MxMIndia

Tag: FCB

  • Leo Burnett, FCB, Zee shine on Day 2

    Leo Burnett, FCB, Zee shine on Day 2

    Photograph: Bossman Dheeraj Sinha with Team FCB bagging the Grand Prix in the Technology category

     

    On the second day of the Abby Awards held at Goafest 2024, Leo Burnett India was awarded the Specialist Agency of the Year title in four categories namely Technology, Direct, Mobile and Digital. FCB was declared the Public Relations and Design Specialist Agency of the Year and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) bagged the Broadcaster of the Year.

     

    FCB Group India won the two Grand Prix. One for the #Lulumelon campaign for HDFC Bank in the Technology category for use of AI, and the other in Direct for for social awareness or charity causes for Stir Design Magazine’s Untangling The Politics Of Hair campaign.

     

    In the Technology category, Leo Burnett India topped with won two silver and five bronze metals. While LBI got 36 points, FCB was second with 26 which included a Grand Prix. Hardcastle was third with 10 points.

     

    In Direct , Leo Burnett bagged 26 points with two silver and three bronze metals. Although FCB was awarded the Grand Prix in Direct, it was second with 20 points. Star India was in the third place with 8 points.

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    In Mobile category, Leo Burnett topped with 18 points – a gold, silver and a bronze, followed by Redbus. This was followed by Flipkart and Hardcastle – both at third place with 8 points each.

     

    In Digital category, Leo Burnett India topped the tally with 54 points – two golds, four silvers and two bronze metals. FCB Group India was second in this category at 32 points, and Redbus was third with 21 points.

     

    FCB topped in Design with two bronzes that earned them 10 points. Brave was second with 9 points and Creative Land Asia and Ebbxflo were a joint third with 6 points each.

     

    In Public Relations , as it happens internationally, more than PR agencies, it was creative agencies topping the tally. FCB Group India topped the category with one gold and three silvers at 27 points. Leo Burnett was second with 21, followed by Tribes Communication at third with 10 points.

     

    Zee Entertainment was Broadcaster of the Year with two golds, 10 silvers and six bronze metals at 100 points. Interestingly, Zee Kannada had entered separately and it grabbed the second place with 66 points. Would’ve been a tad tricky if it was on top, and ZEEL was second. TV18 secured the third place with 8.

  • Dheeraj Sinha will take charge as Group CEO India and South Asia in November

    Change of Guard @ FCB: Enter Dheeraj Sinha. Exit Rohit Ohri

     

     

    By Our Staff

     

    Over the last few days, there have been murmurs that Leo Burnett big boss Dheeraj Sinha is likely to join FCB. There have been rumours in the past as well. For instance, in December 2019, soon after Saurabh Verma’s controversial exit from the Publicis group, we had asked Sinha. He said it wasn’t untrue.

     

    So this time around, we held back. There has also been some talk about FCB’s current Group Chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri looking at a successor. It’s now been announced that he will take up a new global role as FCB Global Partner.

     

    Sinha meanwhile will join as Group CEO India & South Asia, reporting directly to FCB Global CEO Tyler Turnbull. Sinha joins the agency from Publicis Groupe, where he currently serves as CEO of Leo Burnett South Asia and Chairman of BBH India.

     

    Ohri should be exiting on a happy note. After being teased by us as being a ‘fuddy duddy’ agency, the agency has been in the news for all the right reasons. Last week, FCB Group India was Adweek magazine’s International Agency of the Year. Over the last six-odd years, the agency has won 32 Cannes Lions and over 100 creative awards globally, launched several high-profile campaigns that have transformed its creative reputation in India and beyond, won many large Indian and global multinational clients, and grown revenue by high double digits year over year. FCB Group India also acquired a majority stake in FCB Kinnect, the region’s leading digital-first creative agency, and recently launched FCB/SIX, its digital media, CX and performance offering, in the market. The last few words from the Cannes wins onwards are from an FCB communique.

     

    Turnbull has great stuff to talk about Ohri. “Since Rohit joined FCB eight years ago, FCB India has seen tremendous success under his leadership. It was time for his next challenge, and while we can’t thank him enough for all that he has done for the agency, I’m excited to have him join our global team to put his valuable experience to work for some important upcoming projects.” On Sinha: “Together, we have found his successor in Dheeraj – an amazingly talented, creatively focused and driven leader who understands the economic power of creativity.”

     

    Added Ohri: “The last eight years at FCB Group India have been truly amazing. My mandate was to transform the creative reputation of FCB in India. By nurturing culture and cultivating talent, we’ve been able to deliver creative excellence consistently since 2018. I’m enormously grateful to my fabulous India team for the creative and business success we have seen. Our partnership with our clients has been our true strength in this creative transformation journey. Further, with the acquisition of Kinnect and the launch of FCB/SIX in India, I believe we are now uniquely poised to power our creative work with data and technology. I’m delighted to now work on the strategic priorities of our global network with Susan and Tyler as FCB Global Partner.”

     

    While at Publicis, he led the business transformation across Leo Burnett, Leo Burnett Orchard, BBH, Publicis Business and Publicis Health. Leo Burnett was India’s #1 and Asia’s #2 agency at Cannes Lions 2023. He has also held several other leadership roles throughout his career, including Chief Strategy Officer of South & Southeast Asia at Grey Group, where he fostered a culture of strategy at Grey APAC.

     

    “Dheeraj is a strong advocate for the power of creativity, with a proven track record of transforming businesses. His experience driving revenue for iconic creative brands and agencies is exactly what we needed to help fuel our next chapter of success in India,” adds Turnbull.

     

    “I’m delighted to welcome Dheeraj into the FCB family. He is a dynamic leader brimming with new ideas. I believe he has the right capabilities and mindset to take FCB Group India to newer heights,” said Ohri.

     

    And this is what Sinha has to say: “I am so excited to be leading the next phase of narrative for FCB in India and the region. I believe that with data and technology at its service, creativity is the greatest force of our times. The true power of our industry is in maximizing business opportunities and solving for human problems using creativity. I love the perspective at FCB about creativity as an economic multiplier. The agency has had a great run in the country, with very strong partnerships with the best clients, and has been one of the most respected agency brands. I look forward to working with the global leadership at FCB under Susan and Tyler, to continue to build FCB in India and the region as the most creative company, helping our clients maximize the opportunities and leaving the world a better place at the same time!”

     

    And what happens at Publicis group? The vagaries of the business notwithstanding, there’s never a dull day. When the announcement happens, we’ll have another ‘big story’. Perhaps.

     

  • Campaign conceptualised by FCB

    Aamir is brand ambassador for PharmEasy

    By Our Staff

     

    PharmEasy, the online medical platform, has launched its latest campaign starring Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador. Aamir will be seen endorsing the PharmEasy brand via various mediums. The campaign, conceptualised by FCB India, will also be a part of the IPL campaign 2022.

     

    Talking about the collaboration Gaurav Verma, CMO at API Holdings, parent company of PharmEasy, said: “Collaborating with someone as versatile as Aamir Khan fills us with immense joy. We are absolutely thrilled to have him on board as the face of the brand PharmEasy. He truly knows how to engage with the audience. With this association, we aim to reach more people while making affordable healthcare accessible to everyone. We are looking forward to a great collaboration with him this year and widening our reach through offerings and such campaigns.”

  • Rohit Ohri, Chairman and CEO, FCB Group India in a video interview with Pradyuman Maheshwari

    The Road to Being Killer-Diller

     

    By Our Staff

     

    Some five-and-a-half years back, when he had just taken charge as CEO of the FCB Group in India, our editor-in-chief Pradyuman Maheshwari  had asked Rohit Ohri about a general perception of FCB Ulka/India being an efficient, successful but a fuddy-duddy agency. We followed it with a similar question to Global CEO Carter Murray a few months later on the sidelines of Goafest.

     

    As he tells us in this interview, Messrs Murray and Ohri took this comment rather seriously and were determined to purge this perception. Fast and furiously. Which they did. From being considered a servicing- and planning-centric network, creative has gotten centerstage, which is what creative agencies are meant to be.

     

    After having asked this horribly rude question in 2016, Pradyuman Maheshwari interviews Rohit Ohri, Chairman and CEO, FCB Group India, on the road from to being a, as Ohri calls it, a killer-diller agency. It’s a looooong, 54-minuter, so bring along that cup of chai. Or coffee, if you are a trueblue adperson.

     

    Watch. Enjoy. Like.

     

  • The 2021 edition of Cannes Lions saw India getting three moral metals than 2019

    Dentsu Webchutney & FCB star at Cannes

     

    By Our Staff

     

    In 2019, the Indian marketing services contingent put on a very sorry figure at Cannes Lions, the annual festival of creativity in advertising. Entrants from India brought back 19 metals, just one more than what they earned the previous year. But this year, the number has grown by three, and Indian entrants bagged a total of 22 metals – in various hues – Gold, Silver and Bronze.

     

    Dentsu Webchutney bagged 50 points if one includes shortlists followed by FCB Interace with 48 points. But as a group FCB that includes FCB Ulka and FCB Interface bagged 8 metals including one Gold, three Silver and four Bronze, followed by Digital Agency Dentsu Webchutney with seven metals.

    In 2021, Webchutney beat their previous record with 20 shortlists and 7 Lions.

     

    Said Sidharth Rao, CEO, Dentsumcgarrybowen (dentsuMB) India and founder of Webchutney: “2019 showed us Webchutney was capable of creative excellence at the highest level. 2021 showed it was about doing it consistently – the wins this year have firmly planted the ‘new normal’ of what Webchutney’s north star as an agency is. The agency is home to some incredible talent and is a shining example of what the dentsuMB group of agencies and dentsu India itself wants to stand for.”

     

    Added PG Aditiya, NCD, Dentsu Webchutney added: “This year’s Cannes Lions is probably our most meaningful one yet. A huge round of applause for our teams across the country, both past and present, & gratitude to our clients who’ve shape-shifted the status-quo of Indian creativity at a global level, with us. And congratulations to the teams behind all the winning work from India.”

     

    For FCB, the metals came in for The Punishing Signal for the Mumbai Police and Times Out & Proud for The Times of India.

     

    Speaking on the win, Rohit Ohri, Chairman & CEO, FCB Group India, said: “Our pride of Lions bears testimony our commitment to putting creative excellence at the center of everything we do. Over the last three years we’ve been the best performing Indian agency at Cannes. Like they say… once is a chance, twice is a co-incidence and three times is a habit. I’m really proud of how far we’ve come on our creative transformation journey.”

     

    Added Robby Mathew, Vice Chairman & CCO, FCB Interface: “I am absolutely delighted with our performance at Cannes this year. Looking forward to many more bountiful years for my agency.”

     

    Said Swati Bhattacharya, Vice Chairman & CCO, FCB India: “When I have grandchildren I think I will skip telling them about Cinderella. I will tell them about the FCB Group India story. It’s a fairy tale without evil stepsisters. Just perfect!

     

     

    The following Special Awards were also presented: 

    Holding Company of the Festival 2020/21

    1. WPP

    2. Omnicom

    3. Interpublic Group

     

    Network of the Festival 2020/21

    1. FCB

    2. Ogilvy

    3. BBDO Worldwide

     

    Agency of the Festival 2020/21

    1. AMV BBDO, London, UK

    2. Publicis Italy, Milan, Italy

    3. FCB Chicago, USA

     

    Independent Agency of the Festival 2020/21

    1. Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, USA

    2. The Bloc, New York, USA

    3. Rethink, Toronto, Canada

     

    Palme D’Or 2020/21

    1. Chelsea Pictures, USA

    2. Pulse Films, USA

    3. Division, France

    4. Smuggler, USA

    5. Prettybird, USA

     

    Creative brand of the Festival 2020/21

    1. Burger King

    2. Bodyform/Libresse

    3. Dove

     

    Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Communication

    Publicis Italy, Milan, Italy

     

    Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Craft

    AMV BBDO, London, UK

     

    Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Entertainment

    72andSunny, Los Angeles, USA

     

    Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Experience

    McCANN, New York, USA

     

    Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Good

    VMLY&R Brazil, São Paulo, Brazil

     

    Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Reach

    FCB Chicago, USA

     

    Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Communication

    Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, USA

     

    Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Craft

    Work & Co, New York, USA

     

    Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Entertainment

    =1. Edelman, London, UK

    =1. GUT, São Paulo, Brazil

     

    Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Experience

    Uncommon, London, UK

     

    Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Good

    FARM, Stockholm, Sweden

     

    Independent Agency of the Festival by track 2020/21 – Reach

    GUT, Miami, USA

  • Appoints Mandar Gore as FBT leader

    Tilt beefs up strategy team

    By Our Staff

     

    Brand and communications consultancy Tilt Brand Solutions has appointed Mandar Gore as Senior Director – Strategy. He will report into Paul Dueman, Tilt’s Chief Strategy Officer.

     

    Gore has over 16 years of experience across advertising and brand consulting. In his earlier stints at FCB, Ogilvy and Sideways Consulting, Mandar worked on brands like Bournvita, Kamasutra, Fosters, Amaron, Castrol, Mahindra & Mahindra and Pidilite, amongst others. His work on them has won him Indian as well as international effectiveness laurels at Effies India/APAC and AME.

     

    Said Dueman: “We are really excited to have Mandar lead and drive “Full-Brained Thinking” at Tilt – the philosophy and approach that drives strategic planning at Tilt. The expertise that he brings on board, especially on culture and consumption anthropology, coupled with his rich experience on brand communication strategy and design thinking adds further heft to our strategy team. Strategists at Tilt across Digital, Data, Social, Search, ORM, Brand building and Comms planning will all now be led by Mandar.”

     

    Mandar Gore

    Added Gore: “I am thrilled to be part of, and further contribute to what the strategy team at Tilt is doing. I am a big believer in Tilt’s FBT framework, and what it can unlock for ambitious brands and businesses. This is exactly the kind of strategic rigor that every brand needs, to be able to win in today’s hyper competitive and highly fragmented market place.”

     

  • The film was created by FCB

    Horlicks’ new TVC celebrates confidence

    By A Correspondent

     

    Horlicks has unveiled a new new film that highlights the journey of childhood. The film, notes a communique, brings alive the fact that today’s stories should not be limited to the intrinsic physical growth benefits but to the courage and confidence that children display when they grow well.

     

    Commenting on the latest TVC, Sudhir Sitapati, Executive Director, Foods & Refreshment, HUL said: “India’s nutrition journey is central to the growth of the country. Nutrition is also the primary motivation that drives the mother, as a gatekeeper to the family’s health, so that the child can meet each moment with their full potential. Through this special film, we seek to celebrate the deeper meaning of growth that stems from courage and confidence. We truly believe that children, when enabled to their full potential, will lead the world through change and troubled times.”

     

    Added Swati Bhattacharya of FCB:  “What does a child growing up mean to a mother? Is it the annual health check-up or do they happen in moments suddenly, unrehearsed taking her by complete surprise? This is a grown-up version of our old promise of taller stronger sharper children, now it takes it to the next level where the child applies it to life.”

     

     

  • The entertaining commercials invite cricket enthusiasts to participate in the nationwide amateur cricket league

    Ferit Cricket Bash unveils ad campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ferit Cricket Bash (FCB), an independent league for amateur cricketers, has unveiled its ‘Bade Ziddi’ campaign to promote the launch of their new venture. The TVCs invite enthusiastic cricketers to participate in the upcoming league.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Zaheer Khan, co-founder of the league, said: “As someone whose life has revolved around cricket, it is simply endearing to witness the impact of our endeavour via the Bade Ziddi campaign. As an independent cricket league that recognises and rewards amateur talent across the length and breadth of the country, I am elated to have been part of the FCB family with Suniel, Mitesh and Jasmeet. Ferit Cricket Bash presents an opportunity to all Indians to be a part of bigger platform and play with fellow enthusiasts.”

     

     

  • Senior creative honcho Swati Bhattacharya joins Rohit Ohri at FCB Ulka as the top creative person

    The wait is over for the CCO at FCB Ulka is over. It’s Swati Bhattacharya!

    By A Correspondent

     

    Swati Bhattacharya

    This comment may seem uncharitable, but it’s not. After all if a CEO finds someone good and the right person for the job, why not take her or him along wherever he or she goes. When Rohit Ohri joined Dentsu as CEO, he brought on Swati Bhattacharya, then one of the three NCDs at JWT, as Principal Partner of Mama Labs. And now that he has joined FCB Ulka as Chairman and Group CEO, Rohit Ohri has ended the suspense over the appointment of the Chief Creative Officer. Swati Bhattacharya is on board. She had put in her papers at Dentsu recently.

     

    Bhattacharya, who joined JWT as a rookie, spent 22 years at JWT with the last four-odd years as National Creative Director and in 2015, Swati set up Dentsu Mama Lab as Principal Partner.

     

    Rohit Ohri

    Commenting on the appointment, Ohri said: “I’m delighted to have Swati as the creative leader of FCB Ulka Advertising. Swati is a humanist. Her work always finds that magical connection between human and brand truths. Horlicks, Maggi sauces and noodles, Close up, Airtel, Kit Kat, 7Up, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Unicef, Sunrise and Slice have all seen the Swati magic at work. Her human stories have won her India’s highest award in cinema, the DadasahebPhalke Award, in 2014 for best screenplay. Her short film ‘Double Shift’ featured in the Toronto, Vancouver, Kolkata and Mumbai International short film festivals and went on to win in the best short film, best soundtrack and best cinematography categories. This is an exciting new chapter in the history of FCB Ulka in India. I’m glad that Swati will be partnering me and the leadership team at FCB Ulka in writing it.”

     

    Speaking on her new role, Bhattacharya said: “There isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you hear their story. That’s just as true for brands as it is for people. Intimacy is the true algorithm of creativity and that is why, I believe, stories are at the core of what we do. FCB Ulka has created some of the best brand stories we have ever heard…I am looking forward to adding some new ones”.

     

    Susan Credle, Global Chief Creative Officer, FCB added, “When I had the privilege of meeting Swati many months ago, I was first and foremost drawn to her passion for art that drives this industry and her commitment to finding the human truths that ignite game-changing ideas. I’m excited to work more closely with such an incredible creative leader and strategic thinker who will harness the creative strength of one of our network’s strongest offices.”

     

     

  • Effective 4.30 pm IST, 10th March 2014, the global network will be called FCB

    Drafting its way to FCB

    By a correspondent

     

    The wheels were set in motion about six months ago when after becoming Global CEO of Draftfcb, Carter Murray announced a change in name to FCB (Foote, Cone & Belding). Now effective 4.30 pm IST, 10th March 2014, the global network will be called FCB.

     

    The India operation will be called FCBUlka Advertising Pvt. Ltd. and will incorporate new changes in its identity including a new logo. The colors in the logo have been drawn from the colors of the flags of the world, symbolizing the heritage, equity and flavor of the local advertising company and the wide network reach. The diagonal line through the letter B and the letter U of Ulka signifies the importance of the local brand name alongside the global name.

     

    Commenting on the new brand name and identity, Nagesh Alai, Group Chairman, FCBUlka said “FCB has a tremendous 140 years equity globally and in India Ulka has a 50 years plus great heritage. FCBUlka will continue to deliver on the integrated offering to its clients and stay focused on what it has been doing over the years – Making Brands Famous and Making Clients Rich.”

     

    Commenting on the new change in the identity, Murray said, “I believe it’s a really great time for FCB. We have terrific talent and some early momentum. There’s a lot of potential here and I’m excited for our future.”