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Tag: Havas Group India

  • For the new wireless (TWS) earbuds Wave 100

    Havas launches digital campaign for JBL

    By Our Staff

     

    JBL has announced the launch of new true wireless (TWS) earbuds Wave 100 with a new digital brand campaign #JBLGOESTOPLESS conceptualised by Havas Creative.

     

    Talking about the film, Yogesh Nambiar – Head of Marketing at Harman India, said: “When it comes to making new inroads into a product segment with cut-throat competition, the choices that a brand makes are crucial to the outcome. With this year’s launch of the JBL Wave 100 TWS, we have taken the top down approach, quite literally. It features our first ever lidless design in the TWS segment coupled with yet another first, offering two distinct sound modes. We adopted an unprecedented route with the tagline- ‘JBL Goes Topless’. Needless to say, we are thoroughly excited about the campaign and expect to make waves in the category. We hope that music lovers will pop it, fit it, and groove with it.”

     

    Commenting on the creative strategy, Bobby Pawar, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Havas Group India, added: “JBL is creating new ground with its unique product offerings, and we’re proud to be part of it. We wanted to show the product as a mirror of youth, vivid and bold, therefore we gave it a catchy and fresh feel. The idea behind this film was to give individuals access to technology, improve their lives through music, and encourage them to pursue their dreams.”

     

  • Initiative to challenge traditional gender stereotyping in advertising and media

    UN Women launches Unstereotype Alliance’s India Chapter

    By Our Staff

    The Unstereotype Alliance has aunched the India national chapter with a coalition formed to tackle harmful stereotypes advertising with support from EU funded WeEmpowerAsia Programme. The Alliance will centre its work in India on broadening the representation of women and girls in non-traditional roles in advertising with a focus on women returning to the workforce.

    Convened by UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, the Unstereotype Alliance is a thought and action platform that seeks to eradicate harmful stereotypes from advertising and media. India is the ninth national chapter to launch worldwide, and the second in Asia.

    The Unstereotype Alliance’s India National Chapter Founding Members include: Hindustan Unilever (Champion), Diageo, WPP, Publicis Groupe, Havas Group, Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), The Advertising Club and Samhita Social Ventures.

    Said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women: “The launch of the India national chapter is a significant milestone for the Unstereotype Alliance. It shows that the India advertising and media industry is coming together in all its strength and diversity to tackle the harmful stereotypes that hinder progress towards gender equality. This is critical to addressing the drivers of inequality such as violence against women and girls, intergenerational poverty and the lack of women in leadership and decision-making roles. We hope that you will join us in making unstereotyped advertising and content the norm rather than the exception.

    Stereotypes in advertising perpetuate negative social norms and hinder progress of gender equality. Harmful social norms contribute to increased acceptance of gender-based violence, lack of economic decision-making for women and constricted opportunities in the job market. The chapter has defined strategic priorities to address gender stereotypes with a focus on harmful patriarchal traditions and norms to broaden the representation of empowered and autonomous women in private and public life, including in business leadership; and to ensure progressive representation in media and advertising.

    Unstereotype Alliance research into gender equality attitudes shows that there is a clear role not only to remove stereotypes in advertising and media, but to challenge widely-held beliefs and norms in society. Data from the Gender Equality Attitudes study, conducted across 10 countries including India, shows that whilst many Indians recognize the importance of women’s rights, outdated beliefs persist. Specifically:

     

    Here’s what a host of spokespersons have said:

    Susan Ferguson, Country Representative, UN Women India: “UN Women India is excited to launch the India chapter of the Unstereotype Alliance. I am confident with the support of such committed partners, we will generate a positive and enduring impact in the advertising and media industry and contribute to shaping a gender-equal world.”

    Priya Nair, Executive Director,-Beauty & Personal Care, Hindustan Unilever: “Across the globe, consumers are increasingly expecting brands to take a stand on the issues they care most about – gender stereotype has been one such issue. At HUL, we are committed to driving gender equity, including stepping up of brand programmes, advocacy to challenge the status quo and #unstereotyping advertising. With one billion people using our products every day and even more seeing our advertising, we know we have the power to make a real difference. Various organisations need to come together to bring about this systematic change and set new standards of empowerment and equality. As a founding member of the Unstereotype Alliance, we look forward to supporting UN Women, to drive social change, encourage action, and put an end to gender stereotypes and discrimination”

    CVL Srinivas, Country Head, WPP, India: “WPP is delighted to be a founding member of the Unstereotype Alliance – India Chapter. We look forward to working with the Alliance to bring about positive change to the issue of Gender Equality through the creative use of our skills and the passion of our people in this area.”

    Deepika Warrier, CMO, Diageo India: “Diageo India is proud to be associated with The Unstereotype Alliance – India Chapter, which will work to  accelerate progressive gender portrayal in advertising. Together, we will lead the creation of a framework that encourages increasingly progressive codes with themes ranging from empowerment to celebrating the power and imperfections of womanhood to challenging stereotypes to ultimately moving beyond gender codes. We hope our efforts would contribute to empowering women regardless of their race, class, age, ability, religion, sexuality, language, education etc.”

    Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Groupe South Asia:  “Publicis Groupe through Viva la difference is a company that celebrates talent, inclusivity and diversity. Our core values and people-first culture synergise seamlessly with the Unstereotype Alliance’s larger mission and objectives and we are pleased to be a part of its India Chapter. Publicis Groupe India looks forward to collaborating with other future-facing companies in building narratives that are progressive, purposeful, gender-equal, human and authentic.”

    Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India: “We are delighted to be coming on board at a crucial time as a member of the UN Women Unstereotype Alliance as they begin their chapter in India. At Havas Group, we are clear on driving gender diversity and want to bring about a cultural transformation and mindset shift that will encourage many more women leaders in the group. Our alliance with UN Women Unstereotype Alliance will surely help us in this journey.”

    Manish Kapoor, Secretary General, Advertising Standard Council of India: “Positive gender portrayals and depictions in advertising are high on ASCI’s agenda, and we aim to shape this narrative in the coming months through different initiatives. Partnering with the Unstereotype alliance is an important step in this journey. Working together helps synchronise voices of different stakeholders and we are very pleased to be a part of the alliance.”

    Sudhesh Kapoor, Secretary General, AAAI: “We are sure that this Alliance will go a long way in taking down some popularly held myths about genders which are consciously or sub-consciously propagated by popular media and advertising.”

    Namrata Tata, The Advertising Club: “While many organizations are taking initiatives to drive gender diversity & equality, collaboration at an industry level is needed to see the needle movement. As an integral part of the advertising industry ,The Advertising Club believes in driving real change when it comes to the portrayal of gender norms. We are delighted to join The Unstereotype alliance convened by UN women , which aims at removing negative gender stereotypes in Advertising and Media”

    Priya Naik, Founder and CEO, Samhita Social Ventures: “Companies, media and content companies, advertisers, and creative agencies have a social and ethical responsibility to break gender stereotype, as well as the capability to do so on a large scale. I am proud to be a part of the Unstereotype Alliance movement to dismantle traditional gender roles and their related”

     

     

  • To strengthen the equity for the brand

    Havas bags digital mandate for Bingo

    By Our Staff

    This is big. Havas Creative India has bagged the digital mandate for Bingo following a multi-agency pitch. The agency’s focus will be on further building and strengthening equity for the brand and managing the entire portfolio of sub-brands of ITC Bingo in India.

    Said Aishwarya Pratap Singh, Head of Marketing, Snacks, Noodles & Pasta ITC Foods: “With the redefined media mix, and increasing role of digital in everyday lives of a consumer, Bingo! aims to occupy higher mindspace of its consumers through heightened engagement on social media. We are delighted to have Havas on board as our social media partner, and we look forward to continue the clutter-breaking, witty communication that Bingo! is known for on Digital platforms as well.”

    Bobby Pawar
    Bobby Pawar

    Added Bobby Pawar, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, Havas Group India: “We are excited to be partnering with one of India’s most loved snack brand Bingo, which offers a great canvas for showcasing our skills and creativity. We look forward to creating engaging and clutter-breaking work that makes a meaningful difference to the brand and further strengthening the brand’s legacy in the market.”

     

    Arindam Sengupta
    Arindam Sengupta

    Said Arindam Sengupta, Managing Partner – West & South, Havas Mumbai: “We are delighted to win the digital communication mandate for a renowned brand like ITC Bingo. Through this association, the aim is to take the brand love established over the years by ITC- Bingo and translate it on new-age digital platforms and create meaningful content and experiences for consumers across the country.”

    No more quotes. Let’s wait for the creatives.

     

     

  • Geet Nazir will lead the team

    Havas brings Conran Design to India

    By Our Staff

     

    Havas Group India has brought in Conran Design Group to India. This will allow Havas’ clients to tap into Conran’s expertise in brand strategy, visual identity, branded environment, and packaging. The Indian team will be led by Geet Nazir, Managing Partner, Conran Design Group Mumbai.

     

    Rana Barua

    Said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India: “We are very excited to join forces with Conran Design Group (CDG). This joint venture complements our aggressive growth strategy and our mission to create meaningful work for clients. CDG’s competitive advantage of building brand strategy with deep consumer insights will add an enviable strength to Havas Group’s portfolio. I am delighted to welcome Thom and the team to the Havas Group Family.”

     

     

    Thom Newton

    Added Thom Newton, CEO, Conran Design Group: “I’m very excited about this partnership. India has vibrant creativity at its heart and rich design heritage. The forward-looking Indian consumer demands that global brands re-imagine their experiences and build a relevant local connection. This creates the perfect opportunity to test the impact that design-driven brand experiences can have to inspire, engage, and build long-term brand loyalty. We are confident that this joint-venture with Havas Group will help us become an even stronger identity and we look forward to a meaningful journey ahead, together.”

     

    Conran Design Group (CDG) is part of the Havas Group at a global level, as is Havas Group India.  The communique for CDG however mentions the entry is thanks to a joint venture. We have reached Havas Group India for a clarification on the same and will update this report when we hear from it.

     

  • The senior management team are part of Havas Media and Havas Creative

    Senior management at Havas go more senior

     

     

    Havas Group India has announced key elevations in its senior management team for Havas Media and Havas Creative.

     

    Uday Mohan, Managing Partner North & West, Havas Media will now be President, North & West. R Venkatasubramanian, National Head Buying, Havas Media will be President & National Head Investments. And Manas Lahiri, Managing Partner – North, Havas Creative has been elevated to President, North.

     

    Mohan and Venkat will continue to report to Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group India and Lahiri will report to Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India.

     

    Said Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India: “I am excited to announce well deserved key elevations from our Havas Group Senior Leadership team, that will further accelerate growth and enhance the value proposition of our organisation and take the agency to greater heights. 2020 has been a challenging yet a very satisfactory year for the agency in terms of clients, revenue, awards, and fame. I look forward to Uday, Manas and Venkat to soar higher and take us to even greater achievements, and targets.”

     

     

  • The mandate includes both offline and digital media duties

    Havas Media to deliver for Domino’s Pizza

    By A Correspondent

     

    Havas Media has bagged the integrated media duties for Domino’s Pizza operated by Jubilant FoodWorks Limited. The account has been assigned after multi-agency pitches and participation from the leading networks. The mandate won by Havas Media includes both offline and digital media duties.

     

    Pratik Pota

    Said Pratik Pota, CEO and Whole-time Director, Jubilant FoodWorks: “We are glad to have Havas Media on board as our media partner. We are confident that their expertise, market understanding and integrated offering will help us in driving the next phase of transformation and growth for Domino’s. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership”.

     

     

    Rana Barua

    Added Rana Barua, CEO, Havas Group India: “We are absolutely delighted to partner with a prestigious brand as Domino’s Pizza, which is one of the most loved pizza brands in the world. And looking forward to playing an integral role in charting out the next phase of growth. Whilst, the Food and Beverage industry as a whole has gone through extremely challenging time during the past few months during the pandemic, we are confident, we will be able to contribute to the brand’s growth with our holistic village model and integrated offering”.

     

    Mohit Joshi

    Said Mohit Joshi, CEO – Havas Media Group: “This win is a testament to our continued efforts of scaling our operations further in India and the expertise we bring to our clients. At Havas Media, we invest in media that matters and drive Media Experience (MX) that connects a client with their target audience. This unique data-driven and content powered approach is the bedrock of all our strategies. With this mandate, we look forward to further strengthening Domino’s Pizzas’ meaningful journey and adding an esteemed brand to our stellar list of existing clients”.

     

    The business will be handled out of the agency’s Gurugram office led by Uday Mohan – Managing Partner – North and West.

     

     

  • … to foster gender diversity and women leadership across all its group companies

    Havas launches ‘Women Who Inspire’ initiative

    By A Correspondent

     

    Havas Group India has kickstarted ‘Women who Inspire’, an initiative to foster gender diversity and women leadership. A core group has been formed which consists of members in senior roles, across the six Havas agencies. This core team will meet every alternate month to discuss key issues, opportunities, and changes relevant for the group as a whole and works towards recognising and celebrating the great work that women leaders do across the group.

     

    Said Rana Barua, Chief Executive Officer, Havas Group India: “Being diverse is all about enabling a culture that is conducive to freely express, share thoughts & perspectives. As we embark on this journey, we are excited about the potential cultural and mindset change that it can bring to the lives of women employees within Havas Group India. We see this as a step to bring about a huge transformation and one that will help us move in the direction of building a versatile workforce that is futuristic and aligned to the changing global world order and economy.”

     

    Added Vandana Tilwani, CHRO, Havas Group who is leading the initiative: “As we gear up for our next phase of (post-covid) growth at Havas, we have to adapt to a different way of working which involves merging of work and life, remote working and adapting to agile and flexible team structures. Becoming a gender-diverse organization, breaking of many fixed rules and taboos and thus encouraging more women leaders is not only important in creating a futuristic workplace, it is now a necessity in order to have a competitive advantage.”

     

    Members of the core committee:

    # Rana Barua, Chief Executive Officer, Havas Group India

    # Vandana Tilwani, Chief HR Officer, Havas Group India

    # Mohit Joshi, Chief Executive Officer, Havas Media Group India

    # Susan Josi, Managing Partner, Havas Life Sorento

    # Deepali Saini, Co-founder and Design Director, Think Design

    # Priyanka Mehra, Director Marketing and Communications, Havas Group India

    # Toral Shah, General Manager HR, Havas Group India

    # Sanchita Roy, Head – West, Havas Media

    # Geetika Thakur, Senior Vice President – Client Servicing, Havas Creative

    # Dr Rasika Bhat, Senior Manager Scientific Communications, Havas Life Sorento

    # Sreyashi Datta, Creative Director, Shobiz

    # Pavithra Eshwar, Head HR, Langoor Havas

     

     

  • …and its extensions. Also unveils #CommittedToPurity campaign

    Havas Creative bags mandate for Dabur Honey…

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dabur Honey has awarded its creative communication mandate to Havas Creative. As part of the mandate, Havas will be handling the creative duties for Dabur Honey and all its extensions. The account was won following a rigorous multi-agency pitch. The business will be managed out of the agency’s Delhi office.

     

    The agency kickstarts the brand’s journey with a TVC with the messaing of ‘Not every honey brand has the right to be called honey.’

     

    Said Kunal Sharma, Category Head, Dabur India: “We are excited to have Havas on board as our creative partner. Their understanding of our market and our consumers was impressive, and we found their work creatively very exciting. As we roll out our first communication with them, it further cements our decision.”

     

    Added Rana Barua, CEO, Havas Group India: “We are proud to have won the mandate for an iconic brand like Dabur Honey and all its extensions. This has been one of the biggest and most prestigious win for the agency this year. Winning the mandate makes this piece of communication even  more special. We look forward to further strengthening the brand’s legacy in the market”

     

    Talking about the new mandate being awarded to Havas Creative and the campaign, Ravinder Siwach, National Creative Director, Havas Creative said: “The idea behind the film was to build awareness around the topic of purity and to advise consumers to be more vigilant before they make a purchase.”

     

     

  • He will be responsible for driving the creative vision and strategy for the agency

    Havas Life Sorento appoints Sachin Talwalkar as ECD

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sachin Talwalkar
    Sangeeta Barde

    Sachin Talwalkar has been appointed as Executive Creative Director of Havas Life Sorento, the health and wellness communications agency from Havas Group India. In his role, Talwalkar will be responsible for driving the creative vision and strategy for Havas Life Sorento. He will be based in Mumbai office.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Sangeeta Barde, Managing Partner, Havas Life Sorento said: “Health & Wellness is recognized as one of the most significant sectors today. We are seeing transformations & innovations at an unprecedented rate. This changing face and pace opens opportunities to provide a fresh, innovative and creative perspective for brands and businesses. Sachin will lead the HLS creative team and work closely with Bobby Pawar to enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of our creative output. We are confident that Sachin’s vast experience & diverse expertise will bring desired value to our clients and Havas Life Sorento will continue to lead this transformation through its talent & rigor.”

     

     

  • This alliance is designed to ensure Havas optimises the full potential of OOH advertising as part of a cross-platform strategy

    Havas Media announces partnership with Tribes for OOH

    By A Correspondent

     

    Havas Media Group India has announced a strategic partnership with Tribes, the OOH, retail, and activation agency. This alliance is designed to ensure Havas optimises the full potential of OOH advertising as part of a cross-platform strategy.

     

    Said Rana Barua, Group CEO – Havas Group India: “During this transformative time for the OOH industry, our partnership with Tribes underscores our commitment to building long-term impactful relationships. This alliance fits in perfectly with our global operating system MX, which is providing our clients the tools to build more meaningful media experiences creatively and at scale.”

     

    Added Gour Gupta, CEO & MD, Tribes: “Tribes’ superior return on experience driven by technology and innovation has forged many long-term partnerships and a proven track record of client success in producing award-winning memorable campaigns. This partnership with Havas is yet another milestone and underscores our commitment to building long-term impactful relationships.”

     

    Said Mohit Joshi, MD – India, Havas Media Group: “Along with a pan- India presence, Tribes brings a rare blend of creativity with insights to help brands succeed with out-of-home media. Moreover, with the country gradually opening-up, and the festive season approaching, OOH and activation are slated to play a significant role in building media strategies for brands and it is the right time to invest in this space. We are delighted to partner with Tribes and look forward to transforming the OOH landscape leveraging their expertise to provide our entire spectrum of clients with advantage of integrated experiential solutions, which beautifully fits in with our village way of working”

     

     

  • The business was won following a multi-agency pitch in March

    Havas wins integrated mandate for Fortis Healthcare

    By A Correspondent

     

    In these uncertain times, news of account wins are not just welcome, but need a loud cheer. Havas Group India has informed that it has bagged the integrated communication mandate for Fortis Healthcare. It will provide its integrated village model comprising creative, media and healthcare.

     

    The business was won following a multi-agency pitch in March. The agency will be handling the Fortis Healthcare Corporate and network business. As part of the mandate, Havas will be responsible for the creative strategy and execution across all offline platforms and brand tonality, thematic guidance for online platforms.

     

    Said Jasrita Dhir, Head – Brand, Marketing & CSR, Fortis Healthcare: “We want to narrate our brand story from the patient’s lens in the most credible and humane way. Fortis’ endeavour is to showcase compelling stories of human triumph where the brand is an enabler, a meaningful participant rather than creating typical Advertising commercials. In this context, the Havas team demonstrated their strength and passion right through the pitch process convincing us that they are the right partners to execute our marketing communication mandate”

     

    Speaking on the win, Manas Lahiri, Managing Partner – North, Havas Gurgaon added: “We are very excited to have the opportunity to work with Fortis Healthcare, the leading integrated healthcare delivery service provider in India. This is a prestigious win for our agency, our “Better Together” strategy enables us to provide seamless and agile business solutions. We look forward to creating path-breaking work that makes a meaningful difference to the brand and further drive brand preference in India.”

     

     

  • Bassi takes charge as Chief Strategy Officer from Shivaji Dasgupta who left the organisation recently

    Neeraj Bassi joins Havas as CSO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neeraj Bassi.

    Havas Group India has announced the appointment of Neeraj Bassi as Chief Strategy Officer, effective immediately. Bassi takes charge as Chief Strategy Officer from Shivaji Dasgupta who left the organisation recently. He will report to Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India.

     

    Bassi moves from Publicis India, where he was Chief Strategy Officer & Managing Partner and leverages over two decades of varied experience, across categories. He has worked with some of the most reputed agencies like Ogilvy, Wunderman Thompson, McCann and renowned market research networks such as TNS, IMRB, NFO in India and overseas.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India, said: “Neeraj has been in the industry for over two decades and comes with rich experience and insights in handling strategic planning across brands and categories. He has a proven track record of building brands successfully and positioning them ahead of their competitors. His strategic inputs and a deep understanding of the consumer mindset will further help us to make a meaningful difference to brands and consumers.”

     

    Added Bobby Pawar, Group Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, Havas Group India: “Neeraj is a seasoned professional known for his deep strategic understanding of the brands. I am confident that his skillset, and experience will take Havas to new heights and will help us to build a stronger foundation for the agency’s future. I am delighted to welcome Neeraj to the group and look forward to working with him and adding value to our client’s portfolio”

     

    Said Bassi: “Our industry is in transition today, where consumer’s preferences and behaviours are evolving on a continuous basis and they are spending time engaging with a host of media platforms. In this dynamic context, the Havas Village way of working, is exactly what clients need. I am looking forward to working with the dynamic leadership at Havas and leveraging the true potential of the “Together” strategy, to drive growth of brands that we work on and to add value to our client’s business.”