GroupM India announces the appointment of Karthik Shankar as Head of Digital Trading, GroupM India. In this role, Shankar will be responsible for leading digital trading and partnerships.
Sidharth Parashar
Said Sidharth Parashar, President – Investments and Pricing, GroupM India: “Karthik has a proven track record of managing tech & media partnerships, digital trading, e-commerce and leading brand safety initiatives. We believe that Karthik would play a pivotal role, as we partner with our esteemed clients in their digital transformation journey”.
Karthik Shankar
Added Shankar: “These are exciting times for digital advertising which is witnessing hyper-growth in all spectrums including video, commerce and data. Clients and partners seek guidance and support in navigating this complex ecosystem. This role has the right mix of understanding, access and ability to collaborate with the ecosystem to streamline media investments. I am excited to join and be part of the GroupM family.”
Strengthening its leadership position in the cement industry, JK Cement has reinvented its corporate brand identity by launching a new logo, which represents multiple dimensions of the company. The new avatar was officially unveiled at a virtual event by Dr Raghavpat Singhania – Managing Director, JK Cement Ltd.
Said Dr Singhania: “Our new corporate identity is inspired by Shri Yadupati Singhaniaji’s vision, values and legacy. It is his vision that has propelled JKCement towards continuous growth and has made us an integral part of India’s growth story. Furthermore, at JKCement we have been on a journey of transformation that reflects in our focus on developing people, building strong brands, creating value for all stakeholders, diversification and digitization. We wanted to introduce a new logo that commemorates Yadupatiji’s memory and also represents our Organization’s vision for the future.”
Digital creative agency The Minimalist has been accorded the digital creative mandate of InterMiles, a travel and lifestyle rewards programme (part of the Etihad Aviation Group). As its creative partner, The Minimalist will handle InterMiles’ Social Media Platforms and Direct Marketing across digital touchpoints.
Chirag Gander
Speaking on the new win, Chirag Gander, Co-Founder, The Minimalist said: “We are thrilled to partner with InterMiles on expanding their digital journey across various digital and social platforms. As a digital first creative group company, we have always believed in exploring new-age technology that syncs in with the changing tastes and preferences of the audience. We are very excited to embark on a new journey with InterMiles, who are the epitome of change and always come out successful through all odds, to create great synergy.”
Ashish Dhruva
Added Ashish Dhruva, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Customer Engagement, InterMiles: “As a programme with 10 million plus member-base, we constantly aim at creating value for our members to ensure every transaction with us counts. With the ongoing digital transition taking across businesses, we were looking for an agency that could transcribe our growth plan into reality and The Minimalist perfectly fit the ask. We are impressed by the team’s creative drive as well as solution-oriented approach for our brand and are looking forward to establishing a mutually beneficial partnership. InterMiles is driven to make a difference in our members’ lives, and we are optimistic that The Minimalist will be an able partner in our journey towards achieving this goal.”
Tide from P&G has announced its newest campaign #TideforTime with the launch of a new film. The campaign aims to contextualise the importance of time for families.
Talking about the campaign, Sharat Verma, Chief Marketing Officer and Vice President, Fabric Care at P&G India said: “During Covid, we have been limited to the confines of our homes. But this physical proximity has not necessarily led to stronger emotional connection. Research shows 9 out of 10 people agree that Covid has made them realize the importance of togetherness. With #TideForTime, our endeavour is to bring to light a pertinent question, rendered even more important in the current context – ‘Are we spending our time on what’s really important?’. We also realise that families spend around 300 hours every year doing laundry. This is also a reminder that by putting Tide to work and letting it deliver its superior cleaning, we can make some time for our lives and spend it on what we truly value – whether it is spending time with families, pursuing passions, finding some me-time or even exploring the entrepreneurial spirit. Because there’s only one thing more precious than our time, and that’s how we spend it.”
Added Rajdeepak Das, CEO & Chief Creative Officer – South Asia, Leo Burnett: “My late aunt was one of those people who always had time for everyone, and I used to often ask her how she managed to have time. Her standard reply to me was ‘Beta time milta nahi hai, time banana padhta hai’. When we started creating this movement, we realized we spend up to 300 hours on doing laundry. With #TideForTime movement, we want to encourage everyone to make time for all things that are really important by just saving on laundry time. This movement is a true HumanKind insight, a story which goes beyond words and we hope will inspire everyone to make more time for their loved ones.
Elephant Design agency has further bolstered its design team with the appointment of Elodie Nerot as Lead Designer. Nikhil Phadke, alumnus of Savannah College of Art and Design (USA) and Yugandhara Dalvi, who has an applied arts background, will continue to deliver creative impetus as lead designers along with Elodie.
Elodie Nerot
Sharing more about her new role, Nerot said: “I have lived in India for nearly a decade now and I’m fascinated about the innovation and development of the beauty and consumer goods segments here. After working in different cultures, I am glad to be back and share a creative and challenging journey with talented and experienced designers at Elephant”.
Ashwini Deshpande
Touching upon the future plans of the company, Ashwini Deshpande, Co-founder Director Elephant, added: “Having Elodie back at Elephant feels really special and reiterates our belief in Elephant culture. Our team has never been stronger, and we are so ready to explore every exciting opportunity to make a difference. But we are not done yet …expect to hear about further augmentation soon!
Vivek Bahl has joined Rediffusion SmartMedia as Senior Vice President and will be the agency’s Digital Lead in North and East India.
Said Bahl on his new assignment: “I am looking forward to working with the Rediffusion creative team to take clients’ digital campaigns to greater impact and ROI. The apertures available today in digital allow for smart targeting and far higher creativity. Having worked across multiple categories over the past few years, I have seen the digital scene evolve and grow. At Rediffusion we are going to create unique solutions that communicate brand propositions better and help create a more endearing connect with the consumer.”
Welcoming Bahl to Rediffusion, Navonil Chatterjee, Joint President added: “Vivek has both wide ranging experience and maturity. He is incisive and insightful about digital usage by brands. He brings new learnings to Team Rediffusion. We are delighted to have him with us.”
Dentsu has announced the launch of ‘Indeed Smart City’ in India under its CSR advisory and implementation arm, Indeed. The aim of this initiative is in line with India’s aspirations for economic modernisation, which are fundamentally linked to the country’s Smart City Mission.
Indeed Smart City’s ability to identify and scale opportunities at speed is a product of its unique Innovation Architecture, which includes a cross-capability team of industry and operational expertise that helps cities’ pilots to adopt new technologies and spark transformation. The Smart City will deliver solutions across domains such as Smart Infrastructure under the ABD (Area Based Development) initiative of the Smart City mission as well as smart healthcare, safety, citizen engagement, education and smart energy solutions. Additionally, Indeed Smart City will also focus on ICT (Information & Communications Technology) from ICCC (Integrated Command and Control Centres) to safety and surveillance, Video Analytics, CCP (City Collaboration Platforms), Smart Poles, city wi-fi solutions and more.
Ajay Singh
Ajay Singh, a Smart City specialist, has been appointed as Vice President to spearhead the Indeed Smart City initiative.
Speaking on his new role, Singh said: “I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead Indeed Smart City by dentsu India- a network with industry-leading OOH technology, creative thinking team, and unique innovation architecture with its strong commitment to the community. The strength of media is important when it comes to communication points in cities so that they can be used to inspire people and change things for the better, thereby, making the urban environment more cheerful. With this ambition, we aim to have a growth-oriented innovative mindset, constant investments in our team, and onboard new emerging technology partners. I am truly excited to lead this innovative group. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, I am confident that Indeed Smart City will grow to become the trusted smart solutions technology partner for our customers across the globe and help give the cities a more sustainable & resilient future -‘Re-invent to stay relevant’.”
Haresh Nayak
Commenting on the appointment, Haresh Nayak, COO, Dentsu international, Media Brands added: “Our cities are undergoing dramatic change as a result of new technologies and modern infrastructure projects. Indeed Smart City will harness the power of technology and smart solutions via its associates and partners to bring meaningful marketing solutions and experiences for brands. I am confident of Ajay’s capabilities and his impressive track record will certainly allow us to explore newer opportunities as we move into the next phase of smarter solutions.”
Valvoline Cummins Pvt ltd, supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, announces its new TVC, ‘Baccho Jaisa Junoon’, to celebrate its passion to stay original, innovate and stay ahead of the curve while maintaining its 150-year old legacy.
Said Sandeep Kalia, Managing Director, Valvoline Cummins Private Limited: “Changing with Time but Staying Original’ is our motto and with the same commitment & passion we have built trust with our channel and consumers over the years. We are one of the fastest-growing lubricant brands in India and the released campaign “Baccho Jaisa Junoon” is testimony to our 150 years of trust & credibility that the brand enjoys world over,”
Added Ipshita Chowdhury, Chief Marketing Officer, Valvoline Cummins Private Limited: “Our new campaign reinforces the brand’s promise of continuous innovation that has been a constant for us, for over 150 years, What keeps us going is our relentless passion and curiosity around evolving technology that helps us create offerings in tune with consumer trends. The creative inspiration came from the inherent curiosity and originality children have and the passion they exhibit. That in a way embodies our brand’s essence, making us the original engine oil.”
passion to stay original and deliver the best engine oil for every automobile.”
Skinn, a fine fragrance brand from the house of Titan, has released a digital video to promote their latest fragrance collection, ‘Tales’ – a collection of 4 happy scents that will uplift your spirits with just a spray. Conceptualised by Ogilvy South the video is aimed at creating awareness for this new launch.
Commenting on the new digital campaign, Kanwalpreet Walia, Marketing Head, Fragrance and Accessories Division, Titan Company Limited, said: “The digital video is a visual depiction of how a spray or a whiff of Tales fragrance transforms and elevates the mood instantly. The overall vibe of the film is colourful, refreshing and quirky. The brand intends to spread waves of cheer through Tales, a collection of four delightful scents in times when most of us are looking for small pockets of joy every day. The campaign embodies how happiness is just a spray away with Skinn Tales fragrances.”
Talking about the film, Mahesh Gharat, CCO, Ogilvy South added: “Tales by Skinn is that whiff of happiness that has the power to lift our everyday moods. Each of the variants – Rio, Ibiza, Oslo and Malaga embody a distinct yet breezy fragrance that alters a person’s atmosphere, when used. The idea therefore was to capture a happy and light vibe while creating a sense of fun and cheerful moments. The film has done justice to this vision and will give an opportunity to the brand to tell myriad Tales of Happiness.”
Redmi India has unveiled a new campaign, ‘Redmi Revolution’
Talking about the new campaign, Sandeep KS – Associate Director Redmi Marketing, Redmi India, said: “The Redmi Revolution is an approach towards working in unison to showcase the potential of a smartphone. Smartphones today are an essential commodity and a daily driver for millions of content creators. At Redmi India, we believe in bringing the best-in-class technology for our consumers at a much affordable price. With Redmi Note 10 Pro Max, we revolutionized the affordable smartphone segment by bridging the gap between a mid-range device and a flagship, empowering our consumers with the best of both worlds. The campaign is our way to appreciate all the content creators, across domains, who revolutionize the world with their stellar skills-just like Redmi Note 10 Pro Max!”
Leo Burnett India has announced the appointment of Niket Kumar as Executive Vice President & Head – Digital. In this role, Kumar will be responsible for leading growth and glory on a cluster of businesses in the Mumbai office. Kumar will report into Dheeraj Sinha, CEO & Chief Strategy Officer – South Asia, Leo Burnett and Rajdeepak Das, CEO & Chief Creative Officer – South Asia, Leo Burnett.
Dheeraj Sinha
Speaking about his appointment, Sinha said: “At Leo Burnett we are looking to build a team that reflects our new age thinking and pushes the envelope on creating best in class work for our clients. Niket comes with valuable experience from both the brand and agency perspective. Add to that his digital experience and I am sure that Niket will add value to both our teams and clients and accelerate our agenda of providing full funnel solutions to our clients. Niket’s appointment adds to the dynamic leadership team we have in Mumbai and I welcome him to the Leo Burnett family.”
Added Das: “Niket’s appointment adds fresh thinking and energy to our leadership team. It also reflects the momentum that the agency currently has, and I am confident that Niket will play a valuable role in building and nurturing our clients and businesses. I wish him all the best in his new role.”
Madison Media has been appointed the agency for LT Foods Consumer Food Company for their brand ‘Daawat’. The account was won in a multi-agency pitch and will be handled by Madison Media Plus out of Delhi.
Commenting on the development, Ritesh Arora, Head – India Business said: “Daawat, has multichannel marketing communications strategy to reach the consumers and we are happy to consolidate our media needs with Madison Media for an innovative and novel approach to brand building. We are aggressive in our growth strategy and hopefully this partnership will establish a brand salience for Daawat across the country.”
Added Vikram Sakhuja, Partner & Group CEO, Madison Media & OOH: “We are thrilled to have been awarded the Daawat account. Not only do we have the opportunity to convert a largely unbranded category, we also have the arsenal of a superior product with a rich legacy.”
