MxMIndia

Category: Ad Agencies

  • Rajesh Mani and Kunal Madhavdas join as the agency’s first ever ECD and Sr. VP respectively

    Happy mcgarrybowen makes senior appointments

    By A Correspondent

     

    Happy mcgarrybowen, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has added creative and account management muscle in the team with the appointment of Rajesh Mani and Kunal Madhavdas as the agency’s first ever ECD and Senior VP respectively.

     

    Said Kartik Iyer, CEO, Happy mcgarrybowen: “We have been very particular about creative leadership within the agency. Because at that level it’s not just about the talent but more about having the maturity to nurture ideas. We have a strong culture at Happy mcgarrybowen and in Rajesh we found the natural energy to further that culture. It’s great to have him in our team.”

     

    Added Samarjit Choudhry, COO, Happy mcgarrybowen: ”Happy mcgarrybowen has a culture of creating great ideas and not just great ads. We are particular about the people who work with us not just on skill set but also on the attitude. With Kunal and now Rajesh we have 2 people who come from the same mindset. They are a fabulous addition to the “Happy” team.”

     

  • The agency’s sprawling new office premises will also house Indigo Consulting, Arc Worldwide and Prodigious

    Leo Burnett India relocates to a new office in Gurugram

     

     

    Leo Burnett India has brought together its North India operations under one roof. Leo Burnett India, Indigo Consulting, Arc Worldwide and Prodigious’ Delhi arms will now integrate into the same office space located in Gurugram in New Delhi NCR. Helping achieve the integration is a staircase spanning three floors, right in the middle of the office. It is perhaps this flight of stairs that brings all the agencies together, truly integrating the people and businesses, notes a communique.

     

    Speaking about the launch of the new office, Samir Gangahar, President – North, Leo Burnett India said, “The beauty of this office is that the design philosophy is inspired by the culture within the organisation. Hence, the emphasis on creating several open spaces for collaboration and each floor being seamlessly connected. We couldn’t have created a better environment to drive our agenda of integration to solve clients’ business problems, to the next level.”

     

    Added Rajesh Ghatge, CEO, Indigo Consulting, “As an agency specialising in digital transformation and digital communication, we strive to create and deliver great consumer experiences for our clients. The best experiences can only be created when client challenges and opportunities are addressed agnostic of any particular media channel. Working together in a seamless office space fosters collaboration to create fantastic and effective work – without losing anything in translation.”

     

    The new workspace in Gurugram has been designed by Studio B, headed by architects Jaya Kanwar and Balbir Singh.

     

  • The network intends to bring in a differentiated approach into the field of celebrity endorsements that is intelligent

    Dentsu’s CLab to handle data-driven celebrity endorsement and sports marketing agency

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Aegis Network, the media and advertising conglomerate that operates 25 businesses in India, has now expanded its footprint into celebrity endorsement and sports marketing with the launch of CLab.

     

    With the launch of this new agency, the network intends to bring in a differentiated approach into the field of celebrity endorsements that is intelligent and is supported through substantiated understanding of the industry.

     

    Commenting on the launch, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman & CEO, Dentsu Aegis Network- South Asia said: “Today several of our clients invest huge amounts of money to establish their brand image with the help of celebrity endorsers. This is often done on gut feel. We hope to bring a data based, scientific approach in this area. Many of these celebrities are sportsmen and sportswomen and that gives us a great opportunity to offer both celebrity management and sports marketing under CLab.”

     

    Added Haresh Nayak, Managing Director – Posterscope Group, under whose executive mentorship the new agency has been set up, added, “Our vison with CLab is to bring accountability and informed decision making in a discipline which functions on perception, probability and gut feeling of advertisers in getting celebrities/sports personalities to associate with their brands. CLab aims to break the myth of notional acceptability that has its roots in experimentation rather than information. All the requirements of the Dentsu Aegis Network clients pertaining to celebrity endorsements and sports marketing will be directed to CLab for servicing and a team of experts is now in place to deliver this.”

     

    Said Deepak Kumar, Vice President- CLab, said, “Its exciting times for the group, which believes in constant innovation and service diversification into sectors that add value to media industry holistically and this has always been a part of our growth strategy. If we look at celebrity and sports marketing separately, the two might differ in their operational mechanism but the driving forces for the two are common. People, popularity, occasions and influence share the common angle, governing the dynamics of the business. We took timely cognizance of the lacunae that existed and focused our approach into forming India’s first data driven celebrity endorsement agency.”

     

  • Under this partnership, the agency will be responsible for the creative strategy and execution for Puma's marketing communication in India

    DDB Mudra Group wins the creative mandate for Puma

    By A Correspondent

     

    Lifestyle and sportswear brand, Puma has decided to partner with the DDB Mudra Group for the brand’s creative mandate in India.

     

    Speaking on the partnership, Abhishek Ganguly, Managing Director, Puma India said:“We firmly believed in new age media and have constantly strived to create our own differentiated patterns and modules; to engage with our consumers. I am confident that our partnership with DDB will help us create more resonance with our customers and bring forward the true spirit of our brand.”

     

    The business will be led by Ranji Cherian, President and Managing Partner, DDB Mudra South and Vishnu Srivatsav, Creative Head, DDB Mudra South.

     

    Added Ranji Cherian, President and Managing Partner, DDB Mudra South:“We intend to bring Puma’s unique voice to life in the sports and lifestyle category. It’s a prestigious account win for us, and a great canvas for our own capabilities and creativity. We’re relishing the challenge and the opportunity to be Puma’s partner in embedding itself in India’s consideration and culture.”

     

  • Krishnendu Paul and Amitabh Sreedharan will report to Ravpreet Ganesh, Executive Director, whereas Prateek Suri will be reporting to Nitin Pradhan, Head of Creative

    Publicis fortifies Delhi ops with key leadership adds

    By A Correspondent

     

    In a bid to strengthen and grow its business operation, Publicis has appointed Krishnendu Paul and Amitabh Sreedharan as Vice President- Account Management and Prateek Suri as Creative Director. Paul and Sreedharan will report to Ravpreet Ganesh, Executive Director, whereas Prateek Suri will be reporting to Nitin Pradhan, Head of Creative.

     

    Commenting on the appointments, Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director, Publicis India, said: ‘’The new appointments reinforce Publicis Groupe’s commitment to strengthening our teams with the right leadership and empowering them to accomplish our goal of increased collaboration through immense creativity. With Krishnendu, Amitabh and Prateek on board, we look forward to a refreshed outlook that will deliver long term sustainable growth for the organization.”

     

    Added Ravpreet Ganesh, Executive Director, Publicis India: ”We’re glad to have some great minds working with us towards delivering greater insights and strategic direction to our clients. It’s always a pleasure to welcome newer members to our family and benefit from their diverse experiences. We warmly welcome them on our exciting journey ahead and look forward to reaching greater heights.”

     

  • The media agency network worked with Nestle's content studio managed by HyperCollective

    Zenith helps create Twitter campaign for Nestle

    By A Correspondent

     

    Media agency network Zenith and Nestlé India’s in-house content studio managed by HyperCollective have created a Twitter-based campaign called #UntrendLikeHotHeads for Maggi Hotheads, a new Maggi noodles variant in four flavours.

     

    The campaign urged consumers to break free from popular trends and display their original, unique selves. They could post on an activity which sets them apart from popular trends. The gratification lay in the fact that Maggi Hotheads made people trend on Twitter.

     

    Tanmay Mohanty

    Said Tanmay Mohanty, Group CEO, Zenith India: “We are delighted to be at the forefront of this innovative and exciting campaign.  #UntrendLikeHotHeads hits the mark because it is fun, quirky, engaging and resonates with the Indian youth. There is an instant connect with the Maggi  Hotheads brand, also known for its distinct positioning and taste.  The campaign is a resounding success. It has sparked off viral conversations, amplified brand messaging, and generated rich insights. #Untrend has significantly added to the followership and popularity of Maggi  Hotheads.”

     

    Added Taranjeet Singh, Country Director, Twitter India: “Our endeavour has always been to create enriching experiences for brands to connect with their fans on Twitter. Nestle’s #UntrendLikeHotHeads is a breakthrough idea, the collaboration saw extraordinary participation on the platform and enabled Maggi to be what’s happening on Twitter. We look forward to working closely to be part of more of such creative, strategic partnerships.”

     

  • The recent restructuring happened owing to the consolidation of creative, digital and media duties for all Maruti Suzuki brands (except Nexa brands) with Dentsu Aegis Network

    Dentsu Impact elevates Anupama Ramaswamy as NCD

    By A Correspondent

     

    Anupama Ramaswamy

    Dentsu Impact has recently restructured its creative department and promoted Anupama Ramaswamy as the National Creative Director. Ramaswamy has been with Dentsu Impact for over a year now. She had joined as an Executive Creative Director.

     

    The recent restructuring has taken place given the consolidation of creative, digital and media duties for all Maruti Suzuki brands (except Nexa) with the Dentsu Aegis Network. Post this development, the network created an integrated creative team which will deliver solutions for the brand. Ramaswamy would be leading this team both on offline as well as digital creative front.

     

    Commenting on her new role, Ramaswamy said: “It is an exciting time to be at Dentsu Impact and working on a brand like Maruti Suzuki. Maruti Suzuki is undergoing a transformation and not many in the industry can boast of being a part of such a change. A change that happens once in 35 years. My mandate is to make the most popular automobile brand equally young and vibrant. And hopefully, I would be able to add value to the business and win some awards. There is so much to learn and hopefully enough to contribute too.”

     

    Talking about the development, Soumitra Karnik, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Impact said: “Anupama has played a stellar role in the creative performance of Dentsu Impact and this is an extremely well deserved elevation. Keeping pace with where Maruti Suzuki aims to be in the coming times is both exciting as well as challenging. It requires complex understanding of the automobile industry and the world in which it is going to operate in. Anu is going to be right in the forefront of this change and along with her team of individuals with diverse capabilities, will be setting altogether a new bar.”

     

     

  • Her appointment is effective October 2017 and she will report to Torie Henderson, CEO, Omnicom Media Group, SEA & India

    Priti Murthy to join OMD India as CEO (from Maxus)

     

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Omnicom Media Group-owned agency, OMD India has bolstered its leadership strength with the appointment of Priti Murthy to the role of CEO. She joins OMD from Maxus where she has been Chief Strategy Officer. In her new role, Priti will lead OMD across all business functions, with a focus on building and leading future-ready teams, managing client relationships, and securing new business and growth. Her appointment is effective October 2017 and she will report to Torie Henderson, CEO, Omnicom Media Group, SEA & India. OMD India has completed a decade of being in India.. It may be recalled that in April this year, Jasmin Sohrabji who led the Omnicom Media Group (and OMD India specifically) moved to a global role and was replaced by Henderson.

     

    In a career spanning over two decades (of which 13 has been with GroupM’s Maxus) in media planning, insights and strategy, Murthy has led Maxus’s  development of Moribus, a behavioural science lab that attempts to merge the disciplines of behavioural science, sociology, and psychology to solve real-life business problems. She is also a certified coach that value adds to her leadership skills.

     

    “OMD India is marked by an outstanding global and local client roster, a full-fledged national presence and a very talented team committed to taking OMD India to even greater heights. Priti’s appointment will ensure OMD’s accelerated growth that will not only take OMD to the next level, but also stay at the forefront of change. We are delighted that Priti is joining our network and are sure she will contribute to considerable growth of OMD,” said Torie Henderson.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Stephen Li, OMD’s APAC CEO said, “Our success as a network is clearly determined by the strength of our people and leadership. A comprehensive and intense search for the right leader, led us to Priti, who is the perfect candidate to spearhead the next phase of development in a critical market like India. A goals-oriented, industry leader with a proven track record of success especially in the realm of data, digital and content, Priti will ensure we continue to deliver on the OMD promise of championing powerful, creatively-led, insight-driven work for our clients.”

     

    In late 2016, it may be recalled OMD India entered into a partnership with Omnicom-owned DDB Mudra Group in India to consolidate its media services under the OMD brand with Mudra Max.

     

    Added Harish Shriyan, COO, Omnicom Media Group India added, “As the media landscape continues to change at a dramatic pace, technology led innovation is crucial for the future of our business. Priti’s role is not only as a key contributor in shaping and strengthening the value-proposition of our already established team, but also in bringing proven expertise that enhances our overall network. We are delighted to welcome her to OMD India.’’

     

    Speaking about her role, Priti Murthy said, “It’s a great role, with enormous possibilities. OMD is a network that has established itself as a strong agency, leveraging the best of innovation, creativity, and results. It’s going to be an exciting future and I am committed to driving OMD’s continued growth and ambition in India.”

  • The Relevance Framework released by Golin global CEO Fred Cook throws up some interesting data

    A Matter of Relevance (& Trust)

     

    By A Correspondent

    GolinOpinion, the PR division of PointNine Lintas, released its first marketing product, Relevance India. At an event in Mumbai last week, Fred Cook, Global Chairman, Golin unveiled the Relevance framework which is being rolled out globally. The research was conducted in 13 markets, including India, covering over 13,000 respondents. The first round of data from the study indicates that in the battle for relevance, truth is having a moment of truth. Golin’s global research focused on three categories that touch billions of lives every day: social media, personal banking and automotive.

    After three years of research, in partnership with the USC Annenberg School for Journalism and

    Communications, Golin’s study in four continents including India, uncovered what drives relevance for categories and brands across the globe. The survey population encompassed millennials (18-34), Gen-x (35-54) and boomers (55+).

    The India data, that covered three categories, threw up some interesting aspects:

    People around the world believe that their ideal brand would deliver on being trustworthy (ethical, moral, honest and truthful. However according to the research, study the reality tells a different story. Of the most relevant brands studied, 0% met the ideal when it came to being trustworthy; while people are seeking it, leading brands aren’t seen as relevant. 91% of the most relevant brands studied exceed the expectation when it comes to being popular. This is a part of a major shift.

    Having lost faith in brands and institutions, people are looking to each other, to their trusted tribes – friends, family, advocates and influencers – for validation in the choices they are making. Popularity isn’t a frivolous, fleeting dimension. Talkability means putting a premium on the people who will vouch for and recommend your brand.

    Within the three categories studied it was found that social media category, research found that people don’t need truth; they want to be entertained. People prefer local banking over global – and since all banks are under-delivering on the ideal, unique relevance drivers in this category have emerged. And the automotive category struggles to have a breakout relevance brand leader.

    An ideal banking brand in India is Trustworthy, Effective and Transparent. As with other categories, respondents scored brands very similarly to one another, though SBI scores higher against the ideal and exceeds expectations on Essential and Popular. None other bank in 12 other countries, where the research was done, scored so high on trust.

    The automotive sector which covered global brands, shows Honda as a clear Relevance leader in India, followed by a close competition between Toyota and Ford. Nissan has low relevance, while Fiat is barely known. In India, an “ideal” automotive brand is Trustworthy, Effective, Authentic and Innovative. However, there is little difference in how consumers score each brand.

    Social media is a highly-relevant category overall in India, with Facebook and YouTube ranking at the top in relevance. Local channel Hike is less relevant than global channels.

    Meanwhile, the macro global trends included:

    Screens win out over people

    > Social media (59%) and television (57%) consistently ranked first and second above “word of mouth from friends and family” (45%) as the most relevant sources of news and information

    Word of mouth sees gender differences

    > Word of mouth from friends and family is more relevant to women (50%) than men (39%)

    People are drawn to pragmatic and funny

    > The top characteristics of information people found relevant were useful/practical (54%), informative (53%), and funny (35%), beating out others like inspiring, shocking and exciting

    The one dimension that is currently driving relevance across all categories is popularity: being talked about and recommended by others showing that talkability trumps truth.

    Speaking about the findings at the event, Cook said: “Relevance is what attracts and keeps people paying attention to what brands have to say and moves them to act. This is something that we, as marketers and communicators, can directly impact. We’ve been studying, and perfecting the art of analysing relevance for years because we understand that it is the most important measurement of a brand. Our research indicates that despite people being continually let down by the perceived trustworthiness and truthfulness of brands, they continue to buy their products and services.”

    Speaking of the India launch, Vikas Mehta, CEO, PointNine Lintas, said: “Finding a unified metric that can measure the impact of multiple marketing initiatives is one of the biggest challenges today’s marketers face. In Relevance, I believe GolinOpinion has found a viable choice that replaces data analysis with data analytics. It’s a great way for any brand to find out where they stand vs. competition, locally or globally.”

    Added Ameer Ismail, Chief Growth officer, PointNine Lintas and President GolinOpinion: “As the landscape changes rapidly and as brand managers or communication professionals it is extremely important to have data based insights to decide the interventions that are important for the brand and its agency partners. This is tool is designed to give brands an edge.” Developmental work on the study is being done in Chicago and Mumbai, to further improve functionalities of the tool including real-time data integration.

  • Harriet Devoy appointed D&AD Deputy President

    Steve Vranakis announced as D&AD Prez

    By A Correspondent

     

    Steve Vranakis

    Steve Vranakis, Executive Creative Director at Google’s Creative Lab, starts his tenure as the new President of D&AD. Harriet Devoy, Creative Director of Design, Marketing Communications at Apple Europe, has been appointed Deputy President. D&AD has also announced the establishment of a global Advisory Board. Regrettably, despite D&AD’s presence in India through the Kyoorius Creative and Design Awards, there is no Indian on this Board.

     

    In addition to Varanakis’ appointment, Harriet Devoy, Creative Director of Design, Marketing Communications at Apple Europe, has been appointed Deputy President.Kate Stanners, Global Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi, has been appointed to the Board of Trustees.

     

    D&AD has also announced its Advisory Board, which includes creatives in leadership roles from around the world (except India).

     

    Said Tim Lindsay, Chief Executive, D&AD: “Since its outset, D&AD has continued to encourage great work, set the bar high, inspire new generations of creative people, facilitate the exchange of knowledge and ideas, and acted in the best interest of the industry. Today, we are faced with unprecedented challenges, as an industry as well as a society. I’m excited to see Steve implement his programme over the next year to be more inclusive. Cross-disciplinary partnerships broaden horizons and breed innovation and creativity. It’s sure to be an exciting year ahead for D&AD… I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank outgoing President Bruce Duckworth for his unerring support and the leadership he has provided over the last twelve months.”

  • Chaitali’s most recent position was the Creative Director for GTB India, Ford’s global agency

    Chaitali Dasgupta joins iris Delhi as Creative Director

    By A Correspondent

     

    Chaitali Dasgupta

    iris has appointed Chaitali Dasgupta to the role of Creative Director, as part of the agency’s plans to grow in India.She was until recently Creative Director for GTB India, Ford’s global agency.

     

    Said Shaun Mcilrath, Chief Creative Officer at iris: “We’re really delighted that Chaitali has joined the family. For us, she represents an exciting and dynamic talent in an equally exciting and dynamic market.”

     

    Talking about the new role, Dasgupta said: “I am pleased to be joining a firm that is at the forefront of bringing bold, meaningful and effective campaigns to life for their clients’ businesses. More importantly, I’m looking forward to being part of a team that shares the same vision as me.”

  • Sterling Holidays is known to foster loyalty and setting hospitality standards

    Havas Media bags integrated media mandate of Sterling Holiday Resorts

    By A Correspondent

     

    Havas Media, India has bagged the integrated media duties of Sterling Holiday Resorts, one of India’s leading Leisure Hospitality firm in India.

     

    Peshwa Acharya

    Commenting on the partnership, Peshwa Acharya, CMO, Sterling Holiday Resorts India said: “We are in the business of creating Experiential Holidays for our guests. Consumer today wants holiday experiences that go beyond great rooms, outstanding location and wonderful service, and that is what we provide.  We are confident that Havas Media with its media understanding, especially on the Digital playground, will make Sterling stand for a special experience, and communicate the same meaningfully.”

     

    Anita Nayyar

    Added Anita Nayyar, CEO, Havas Media Group, India and South Asia: “With almost three decades of experience in the hospitality sector and a growing customer base, Sterling Holidays is known to foster loyalty and setting hospitality standards. We are delighted to have on board yet another pioneer brand like Sterling that resonates well with our Meaningful Brands framework. We look forward to this association.”

     

    Mohit Joshi

    Said Mohit Joshi, Managing Director, Havas Media India: “Sterling Resorts is an iconic brand which thrives on consumer experience & innovation which is also the philosophy at Havas. The brand is on a consistent upward path & is focused on moving beyond the traditional services. At play will be Havas Media Group’s integrated media skills centered on digital & mobile which is the need of the hour. We look forward to a long and mutually fulfilling relationship.”