Humans Of Bombay (@HumansOfBombay) <a href="https://twitter.com/HumansOfBombay/status/1705616753940902288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>



The post also mentioned having initiated an email to continue the conversation with further details provided by Stanton. HOB's response didn't go down well as internet users called it out for being arrogant among other things.  

 

HOB was established as a Facebook page in 2014 by Karishma Mehta, a writer and photographer. Over a period, the platform went on to amass a following of 2.7 mn.

 

HONY has a following of 12.8 mn.

Humans of Bombay Row: Outrage against HOB and founder Karishma Mehta as the OG page Humans of New York calls it out

Vahdam India, one of the country’s home-grown Indian teas and wellness brands, announced the launch of its ‘first Experience Store’ at the Khan Market in New Delhi. The Vahdam India Tea Room aims to offer customers an immersive tea buying experience, showcasing Vahdam India's diverse range of high-quality teas, drinkwares, accessories, gifts and assortments.


This strategic move aligns with the brand's omni-channel strategy and global expansion plans and capitalizes on the rising demand for premium tea and wellness products in India.



Customers will be presented with an opportunity to sample from over 100+ signature blends before making a purchase. The curated selection at the store includes Vahdam's signature blends, available in both loose leaf and tea bag formats, as well as gift sets, exquisite drinkware, and more.



Harsh Vardhan Shringla, chief coordinator, G20, India Presidency, during the inauguration ceremony said, “Vahdam India  has ventured beyond borders, taking India's choicest teas, including Darjeeling, to every corner of the globe. In today's interconnected world, this is precisely the direction we need to move in. VAHDAM is not just a tea brand, it is an embodiment of India's essence, presenting our best to the world and promoting a vibrant exchange of cultures. Congratulations on this milestone, and I look forward to seeing Vahdam India's continued success."



Bala Sarda, founder and chief executive officer, Vahdam India, said, “We are thrilled to inaugurate our experience store in India, marking an important milestone in our omni-channel presence strategy. As we continue to expand our offline reach, we aim to complement our strong online presence and provide customers with multiple touchpoints to experience the essence of Vahdam India. Over the past 8 years, we have received overwhelming support from customers worldwide, and we are confident that our offline establishment will further fortify this bond. Our unwavering commitment remains unchanged - to enable the world to embrace the essence of Indian tea. With this store located at the iconic Khan Market lutyens’ Delhi, we will be able to cater to a large set of visiting tourists, expats, diplomats, along with the local clientele.”



The announcement comes at a time when Vahdam India has recently launched its second-largest category after tea, i.e., spices, with Michelin-awarded chef Vikas Khanna as its brand ambassador. 



 

Tea and wellness brand Vahdam launches its first 'Experience Store'

<strong>Abandoned but not alone</strong>'

 
Who is author Ginni Rometty? In case you didn’t know, she rose from a challenging childhood to becoming the CEO of IBM and one of the world's most influential business leaders.

 
Woman leader in tech! We love how she crosses so many boxes and we are all ears!

 
As I started reading ‘Good Power’, I realised that it is so much like the book we reviewed last week, Trailblazer by Mark Benioff! Just like the former’s emphasis on business as a way to drive meaningful change, Ginni coins the phrase "good power," to talk about the role of authentic leadership.

 
1. The first thing you will realise is how lucid Rometty is about ‘power.’ From the corporate world to personal relationships, she navigates the nuances of power struggles and their ramifications skillfully. The book itself is divided into three parts, the power of me, the power of we and the power of us. Rometty offers insights into spotting abusive power structures, staying clear of them and creating a more inclusive environment.


2. From her childhood as one of four siblings whose father abandoned them, she and all her siblings were driven to work hard. Raised by a single mother and grandmother who instilled the values of education and resilience, her childhood became a base for her to experience compassion!


3. As a message to all the young people in similar trying situations who are seeking success; Rometty says that ‘growth and comfort never coexist’ and ‘time is the most valuable thing someone can give, and you must give them value in return.’


4. She also highlights that the role of every leader is to identify what must change and what must endure. And to effect this change, patience and perseverance is key.


5. Another big lesson for the youth, which Rometty says in many ways throughout the book, is that a propensity to learn new skills, early in life, is priceless.
 
 
There’s a lot of grounded wisdom in the book – work hard, save a lot is a potent mantra. I also read that critics have said the book may be overly positive. I disagree. The world deserves content that puts out stories of hope! And as you read her recollections; stories of community, family, togetherness and small favours done out of love, the book does leave you with a warm glow!
 

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Burger King to sign Coca-Cola as its beverage partner in India: Report

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