MxMIndia

Category: Ad Agencies

  • It was held in partnership with Google to discuss and debate growth hacks and bring to you curated and rich insights from industry experts, marketers, and partners…

    DAN Consult & MMA presents MarTech series

    By A Correspondent

     

    DAN Consult and Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) hosted a three-part series in partnership with Google under the Modern Marketing Confluence banner.

     

    The series hosted 18+ Industry leaders representing sectors such as BFSI, Retail, Consumer Goods, FMCG, Apparels, Born Digitals and more. 500+ audience were engaged through live discussion, debate, deliberation, and polling on key MarTech trends which have gained popularity and importance through the pandemic. The sessions were launched by industry experts providing a macro view and perspective with Sapna Chadha, Sr. Director Marketing for Google India & SEA  in Session 1 and led by Vikas Purohit, CEO, Tata Cliq and Vivek Bhargava, CEO, DAN Performance Group, as keynote presenters  in Session 2 and 3 who brought much needed attention to how first-party data is marketers gold, the new approach to personalisation with N=1 concept, marrying D2C strategy with digitisation, and reimagining marketing strategies with technology and machine learning along with implications of cloud marketing.

     

    Said Lalit Bhagia, CEO, DAN Consult: “Change isn’t coming; it’s here. COVID-19 has brought it at breakneck speed, when we leave our houses in the near future, consumerism won’t look the same. New behaviours are being formed which will become permanent and this is redefining how businesses sell, service, engage, market, and retain their customers. The standards of customer engagement have shifted yet again, and marketers need to be at the forefront of this innovation. At DAN Consult, we are committed to partner with CEOs and CMOs in this transitional journey. As a business, DAN Consult has been working on the forefront of this marketing transformation and the MMC series is our endeavour to showcase & drive thought leadership in this ever-evolving space.”

     

    Added Moneka Khurana, Country Head, MMA India: “The series couldn’t be better timed given the new normal we are all living in. It is the era of modern marketing. The Marketer is upskilling to adopt modern marketing techniques as organisations dabble with  first party data strategy, D2C and cloud for marketing as must haves for marketing plans to succeed. It is imperative for a marketer to be equipped as he leads digital transformation from the front. Hence its important MMA enables the expertise and learnings required to shape the future of modern marketing.”

     

     

  • Publicis Worldwide has today that Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director, Publicis Worldwide India will be moving on from the organisation.

    Publicis confirms Srija Chatterjee’s exit, dissolves role

    By A Correspondent

     

    Publicis Worldwide has today that Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director, Publicis Worldwide India will be moving on from the organisation. But there will be no further additions to the PWW leadership team with this movement, a communique informed. The agency network recently announced the integration of BBH and a joint leadership team of Subhash Kamath and Russell Barrett to oversee BBH-PWW.

     

    Commenting on Chatterjee’s move, Subhash Kamath, CEO, BBH-PWW  said: “We thank Srija for all her contribution to PWW and wish her all the very best in her future endeavours. Publicis Worldwide stands at an important growth juncture and with very talented teams and a robust brand portfolio already in place, we will continue to build on the momentum. Srija will be missed.”

     

     

  • Kumar, Sodhi and Jacob will report into Gupte in their new roles

    Kishan Kumar, Premjeet Sodhi, Vishal Jacob & Sandeep Pandey get new roles at Wavemaker

    By A Correspondent

     

    Wavemaker India has announced changes in the executive leadership roles. Kishan Kumar MS is elevated and has taken on a larger role as Chief Growth Officer, Wavemaker India.  Along with his new mandate, Kumar continues to lead Wavemaker South businesses across Bengaluru, Chennai, Kerala and Hyderabad.

     

    Premjeet Sodhi transitions into Chief Strategy Officer, Wavemaker India from his earlier profile of Chief Growth Officer. Sodhi joined Wavemaker in April this year after a 2-year stint with Mindshare Fulcrum as agency head.

     

    Vishal Jacob returns to Wavemaker India as Chief Digital Officer after close to two years with GroupM as Principal Consultant – Change Planning & Transformation.

     

    Meanwhile, Sandeep Pandey, who leads product and strategy has been elevated as Global Head of Analytics where he will be driving Wavemaker’s global practice on analytics.

     

    Commenting on these changes, Ajay Gupte, CEO – South Asia, Wavemaker said: “This has been an extraordinary year that has challenged us in many ways. These changes are designed to enhance our position and enable us to drive continuous growth for our clients, teams and other stakeholders. I am excited about these changes and look forward to create some positive disruptions in the near future”.

     

    Kumar, Sodhi and Jacob will report into Gupte in their new roles.

     

     

  • Kathuria will be National Director for Brand Strategy and Account Management

    Purnima Kathuria moves from Performics to Liqvd Asia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Digital agency Liqvd Asia has beefed up its senior management with the appointment of Purnima Kathuria as National Director for Brand Strategy and Account Management. Kathuria served as Director – Media and Digital Operations for the last two years in her six-year stint at Performics India. She will lead the strategy and account management domain for the agency’s existing and new client mandates.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Tanushree Radhakrishnan, COO, Liqvd Asia said: “Purnima is a brilliant addition to the Liqvd Asia strategic team as the National Director for Brand and Account Management. She comes armed with over 13 years of experience working on diverse portfolios at leading marketing agencies. Purnima will focus on adding value to existing and new relationships by directing all aspects of brand strategy and co-creating value for us as well as our clients.”

     

    Added Kathuria: “I am elated to join the superbly creative and capable team of Liqvd Asia and walk together the path of becoming one of the finest agencies in India that believes in performance driven deliveries for clients. I am excited to be part of the LA growth story and will be keen to deliver value for all our clients.”

     

     

  • The agency will now handle traditional and digital media planning, buying and strategy including offline media and digital OTT

    McDonald’s adds digital to Madison Media mandate

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madison Media has announced that McDonald’s has once again entrusted the agency to handle its digital responsibilities. While the account has been with Madison Media since 2004, McDonald’s has renewed the agreement for another three years adding digital to Madison’s kitty, notesa communique. The agency will now handle traditional and digital media planning, buying and strategy including offline media and digital OTT.

     

    Said Arvind R P, Director-Marketing & Communications, Hardcastle Restaurants: “The Madison team has added immense value to our brand over the last many years. We are at an important juncture in our brand journey with digital being a strategic pillar of marketing and growth for us. Through this partnership, we hope to create new benchmarks and take the brand to new heights.”

     

    Added Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO, Madison Media & OOH: “McDonald’s remains one of the most advanced marketers and we are thrilled to be awarded the consolidated account covering the entire Marketing Funnel.”

     

    Said Vanita Keswani, CEO, Madison Media Sigma: “We are really excited to take the partnership to newer heights since Digital has been added to our kitty after a long span of 16 years of handling mass media.”

     

     

  • DDB Mudra bagged the account following a multi-agency pitch

    DDB Mudra wins creative duties for Protinex

    By A Correspondent

     

    Protinex, the leading nutritional supplement brand from Danone, has awarded its creative duties to DDB Mudra, following a multi-agency pitch.

     

    Said Himanshu Bakshi, Managing Director, Danone India: “Protein awareness is an important part of our brand commitment since the understanding about Protein is very nascent in India. Effective communication is a vehicle through which we deliver our promise of inspiring healthier eating & drinking habits. DDB Mudra will help us translate this promise to action as we embark on an exciting journey to create impactful communication around Protein.”

     

    Added Anurag Tandon, Managing Partner, DDB Mudra West: “Adult nutrition is a category with growth potential. Working with a name like Protinex is a matter of pride for us, since they not only have a long-standing reputation in the market but also a vision to further the brand in multiple ways. Our fresh perspective in how to create consumer awareness about protein deficiency resonated well with Protinex’s goal to create relevance in this segment.”

     

     

  • Based in Mumbai, Mehra will report into Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle APAC for his additional role

    Dentsu promotes Gautam Mehra to Chief Data & Product Officer – APAC

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu International has now entrusted Gautam Mehra, currently CEO, Dentsu Programmatic & Chief Data Officer, Dentsu – South Asia, with the additional charge of Chief Data & Product Officer – Asia Pacific (APAC) with immediate effect.

     

    He has been assigned to this new role with the intent to build a strong and unified APAC data and product offering across the dentsu network. Based in Mumbai, Mehra will report into Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle APAC for his additional role.

     

    On the appointment, Ashish Bhasin, Dentsu Asia Pacific CEO said: “Data is central to our business strategy and the ability to handle data well and utilize it to its full capacity is critical in fine tuning way of reaching, interacting, and causing a reaction from the consumers; it ensures advertising efforts are in the right direction. Having Gautam drive this data agenda for us is crucial in the era of data explosion. He has earned a reputation of developing and delivering highly innovative data-led initiatives while embodying the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurism. This is a well-deserved promotion and I look forward to working closely with him,” Ashish added.

     

    Added Zhengda Shen, President of Merkle APAC: “Organisations are constantly challenged to evolve with agility and speed and adapt to ever changing consumer dynamics. Providing leadership for clients by integrating data, media, content and technology to navigate through this shifting landscape is a critical function of agencies. Gautam’s track record for driving innovations and developing globally scaled solutions makes him perfectly placed to help our clients in the region and to ensure that dentsu international continues to lead through innovation.”

     

    Said Mehra: “There are almost no limits to what we can uncover by studying consumer behavior and their interplay with brands. I’m excited to apply my leadership, knowledge, and experience in delivering globally adopted tech driven products and solutions to further the data-driven culture of dentsu international and to build the practice across APAC, further cementing our dominance in this area within the region in using cutting edge technology to solve everyday client challenges.”

     

     

  • Ameer Ismail to lead the digital first creative PR agency. Sarvesh Raikar appointed Creative Head

    GolinOpinion  will now be Lintas Live

    By A Correspondent

     

    GolinOpinion will be rebranded as Lintas Live with immediate effect and will be part of MullenLowe Group’s global communications network which includes U.S. based agency MullenLowe PR – voted Global Creative PR Agency of the Year in the Holmes Report 2017

     

    Lintas Live will be a digital-first creative PR agency Lintas Live also announces the appointment of Sarvesh Raikar as its Creative Head.

     

    Amer Jaleel

    Speaking about the launch, Amer Jaleel, Group CCO and Chairman, MullenLowe Lintas Group said: “From Mumbai Police to Starbucks, every brand wants to throb with its own energy and charisma, stay part of conversations by streaming its thoughts, it’s consciousness to its franchise. We deconstructed and re-built our PR organisation to not just reflect the current times but to lead the thinking for times to come. And recognising the need to be digital in our behaviour but creative at our core we have at the tip of Lintas Live one of our brightest RCOs Sarvesh Raikar who is possibly India’s most experienced and celebrated brand creatives to head a PR company. We recognise that brands should lead from PR into campaigns and that creative thinking will evolve PR into becoming seamless and inextricable from marketing.”

     

    Virat Tandon

    Added Virat Tandon, Group CEO, MullenLowe Lintas Group: “In today’s digitally interconnected world, opinions get formed not only through the news media, but through influencers, experts, leaders, bloggers, celebrities and all other individuals and communities who have a voice and want to use it. Moreover, corporations, leaders and brands have to operate real-time in this “always live” world. Lintas Live will be able to provide our clients with agile, proactive and “always live” PR and communications solutions. I am quite confident that this new offering will be quite the game- changer for our clients.”

     

    Ameer Ismail

    Talking about his new role, Ameer Ismail, ­­­­­­President-Lintas Live said, “Golin has been an outstanding partner and we will always cherish our many achievements and learnings together.  Our PR practice in India has gone from strength to strength and this rebrand is a bold move in our evolution. I’m excited about the relevance of our new offering to brands, marketers and leaders in these changing times. Being part of the MullenLowe Lintas Group has given us a unique opportunity of drawing on the core of our creative skillsets. We are confident of being able to deliver ideas and solutions that are bold and impact worthy in a digital age.”

     

    Golin’s operations in India will now report through IPG’s Constituency Management Group in line with Golin operations elsewhere.

     

    Added Darren Burns, President of Asia for Golin: “We thank Ameer and his team for a productive partnership over the last five years and we look forward to ongoing collaboration with the Mullen Lowe team within our IPG family. India remains an important market for us and we will continue to evolve our business there under the Golin brand.”

     

     

  • Bhatia will lead Essence in Singapore

    Essence names Monica Bhatia as MD for Singapore

    By A Correspondent

     

    Monica Bhatia

    Essence, GroupM’s data and measurement-driven media agency, has announced the appointment of Monica Bhatia as the company’s Managing Director for Singapore. Bhatia will be responsible for driving continued client-centric innovation in data, analytics and technology, as well as business growth and company culture for Essence in Singapore. As part of Essence’s APAC leadership team, Bhatia will report to APAC CEO T. Gangadhar (Gangs).

     

    Alongside her new position, Bhatia will continue in her current role as Essence’s Senior Vice President, Client Partner, APAC, leading the agency’s Google business across the region and reporting to Dave Marsey, Essence’s President, Global Client Partner. Prior to joining Essence in 2017, she headed the digital practice for GroupM’s Maxus in APAC, building its product proposition across 14 markets. With over 17 years of experience in the industry, Bhatia has worked on the brand side at L’Oréal and Godrej Group in India, and Dabur in Nepal. She has also held client services and strategic planning roles at creative and media agencies in Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and India.

     

    Said Gangs: “Monica’s impressive experience in marketing, advertising and media, and her deep understanding of Essence’s business, clients and culture, make her the best person to lead our Singapore office. A believer in true partnerships as well as diversity and inclusion in the workplace, she constantly strives to nurture strong collaborative relationships with both clients and employees. I am really excited about our next stage of growth with Monica’s steady strategic leadership and direction, as she continues to champion our clients, work and people in Singapore.”

     

    “It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead the highly talented, entrepreneurial and dedicated team at Essence in Singapore. Having worked closely with the team over the past three years, I am truly proud of the industry-leading capabilities we have built in data, analytics and technology. Brands today are increasingly looking to achieve transformational data-driven growth, and I am looking forward to leveraging our unified approach to media and creativity to deliver breakthrough work for our local, regional and global clients in Singapore,” said Bhatia.

     

     

  • Uday Shankar quits as President, Disney APAC & Chairman, Star & Disney India to support & mentor new gen of entrepreneurs

    What will Life be as India’s Most Powerful Media Professional Quits

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    If there’s one person in Indian media and entertainment whose name is most appropriate it’s that of Uday Shankar. Uday, in English, means rise. And we know what a meteoric Uday and Uday Shankar has seen in his career.

     

    But a few hours after sunrise today (October 8), our inboxes received a mail from Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) that Shankar will step down as President, The Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star & Disney India, with effective from December 31, 2020. This was announced by Rebecca Campbell, Chairman of Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer & International Segment.

     

    So what is Indian media and entertainment’s most powerful professional going to be doing next. In his own words: “For some time now, I have been contemplating the question of how I give back to the country, community and the industry that have given me so much. I think the best way to express my gratitude to all of them will be to support and mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs as they set out to create transformational solutions that will have a positive impact on countless lives. I intend to partner with global investors and pioneers to achieve this.”

     

    Clearly, he’s not moving to competition or an organisation like Jio etc. Or so his statement indicates.  And what happens at Disney APAC and Star and Disney India? Well, over the next three months, Shankar will work closely with. Campbell to identify his successor to ensure a smooth transition.

     

    Here’s what Campbell said on the development: “I want to thank Uday for his leadership and dedication to our APAC business. With the successful launch of Disney+ throughout the region, he has helped put The Walt Disney Company in a commanding position in this dynamic and incredibly strategic part of the world. His vast experience and expertise have been invaluable in bringing together a strong, cohesive APAC leadership team to chart a path forward for our streaming businesses in the region and beyond. Uday has been a great friend, colleague and valued counsellor to me personally, and I know I speak for all of DTCI when I say he will be greatly missed. At the same time, I understand and respect his desire to make this change. I am extremely grateful that he has agreed to stay on to help ensure a seamless transition.”

     

    And commenting on his decision to step down, Shankar said in the statement: “I have always believed in the power of creativity and cutting-edge technology to create a better world and consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so at Star, 21CF and now at The Walt Disney Company. As I look back on this journey, I take pride in having set ambitious goals in my professional career, and achieving all that we set out to do.”

     

    Shankar has seen a fantastic rise in his career. When he quit Down To Earth magazine for his first TV job, he took a 60 per cent salary cut. Those who know him and have tracked his career would testify that Uday Shankar has always taken bold and smart moves in his career. The JNU alumnus has pride in being a journalist, and will always be one. It’s these traits that governed his dominance of the Indian M&E turf. From transforming Star India as a channel airing saas-bahu shows to taking up progressive issues around women and society. The foray into sports and OTT and growing the entire organisation to being a media mega-empire. He has always believed in straightspeak and spoken his mind at industry gatherings and meetings.

     

    We are sure the attempt to get an equally powerful and visionary successor at Disney-Star. For, otherwise there could be some tectonic changes at not just the flagship Star India network but also change the balance of power in the media and entertainment sector.

     

     

    For, Uday Shankar, who turned 58 last month, has been an M&E professional like few others. Will he mentor a project in news and sports, both of which he enjoys much? Will it be digital? Would it concern something around politics and social issues, also close to his heart? Or will it be all of these? And will some of the people at Star who are very close to him move on or move with him. And what happens in organisations like IBF etc where he has been championing the cause of broadcast sector?

     

    As they say, only time will tell.

     

    What we do know there’ll be another rise for the Indian M&E’s favourite son. The stars have been shining for him thus far, and it will interesting to see what he does next. As also what happens at Disney and Star India.

     

  • Havas CX brings together 1200+ specialists in digital transformation, eCommerce, customer experience design and customer acquisition and engagement under one collaborative umbrella brand

    Havas establishes customer experience network

    By A Correspondent

     

    Havas Creative has launched Havas CX – a new, international network dedicated to delivering “meaningful brand experiences” across the entire customer journey. It brings together more than 1200 people from 20 of Havas Creative’s global agency groups and local agencies, plus additional CX specialists from across the Havas network, under a common structure, governance, methodology and mission.

     

    Havas CX will span 18 major Havas offices (called Havas Villages) around the world, with key hubs in Mumbai, London, Paris and New York. It brings together global agency groups including ekino (digital transformation), BETC FullSix (customer experience), Havas helia (customer engagement) and award-winning leaders in their markets including Plastic Havas, Langoor, Boondoggle, Gate One, Think Design, Host/Havas, Project House and Intellignos.

     

    Said Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO Havas Group: “Having pursued an acquisition strategy of cutting-edge agencies in the customer engagement space over recent years, we feel the time is right to unify our agencies under one joined-up, global network brand. In Havas CX, we believe we have the most comprehensive customer engagement proposition the industry has to offer – and it’s one we intend to continue to strengthen by hiring top talent and making further best-in-class acquisitions.”

     

    Added Chris Hirst, Global CEO of Havas Creative: “Today customer experience is the bedrock on which a brand is built – indeed, the majority of a consumer’s experience of any brand won’t be through above-the-line advertising, but their personal interactions with it. As technology advances almost any conceivable purchase is just a couple of clicks away and the opportunities for brands to get it right, or wrong, are manifold. CX is the new battle ground – and the brands that get it right will win, and those that don’t will lose; it’s as simple as that. Now is the right time to be overt in our commitment to the one discipline that today underpins all others by bringing our 1200-plus specialists into a single brand. With our integrated village model and our proprietary consumer insights, the Havas CX Network will significantly extend the power and capability of our offer.”

     

     

  • This mandate will be handled by the agency's Gurugram office

    FoxyMoron wins digital mandate for Revv

    By A Correspondent

     

    Self-drive car rental provider Revv has awarded its digital marketing mandate to digital agency FoxyMoron. This mandate will be handled by the agency’s Gurugram office.

     

    Speaking about the win, Prachi Bali, Business Head, North & National Head of Partnerships, FoxyMoron, said: “We’re excited about this collaboration, given that this is a new category; both for the automobile industry and also central to the upcoming concept of a shared-economy. We’re getting the opportunity of influencing change in consumer mindsets, from aspiring to owning a car to the ease of just subscribing to one.  We are keen on learning and delivering impactful campaigns that align with Revv’s business ambitions.”

     

    Added Karan Jain, Cofounder, Revv: “We needed an agency that could support our brand’s mission of providing consumers with an affordable easy alternative to owning a car. As lockdown restrictions are easing up, now more than ever, when people aren’t feeling safe using public transportation, Revv comes in as that super affordable alternative and we needed a team that could support us in ramping up our presence not only during this opportune time but on a long term basis too, and we’re glad to have found that support in FoxyMoron.”