MxMIndia

Tag: Publicis Communications

  • The former Publicis Communications boss has now set up Wondrlab, a 'platform-first' martech firm. He speaks with MxMIndia on his plans, philosophy and promises to reveal more… soon

    MxM Live with Saurabh Varma, Wondrlab

     

    Saurabh Varma’s exit from the Publicis Groupe In December 2019 was much discussed. But what was never really debated was the great value and out-of-the-box thinking that he brought into Leo Burnett.

     

    After 329 days of moving out from Publicis Communications, Saurabh Varma set up Wondrlab with former colleagues Vandana Verma and Rakesh Hinduja. Wondrlab is being billed as India’s largest platform-first martech firm and will have three key verticals – Content, Experience and Digital business transformation.

     

    In a 25-odd-minute interview with MxMIndia founder and editor-in-chief Pradyuman Maheshwari, Saurabh Varma talks about the thinking behind Wondrlab and the concept of a “platform-first martech” firm. Of course he promises to reveal more in the days to come – four weeks to 18 months. Sigh.

     

    Watch. Enjoy. Like.

     

  • We saw this para at the end of the release and thought it must be pulled out for special attention

    Regular churn. Sections of media trying to sensationalise routine moves: Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis S Asia

    By A Correspondent

     

    It was a communique announcing the exit of Digitas CEO Amaresh Godbole, and we saw this para at the end of the release and thought it must be pulled out for special attention. It carries a quote by Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Groupe South Asian on “the recent exits”.

     

    Now there have been murmurs about some senior executives quitting the Publicis Communications part of the Publicis Groupe after the dramatic exit of former CEO Saurabh Varma.

     

    Varma has since announced that he will be venturing on his own. Independently, we have heard of a few messages sent to a few advertisers of the setting up of a new advertising agency with some honchos of an advertising network and that they (the advertisers) should consider moving their business to this new agency. We haven’t seen the messages ourselves but suffice to say that we have had very senior industry folk telling us about it.

     

    So here’s what Acharya has said in the press release: “There is a regular churn which is there in all organisations as talent seeks newer experiences – we have seen enough cases even in recent times where people move from advertising to start-ups, from media to marketing, from broadcasting to platform companies and such. And some of course to competition. That’s the nature of the market today. It’s unfortunate that some sections of media are trying to sensationalise routine moves. We continue to do great work, stay focussed, deliver on all fronts.”

     

    Sections of the media sensationalising? Hmm. It’s not a sweeping statement on all media, but we think it’s incorrect to damn the media – section or otherwise – in one brush and in an official statement. The Publicis Groupe should know that if the media – MxMIndia included – had chosen to truly sensationalise developments in the conglomerate, it could have. Perhaps the ‘Groupe’ should speak up on the various allegations that are floating around in the marketplace. We are surprised that the Publicis Groupe – which has a leading communications agency like MSLGroup as its part and some seasoned hands on its rolls – could go on record damning “some sections” of the media.

     

     

  • Jimani joins Indigo from Cheil Worldwide, where he was Creative Director

    Indigo brings in Tharun James Jimani as Senior CD

    By A Correspondent

     

    Tharun James Jimani

    Publicis Communications’ Indigo Consulting has appointed Tharun James Jimani as Senior Creative Director. He will be based in Indigo’s Gurugram office and will report to Prasanna Kulkarni, Head of Creative.

     

    In his new mandate, Jimani will lead the creative function for Indigo’s existing and new clients in the Gurgaon office. He will work very closely with the teams across offices to drive business impact through innovative, data-led communication solutions.

     

    Prasanna Kulkarni

    Speaking about the appointment, Kulkarni said: “Indigo Consulting’s Gurgaon operations have grown significantly especially in the last few months, and we want to make the best use of this momentum. We constantly add new brands to our growing portfolio, and this warranted an expansion of the creative leadership team. Tharun’s appointment comes at the perfect time, especially given his impressive experience across brands and categories.”

     

    Jimani joins Indigo from Cheil Worldwide, where he was Creative Director. Speaking about his new role, he said: “Indigo Consulting is one of the true forward-looking digital communication and business transformation companies in the industry today. It walks the integration talk with the Power of One philosophy, and is constantly looking to make clients business-ready for the future. I look forward to contributing with effective creative ideas for clients through my new role.”

     

     

  • Meanwhile, Publicis Worldwide has issued a statement that it has finalised Pawar’s replacement and will be announcing the key appointment soon

    Bobby Pawar exits Publicis. To join Havas as Chairman & CCO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Had it been another day, it would have made way for the Big Story. But, then, Bobby Pawar would agree, the merger of J Walter Thompson with Wunderman calls for the top slot in our newsdeck.

     

    But the move is a clear indicator that the Havas group intends to boost its play in India. In early October, Havas appointed Rana Barua as Group CEO. Now Pawar has been appointed Chairman and Chief Creative Officer. Notes a communique: “The appointment is in sync with an aggressive growth strategy that will further integrate the management structure of Havas Group’s India operations to create a simple, unified and client-centric organization in line with the Group’s “Together” strategy.” Also, in October, Havas announced the elevation of Anita Nayyar as CEO of Havas Media Southeast in addition to her role as CEO of Havas Media India.

     

    Pawar will report to Vishnu Mohan, Chairman & CEO of Havas Group, India & Southeast Asia, and work closely with existing leadership teams, including recently-appointed Havas Group India CEO – Rana Barua. The appointment is effective in January 2019. Nayyar, as per the October 23 communique, will also report to Mohan.

     

    Pawar joins Havas Group from Publicis Worldwide where he is Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer for South Asia. Publicis has confirmed the development and informed the media that Pawar, will be moving on from the agency after a five-year stint, and will leaved after serving his notice period which ends in January 2019.

     

    Said Saurabh Varma, CEO, Publicis Communications, India & South Asia: “Over the last five years, Bobby has played a key role in transforming the creative output of Publicis Worldwide India. Under Bobby’s leadership we’ve created some truly fabulous work for our clients. We’ve enjoyed working with Bobby and will miss his sense of humour and the raw energy he brings with him. We wish him the best of luck for his future.”

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Mohan said: “Collectively, as a network, we are focused on providing clients with great work by investing in the best talent. We hire for the future, not the past and we believe that Bobby is a timely and critical hire for Havas Group. Bobby’s work has made him one of the most awarded Indian creatives in the industry and he is known for transforming agency culture and reputation on the strength and quality of the creative product.  Additionally, his experience across traditional, digital, experiential, and media agencies will bolster our overall integrated product. Bobby’s appointment will fuel our ambition for India and herald a new chapter of success and I am delighted to welcome him to the team.”

     

    “It’s a great time to be in the advertising industry as data and technology has added depth and breadth to the creative product. Havas Group provides the perfect platform to reinvent our industry by blending the best of both worlds: relentless creativity and smart media accountability. Additionally, by being a part of Vivendi, Havas Group has a huge opportunity to make tangible in-roads into the entertainment industry. The prospect of leveraging the assets of Universal Music, Dailymotion, Gameloft (Vivendi companies) to solve a business problem is extremely exciting and I am delighted at the opportunity and looking forward to my new role,” added Pawar.  On his exit from Publicis Worldwide, Pawar added: ““I’ve had a blast working with Saurabh, Srija and the incredible creative talent as Publicis Worldwide India. But as they say, all good things do come to an end. I’m the kind of person who has always been excited about trying new things and broadening my horizons, and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing. I am fully confident that Publicis will continue to rise and make stellar work for its clients. I would like to thank the Groupe for the great memories and work we’ve created over the years.”

     

     

  • Sanjeev joins in from Publicis where he was the Senior Vice President

    Aspire Cerebro appoints Sanjeev Chopra as CEO of its India business

    By A Correspondent

     

    Aspire Cerebro, a leading independent healthcare brand strategy and creative agency, has announced the appointment of Sanjeev Chopra as its Chief Executive Officer.

     

    Chopra joins Aspire Cerebro from Publicis Communications where he was a Senior Vice President and had a decade long stint.

     

    Said Amit Bhagchandani, Founder and Mentor, Aspire Cerebro: “I am excited to have Sanjeev to take on the responsibility of fulfilling the expectations of our clients in Healthcare Advertising. This is not an easy job and I thank him for taking this on as this gives Rajeev and me, some room to think what’s next for our clients and our committed team in global markets. Sanjeev will bring in broader advertising experience which adds up to current understanding of our healthcare landscape.’

     

     

  • The Centre brings together capabilities and skills of teams at Sapient Razorfish, DigitasLBi and Indigo Consulting

    Publicis Communications sets up customer experience centre

    By A Correspondent

     

    Publicis Communications has announced the launch of its customer experience centre of excellence in India. Three Publicis Communications agencies – Sapient Razorfish, DigitasLBi and Indigo Consulting – have come together to consolidate their top-end user experience and user interface capabilities to form the experience centre.

     

    The centre will be led by Hemant Bhagia, Customer Experience Director at Sapient Razorfish. Speaking about the new development, Himani Kapadia, CEO – India, Sapient Razorfish and DigitasLBi said: “This strategic shift is in line with our vision of creating client-focused best-in-class solutions. It made sense to create connections between our immense ‘for India’ and ‘from India’ CX capabilities spread across brands, so that the sum of the parts is greater than the whole. Each brand will continue to have teams under their roof, thus ensuring insulation for clients, while being part of a platform that gives them access to thought leadership, best practices, talent and infrastructure to deliver new age experience solutions.”

     

    Added Rajesh Ghatge, CEO, Indigo Consulting: “The voice of the customer is demanding best-in-class, best-in-category, immersive CX solutions. This ask can only be addressed by getting in the best talent that is supported by distilled insights and collective experience. The centre is aimed to build a competence in UX and UI, in depth and scale, which is unmatched in the country. The benefit to our clients is going to be immense, helping them win bigger and win faster in the marketplace.”

     

     

  • The agency will manage the brand’s entire digital and social media mandate

    Indigo Consulting bags Garnier India’s digital portfolio

    By A Correspondent

    Publicis Communications’ specialised digital agency, Indigo Consulting, has won the digital duties for L’Oreal India’s personal care brand, Garnier India. The agency will look after the digital and social media mandate for the brand. The account will be handled out of the agency’s Mumbai office, and was won after a multi-agency pitch.

    Pankaj Sharma

    Speaking about bringing Indigo Consulting on board as its digital agency, Pankaj Sharma, General Manager, Garnier India said: “The team at Indigo displayed an indepth understanding of how to make our brands relevant on social media. This, coupled with their consumer-centric approach and their data-driven insights made us believe that they are the right partner for us. I am sure they will help us become the most loved beauty brand in India.”

    Rajesh Ghatge

    Added Rajesh Ghatge, CEO, Indigo Consulting: “We are glad to be working with Garnier to lead this digital evolution through meaningful content and deep engagement. Today, the burden of behaviour change is almost entirely on the traditional TV commercial. But at Indigo Consulting, we will make an impact by leveraging our ‘Play’ platform. Play uses data across social and other channels to create result-oriented experiences for the brand on digital. I look forward to our team creating some fantastic digital acts for this exciting brand.”

     

     

  • He will report to Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director, Publicis Worldwide India

    Paritosh Srivastava named COO of Publicis Beehive

    By A Correspondent

     

    Publicis Communications has announced the appointment of Paritosh Srivastava as the COO of Publicis Beehive. Srivastava steps into the role in place of Sanjit Shastri, who passed away in September 2017.The appointment is effective immediately.

     

    Srivastava will take over the reins of the agency apart from continuing to lead Publicis Ambience as its COO. He will report to Srija Chatterjee, Managing Director, Publicis Worldwide India.

     

    Publicis Beehive is the advertising agency under Publicis Worldwide, India and is focused on serving startups and entrepreneurial ventures, and manages media buying, creative, PR and activation to drive growth for clients. Some of the clients it serves include Games24x7, Stovekraft, Xseed Education, e-Seva (MoPNG), UBS, MAAC, Tourism Malaysia, DSK Benelli, UIDAI, Pitaara Namkeen, Chambor Cosmetics, Sangeetha Mobiles among others.

     

    Commenting on the appointment, Srija Chatterjee said: “Publicis Beehive is what it is because of the relentless drive by Sanjit Shastri, whose untimely demise shocked one and all. Luckily, he has placed the agency on a pedestal that compares it to some of the best in the country. We are excited to have Paritosh Srivastava take over the reins and bring in his dynamism, astute business sense and ability to connect well with clients to drive the next phase of growth for the agency. I wish him all the luck for the role ahead.”

     

    Commenting on his additional role within Publicis Worldwide, Srivastava added: “I’m honoured to be given the mandate of leading Publicis Beehive. Unfortunately, the void left by my friend Sanjit Shastri is too big to be filled but I’m glad to be stepping in and look forward to further building on the legacy. Beehive is uniquely positioned in the market with its integrated offering and I see a huge potential for it in current business scenario. We have a solid team at Beehive and can expect some great momentum on both new business and work in the months to come.”

     

     

  • Publicis Communications has announced the merger of digital experiential arm, Solutions, with Arc Worldwide

    Publicis creates a bigger Arc with Solutions

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    In a consolidation of its experiential marketing play, Publicis Communications has announced the merger of its in-house technology-enabled experiential arm, Solutions, with its brand activation and experiential shopper agency, Arc Worldwide. The merger is effective immediately.

     

    The entire Solutions team and its roster of clients will now come under the Arc umbrella. The newly merged entity will be called Arc Worldwide, and will be headed by Vandana Verma, Executive Vice President and India Head at Arc.

     

    The merged entity can now create deep impact in over 100 Indian towns and metros, further delivering on Arc’s ‘Irresistible Commerce’ philosophy, notes a communique.

     

    Saurabh Varma

    Speaking about the merger, Saurabh Varma, CEO, Publicis Communications India and Leo Burnett, South Asia said: “By merging the two entities, Arc can leverage their combined expertise in ways that are unprecedented for the industry. The merger of Solutions with Arc will create even more momentum for Arc’s trajectory in India. Arc has deep capabilities across the entire experience landscape. With Solutions, we will create meaningful value exchange straddling the entire shopping experience for greater impact on our clients’ businesses. The merger is in perfectly in line with our ‘Power of One’ strategy.”

     

     

    Vandana Verma

    Speaking about her vision for Arc Worldwide, Vandana Verma, Executive Vice President and India Head, Arc Worldwide said: “Arc is focused on creating meaningful connected experiences. In India, Arc is a key platform within Publicis Communications. Solutions will add immense value to Arc through its expertise across technology-enabled solutions, paperless retail audits, merchandising and real time consumer feedback, among others. The merger will now help us lead experiential planning, data-driven shopper insights, and mobile-tracking and analytics-led initiatives designed to help our clients reach empowered consumers.”

     

    Virender Sharma

    Added Virender Sharma, COO – Solutions: “Arc’s superb experiential and shopper marketing capabilities, combined with Solutions’ superior technology-led approach will prove valuable for clients in this market. The merger with Arc means unparalleled access to all clients in the Publicis Communications portfolio. I look forward to seamlessly integrating ideas and solutions that will grow our clients’ businesses. We are happy to see the coming together of Arc Worldwide and Solutions at our new Big Apple office in Gurugram.”

     

    Arc Worldwide is the shopper marketing agency within the Publicis Groupe and is headquartered in Chicago. It works with some of the brands including Procter & Gamble, MillerCoors, Intel, Bridgestone, Kraft-Heinz, Alcon, Coca-Cola and Walmart.

     

     

  • Tekwani has worked on a multitude of leading brands such as Shoppers Stop, UTI Mutual Funds, HotStar, Truly Madly and Star Sports, among several others

    Indigo Consulting appoints Prashant Tekwani as VP – Client Services

    By A Correspondent

     

    Indigo Consulting, Publicis Communications’ digital agency, has announced the appointment of Prashant Tekwani as Vice President – Client Services. Tekwani will report to Rajesh Ghatge, Chief Executive Officer at Indigo Consulting, and will be based in the agency’s Gurugram office. His appointment comes close on the heels of Indigo Consulting hiring Jose Leon as President.

     

    Rajesh Ghatge

    Welcoming Tekwani on board, Rajesh Ghatge said, “Prashant’s appointment supports the infusion of new talent across key levels at Indigo Consulting, across all the offices. His strategic approach towards business development, coupled with his drive and passion to lead digital communication and large scale social retainers, makes us confident that we have the right person for the job. We are eager to have him on board to drive growth for Indigo Consulting, and become digital partners to key brands in the north and east markets.”

     

    Prashant Tekwani

    Speaking about his new mandate, Tekwani said: “Indigo Consulting is one of the fastest-growing digital agencies, providing world-class digital transformation and communications solutions to some of the leading brands in India. Just this stellar pedigree was a big enough reason for me to take up the role I was offered. Indigo’s inherent data-led, strategic approach to brands, and the passionate, dynamic team made me certain that it is just beginning to reach its massive potential, despite the vast body of work already behind it.”

  • The quirky TVCs in the campaign take a subtle dig at SUVs and other car owners

    Publicis Communications goes quirky to promote Skoda Octavia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Skoda Auto India has released an integrated campaign for the launch of the new Skoda Octavia. The car is positioned as ‘Tough meets Smart’ which came from the insight that consumers choose SUVs for their macho imagery, even if they lack substance and features. The quirky TVCs in the campaign take a subtle dig at SUVs and other car owners.

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Bobby Pawar, MD & CCO, Publicis South Asia said:“We went for the tongue-in-cheek ‘Simply Clever’ way to not only talk about the first-in-segment features of new Octavia but also create its desirability amongst SUV and entry level luxury car intenders. In the clutter of product-led automobile advertising, we took slice-of-life situations and conveyed the brand message in a simple and humorous way.”

     

    Added Paritosh Srivastava, Chief Operating Officer, Publicis Communication: “The segment in which Octavia operates was shrinking due to the advent of compact SUVs and small cars from Luxury brands. Octavia has been the segment leader and with new features and design language that can any sedan or SUV head-on. We are confident that this campaign will grow the nos for Octavia disproportionately by acquiring the shares from large segment of compact SUV and entry level luxury offerings as well.”

     

    Said Tarun Jha, Head of Marketing and Product, Skoda Auto India: “Skokda Octavia’s popularity has grown with every new launch. The new Octavia, has undergone a complete revamp in terms of design and features. We wanted to challenge the status quo and set the new benchmarks for the segment.

     

  • The shopper marketing and activations agency will now work with all Publicis Communications agencies in India

    Arc Worldwide is back, bigger

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    Ten years after it made its first appearance in India, Publicis Communications has announced the launch of Arc Worldwide, Publicis Groupe’s brand activation and experiential shopper agency in the country. Unlike the past where it was essentially a Leo Burnett arm, Arc will work closely with all Publicis Communications India agencies – The Leo Group, Publicis Worldwide (including Marcel), Publicis Beehive, L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, and MSLGroup.

     

    Arc Worldwide specialises in creating shopper interactions with brands. It will provide clients with the same core expertise through acts and activations, events, exhibitions, shopper and rural marketing and retail design across metros and smaller towns and cities.Leo Burnett India’s below-the-line and experiential arm, Leo Burnett Experience, will now merge into Arc Worldwide. VandanaVerma, Executive Vice President at Leo Burnett Experience, will head the new entity.

     

    Saurabh Varma

    Speaking about the launch of Arc Worldwide, Saurabh Varma, Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Communications India, and Leo Burnett South Asia, said: “Arc Worldwide is a critical piece in our ambition for Publicis Communications in India. Arc will create more momentum for our ‘Power of One’ platform. With Arc Worldwide we hope to create meaningful ACTS for our clients using data and technology.”

     

    Added Bob Raidt, Global President, Arc Worldwide: “Arc’s rapid growth is a testament to the agency’s strengths and capabilities. Our expansion to India, and merging with Leo Burnett Experience, will benefit our clients even further. This expansion, coupled with the power of all Publicis Communications India agencies, ensures that Arc can continue to stay at the forefront of the industry.”

     

    Vandana Verma

    Looking forward to leading the new division, Vandana Verma, Executive Vice President at Arc Worldwide said: “Arc Worldwide is one of the biggest brand activation and experiential agencies in the world, and I’m excited about the possibilities the India launch holds for us. People and their behaviour are the key pillars for Arc to create effective and meaningful brand activations. We create programmes that inspire consumers to connect with brands in new ways. Our proprietary tools uncover unique insights into consumer needs and help create measurable actions that have a dynamic effect on our clients’ business. I believe the solutions we can create for clients across Publicis Communications will remain unmatched.”

     

    Arc Worldwide currently employs over 2,000 employees in over 37 countries, working with 400 of the world’s biggest brands, and in India takes off with several brands in the kitty already. These include Nissan, Huawei, Bacardi, Vodafone, ITC Foods, P&G, FCA, Bajaj, Cipla, Amazon, Viacom18, Netflix, Haagen Dazs, Color Plus and State Bank of India.

     

    When it launched in 2007, Arc Worldwide was headed by CVS ‘Venke’ Sharma. Later, around 2012, the focus faded away and also Leo Burnett acquired Indigo Consulting.