MxMIndia

Tag: Rahul Mathew

  • Ghosh joins the agency from Hotstar

    Debashish Ghosh joins 22feet Tribal Worldwide as NCD

    By A Correspondent

     

    Debashish Ghosh

    22feet Tribal Worldwide has brought Debashish ‘Deba’ Ghosh on board as the National Creative Director. A multi-disciplinary creative and strategist, Ghosh joins the agency from Hotstar, where he was the head of XR Studio, exploring the future of storytelling and entertainment through the amalgamation of content and emerging technologies like AR/VR/AI.

     

    Rahul Mathew

    Welcoming him to the team, Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director, DDB Mudra Group said: “A lot of our rebuilding at the agency has been around people. And Deba is an essential step in this direction. He brings onboard a diverse set of experiences and a new way to do things. And at the same time is driven by the same values and hunger as all of us. I’m very excited to have him on board and am sure he’ll help us take 22feet to even greater heights.”

     

    Talking about joining 22feet Tribal Worldwide, Ghoshi added: “I am genuinely stoked to take on the mantle of building the next phase of the agency. And it is challenging; as the legacy of its first phase has set the bar quite high. I hope to generously leverage the full stack of expertise at the DDB network and place technology at the heart of what we do; which is to create meaningful products and cultural cache for the brands we partner with.

     

     

  • The new TVC conveys unwavering faith in the brand through gentle moments

    Johnson’s Baby reinforces its commitment towards baby care

    By A Correspondent

     

    Johnson’s Baby with its latest TVC featuring the association between a child and mother, and how a mother trusts in Johnson’s gentle products.

     

    Conceptualised by DDB Mudra Group the TVC is a cluster of sequences where a mother bonds with her baby by using a range of Johnson’s Baby products.

     

    Speaking about the new campaign, Manoj Gadgil, Vice President Marketing, Johnson & Johnson Consumer division, India said: “Johnson’s Baby products have been upholding the promise of trusted baby care through years. This campaign highlights a mother’s unwavering trust to choose the best for her baby. We at Johnson’s are committed to creating the gentlest baby products in the world and continue to invest in research, science and innovation to ensure we are at the forefront of baby care. Through this campaign we are reemphasizing our message of safety which is our number one priority.”

     

    Added Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director of DDB Mudra Group: “Johnson’s isn’t just a range of baby products, it’s actually a deep bond of trust between the mothers and the brand. We wanted the work to reflect just that and strengthen it even more.”

     

     

  • Marks the milestone with a new brand campaign ‘Yeh Hai Desh Ki Deewangi’

    Sony Max celebrates 20 years with a new communication message

    By A Correspondent

     

    To kickstart celebrations of completing 20 years of entertaining movie lovers in India, Sony Max has rolled out its latest TV campaign highlighting its brand essence ‘Deewana Bana De’.  The campaign celebrates the spirit of millions of cinema fans whose passion and enthusiasm for movies make them special and larger than life.

     

    The TVCs are conceptualised by DDB Mudra and shot by Footloose Films. To promote the campaign, the channel is engaging in a massive television plan across news, kids and regional channels for three weeks. The marketing plan also consists of a huge digital leg.

     

    Said Neeraj Vyas, Business Head, Sony SAB, PAL and Sony Max Movie Cluster: “I am thrilled that Sony Max which has been the undisputed leader, week on week for nearly three years, setting unparalleled standards in the industry, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. For two decades, our robust library of films, path-breaking concepts, trend-setting programming have made the channel a strong favorite. We take pride in our deep audience insights and our ability to keep abreast of the dynamic and evolving movie viewing patterns that have helped us stay ahead of the curve. On this truly momentous occasion, we reiterate our commitment to offering only best-in-class entertainment.”

     

    Added Vaishali Sharma, Head, Marketing & Communications, Sony Sab, Pal and Sony Max movie cluster added: “As Sony Max completes 20 years, we are extremely excited to present our viewers with the brand-new campaign that bring together our two memorable decades in ‘Yeh Hai Desh Ki Deewangi.’ Like Gullu Gulati, each one of us have grown up with the passion and madness for movies. He represents the heart of every Indian. With this milestone, we only promise to get better and bigger from here on while entertaining our audiences to their heart’s content.”

     

    Said Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director, DDB Mudra Group: “Indians and Hindi cinema are inseparable and when it comes to movies, it’s Sony Max. The clear brief given to us was to conceptualize a campaign for the channel which has been the epitome of Bollywood movies for past 2 decades now. To capture the essence of this stature we had to recreate the ‘Deewangi’ that represents the emotions of the entire nation. Hence, Gullu was born whose ‘Deewangi’ for movies and Sony Max resonates with every movie lover in India.”

     

     

  • The multimedia campaign earmarks the launch of Volkswagen’s special Cup Edition carlines

    Volkswagen supports Team India with its latest campaign, #GermanyCheersForIndia

    By A Correspondent

     

    Volkswagen India has launched a special Cup Edition for its carlines – Polo, Ameo and Vento.

     

    Conceptualised and executed by the DDB Mudra Group, supported by PHD India and MSL India, the multimedia campaign, notes a communique, has brought Germany and India together over the sport of cricket by bringing in German support for Team India.

     

    Speaking about the campaign, Bishwajeet Samal, Head of Marketing, Volkswagen Passenger Cars said: “World over, Volkswagen has a great commitment towards sports. It plays an integral part of our business as it unites performance, passion, inspiration, excitement and lastly emotion. As a German brand, it is great to witness the support that this campaign has received from Germany so far, with more and more people joining in the cheer. With Thomas Muller catalysing the #GermanyCheersForIndia movement, we aim to celebrate and bring together sportsman spirit all over.”

     

    Added Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director, DDB Mudra Group: “At a time when every brand would be doing their bit to support the Indian team, we needed to do something that would not only stand out but also had a strong Volkswagen connect. And what better way to do that than to use its German origins.  #GermanyCheersForIndia does the unthinkable – Thomas Mueller in a blue jersey pledging his support for India. The campaign has garnered unprecedented conversation for the brand. And has gotten cricket stars and fans applauding both Mueller and Volkswagen, for this gesture.”

     

  • The campaign has been conceptualized and created by the DDB Mudra Group

    Hotstar Premium celebrates spoilers for GoT Final Season

    By A Correspondent

     

    In the last GOT campaign, Hotstar Premium took the fight directly to torrents and this year the brand takes on the Spoilers. But instead of loathing spoilers, the campaign celebrates them through a film campaign by handing the power of spoilers in the hands of Hotstar Premium subscribers. The campaign is further amplified through out-of-home.

     

    Quoting on the campaign, Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director, DDB Mudra Group said: “For a manically followed show like Game of Thrones, spoilers as an idea is both insightful and creatively fertile. Then it was just a matter of bringing the idea to life in the most entertaining manner.”

     

    Quoting on the campaign, Sunder Balasubramanian, Head – Marketing, Hotstar Pay said: “The single-minded proposition to communicate was that this year the GOT fans in India could watch it live with the U.S. on Hotstar Premium. The creative idea of ‘the first to the throne owns the spoilers’ captured this thought simply, and stayed true to the language and milieu of the show.”

     

     

  • The channel adds impetus to its existing brand ethos 'Kuch filmo ka jadu kabhi kam nahi hota' by giving it an emotional touch

    Sony Max2 unveils latest campaign cherishing human relationships

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sony MAX2, the second Hindi movie channel from Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), rolled out its new TV campaign highlighting its brand creddo, ‘Kuch filmon ka jadu kabhi kam nahi hota’. It is conceptualised by DDB Mudra.

     

    Said Vaishali Sharma, Senior VP Marketing and Communications, Sony Max and Max2:“Max2 as a brand has always celebrated human emotions and relationships. In the over- cluttered Hindi movie genre, we want to continue to differentiate our brand positioning – ‘Kuch filmo ka jadu kabhi kam nahi hota’- through our TVC.  A few films have had an impact on us and still continue to touch our lives in more ways than one Sony Max2’s rich heritage inspires the beautiful equation shared by the father and son in the TVC. Cherishing human relationships, the TVC conveys the message that the memories of some movies run parallel to human emotions.”

     

    Added Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director – DDB Mudra added: “There’s something about a good story. It stays with you and becomes a big part of your memory. Quite like the films of yesteryears. And with the ‘YaadRahega’ campaign weÂ’ve always tried to tell stories that stay with you.”

     

     

  • Positions their debutant ‘Diabetes care' variant as the 'Australian that helps control blood sugar'

    Wagga Wagga unveils inaugural brand campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Following a multi- agency pitch, DDB Mudra West has bagged the branding and communications services for Wagga Wagga cooking oil. The account is being led by the agency’s Mumbai office and is spearheaded by Shally Mukherjee, Senior Vice President & Business Partner, DDB Mudra West.

     

    Speaking on the account win, Rajiv Sabnis, Executive Director, DDB Mudra Group & Managing Partner, DDB Mudra West said:“This is an interesting edible oil range being launched in the health space. Health & Wellness is becoming an increasingly relevant and future-focused space in India. With the specialized diabetes care oil being launched to begin with. Wagga Wagga promises to create a differentiated, quality offering to Indian consumers. It will be an exciting challenge to establish Wagga Wagga in a highly competitive and price-sensitive market. We look forward to the opportunity to partner this brand.”

     

    Added Sujay Naik, Project Director, Agro Global Resources Pvt. Ltd: “With a brand name like Wagga Wagga Diabetes Care Oil, you pretty much get the idea what the product is all about. This makes life simple for the consumer – but for the marketer is also a challenge. We didn’t want the brand to come across as medicinal or being exclusively for the diabetic patients. We didn’t want it to be preachy or prescriptive. Plus the brand and product have multiple differentiators, we wanted to do justice to all of them without diluting the core proposition. The biggest challenge is creating communication which consumers will actually register, rather than the paint-by-the-numbers approach which is so prevalent, and so happily ignored by consumers.The DDB team worked hard in understanding the consumer and crafting an insight, to building an endearing story around it. The resulting communication strategy is distinct, with an engaging story which consumers enjoy watching.  It has been an absolutely fruitful association with the team, and we look forward to seeing what Lucy does from here.”

     

    Said Rahul Mathew, National Creative Director, DDB Mudra Group on the campaign: “There is an incredible source story that Wagga Wagga can boast of. Along with the health benefits of it being a diabetes management oil. We wanted to make sure we communicate all of that in an interesting manner. And Lucy was the marriage of all our intents.”

     

  • Yes, it will be one soon with Sonal Dabral announcing his departure, and Rahul Mathew and Brijesh Jacob taking on the creative mantle + quick chat with Sonal Dabral

    An all-new top deck at DDB Mudra…

     

    By A Correspondent

    Starting tomorrow, July 1, the offices of the DDB Mudra Group will have an all-new top deck. The process began on April 1, when Vineet Gupta, earlier the Chief Digital Officer was appointed as Group CEO (Designate) and Aditya Kanthy, earlier Chief Strategy Officer was appointed Group Managing Director (Designate). Effective tomorrow,  Gupta and Kanthy will formally take over as Group CEO and Group Managing Director respectively. Giving them company will be a new National Creative Director in Rahul Mathew and Brijesh Jacob as Chief Creative Technologist. Jacob will continue to be Joint Managing Director at 22feet Tribal Worldwide. Meanwhile, Madhukar Kamath will stay on as Executive Chairman till December 31 and Sonal Dabral will continue to be Chairman and Chief Content Officer till September 30.

     

    I still think I am 28: Sonal DabralSonal Dabral

    So what precipitated Sonal Dabral’s decision to move on from the DDB Mudra group? After all, he has been – other than Madhukar Kamath – the face of the agency, and a very celebrated creative person in the Indian advertising industry.

    Just recently present in at least two international award events, Dabral is one of the few Indian creative honchos who has had a long leadership experience at an international level. His past has seen him hosting television shows, and his interests include film direction and the finer things in advertising, honed as they have been at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad.

    Late on Thursday, Dabral had tweeted to a contact: “Bravo! Live your dream…” So when MxMIndia spoke with Dabral hours after the story was officially out, we asked whether we could say the same to him now. He said it’s been in the offing for a while has been “thinking about it for some time”.

    Dabral is tightlipped about his plans post September and will announce them in a fortnight to a month – perhaps sooner. We then asked him the sensitive question: did the entry of the new regime at DDB Mudra lead him to quitting the group. The fact that they are much younger than him, with lesser experience and of course there’s a change of guard in the agency with Madhukar Kamath also moving on? “The new team is excellent and I have worked very closely with them – both Adithya and Vineet.” It’s got nothing to do with their taking on larger roles, he said. And when we asked the same question in a different way, he pointed to being not being fazed by these things. “I still think I am 28!”

    A mail sent to all DDB Mudra employees on Friday (today) records Dabral’s contribution to shaping the group and “bringing it to where it currently stands”, adding: “His humility and passion reflects in the work we do…. I don’t think we can thank him enough.” The next line in the mail refers to the transition: “He has been fully invested in this decision and I have no doubt that he will provide all the guidance and support…”

    Whatever be the reasons for the parting of ways, both Dabral and the rest of the DDB Mudra dispensation have ensured it’ll be smooth and happy.

    Meanwhile, what will Agra boy Sonal Dabral do next? There are some who do know what it’s gonna be. We don’t. Now will be do an ‘agracadabra’, as is Twitter handle? Watch this space.

     

     

    The fresh change  has happened with Sonal Dabral, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, DDB Mudra Group, announcing a transition in the group’s creative leadership.  To facilitate a seamless transition, both Jacob and Mathew will be working closely with Dabral until end September 2017, after which he will pass the baton. It may be recalled as per the earlier announcement, Kamath will continue to work closely with Gupta and Kanthy as Executive Chairman of the DDB Mudra Group till end December, 2017.

    Both Mathew and Jacob will jointly lead the overall creative product of the Group and will report to Gupta.

    In his new role, Mathew will be responsible for the creative product of the DDB Mudra West while Jacob will be responsible for the creative mandate of the DDB Mudra North, DDB Mudra South, DDB MudraMax (Media, OOH and Experiential) and 22feet Tribal Worldwide. As mentioned earlier, this will be in addition to Jacob’s existing role as the Joint Managing Director, 22feet Tribal Worldwide.

    Speaking on the transition, Sonal Dabral said in a statement: “I have enjoyed my five years in the DDB Mudra Group, working with a great young team here. I’m happy that in the past few years, we were able to put together a strong creative team with able leaders in all the different entities and offices of the Group. As I move on from the DDB Mudra Group to different creative challenges, I’m excited to announce that Rahul Mathew and Brijesh Jacob will now take on the mantle of leading the creative at the Group. Both Rahul and Brij are very experienced creative leaders and will make a strong combination to lead the Group. Where Rahul brings his storytelling and advertising experience to the table, Brij’s experience with technology and new media, which comes from him leading 22feet Tribal Worldwide for over a decade; makes them a strong combination for any client’s business. I will work closely with both of them over the next few months, to ensure a smooth transition. I wish Rahul, Brij and DDB Mudra Group all the very best.”

    Dabral had joined DDB Mudra with much fanfare in March 2012.

    A little about Mathew: He joined DDB Mudra West in 2014 as the Creative Head. Since then, he has worked closely with Dabral and Rajiv Sabnis, Managing Partner, DDB Mudra West to innovate the agency’s product and to create work for the agency’s diverse client roster including brands like Big Bazaar, Century Ply, Godrej, Lipton, Johnson and Johnson, Volkswagen and Symphony to name a few

    And about Jacob: He started with Rediffusion Y&R and after being ECD at Grey, in 2009 he co-founded 22feet, which was later acquired by DDB Mudra.

     

  • The TVC promotes the fact that health and taste can co- exist with its tagline 'Aap happy, aapki health happy'

    Nutralite set to bring #KhaneMeinTwist with new campaign by DDB Mudra West

    By A Correspondent

     

    Nutralite has been championing the cause of healthy table spreads since its launch in 2006. With the introduction of two new variants, the brand entrusted DDB Mudra West to craft a campaign to create awareness and excitement about the two new variants, amongst the potential consumer base basis the emotional benefits of Nutralite.

     

    Said Tarun Arora, COO & Director, Zydus Wellness: “With addition of two new exciting flavours in the Nutralite range, we wanted to establish that healthy can be tasty too. We want to make Nutralite the preferred choice of today’s ‘smart home-maker’ who is proactive, creative & experimental and works towards developing her skills to minimize the daily struggles of cooking a variety of dishes while keeping them healthy.”

     

    Added Rahul Mathew, Creative Head, DDB Mudra West: “We’re a nation of food lovers. So much so that, food can make or spoil our moods. Which is the dilemma the woman of the house faces, each time she decides to introduce some health into the family diet. Even more so, when it’s the first meal of the day. Our work captures this helplessness of her. With Nutralite being the happy common ground for both the foodie and the health conscious.”

     

  • As a creative partner to Volkswagen, DDB Mudra West's intent for the campaign was to introduce the Polo GT's brand new avatar – the Polo GT Sport to India

    Volkswagen unveils the new Polo GT with a campaign by DDB Mudra West

    By A Correspondent

     

    Volkswagen recently launched the limited edition of the popular carline Polo GT – The Polo GT Sport. And also a new campaign by creative partner DDB Mudra West. The  intent for the campaign was to introduce the GT Sport to India.

     

    Kamal Basu

    Keeping the ongoing theme of ‘Respect’ intact, DDB Mudra West decided to play on the makeover of the Polo GT Sport.

     

    Said Kamal Basu, Head – Marketing & PR, Volkswagen Passenger Cars: The Polo GT has been an integral part of the Volkswagen portfolio in India and we recently strengthened the proposition with the introduction of the Sport edition. Retaining the legacy of ‘Respect’, the new TVC seamlessly demonstrates the powerful product attributes that conveys a strong and bold message.”

     

    Rahul Mathew

    Added Rahul Mathew, Creative Head, DDB Mudra West: “You don’t even have to go through the specs to see that the Polo GT Sport packs a serious attitude. It’s this attitude we wanted to capture in our communication. And what better way to bring attitude to life than through some good ol’ rivalry.”

     

  • The brand creates unique, live half-autobiographies; inspiring women entrepreneurs to follow and fulfil their dream

    Season 3 of Inorbit Pink Power launched

    By A Correspondent

     

    Inorbit Mall and DDB Mudra West have come together to unveil Inorbit Pink Power, a chance for 15 small women entrepreneurs to launch their start-up with free retail space at Inorbit malls across the country.

     

    The initiative was launched through a web film in which three budding women entrepreneurs were called for what they believed was a TV interview. To their surprise, their stories were transcribed in real time and made into their half-autobiographies. It was a call to them and all the other women entrepreneurs out there to write their next chapters with Inorbit Pink Power.

     

    In addition to retail space, winners will be offered a starter-pack that’s every businesswomen’s dream. Tie-ups with banks for loans at just a 3 per cent interest rate. Mentorship by India’s top retail gurus. And a chance to partner with some of Inorbit’s biggest brands.

     

    According to Puneet Verma, AVP – Marketing & Corporate Communications, Inorbit Malls, “Pink Power Season 3 has arrived! It is time to salute the spirit of womanhood. Every woman has an entrepreneur in her, it is just that she needs a platform for growing her business. Pink Power season 3 has much more to offer in addition to free retail space for the winners.”

     

    Speaking on the initiative, Rahul Mathew, Creative Head, DDB Mudra West said: “It’s no secret that women are the more enterprising gender. And yet, we don’t hear of enough women entrepreneurs. But that’s not because they aren’t out there. There are many women entrepreneurs, running businesses of various kinds. However, they themselves don’t believe that these small businesses hold the potential to be anything bigger. Through Pink Power, we wanted to help them believe that these businesses are just one chapter of their entrepreneurial stories. That they have the potential to add many more chapters to their story. And Inorbit would help them do that, with not just retail space but business acumen as well.”

     

  • The film is conceptualized by DDB Mudra West

    Symphony air coolers combat soaring temperatures in latest campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Symphony is a leading air cooler brand and taking the intense competition into consideration, DDB Mudra West aimed to consolidate Symphony’s leadership by equating coolers with Symphony.

     

    Said Rajesh Mishra, Head- Marketing, Symphony Limited: “As pioneers of air cooling in India and as a world leader in the field today, we felt our communication stance needed to be large enough to reflect our vantage point. And nothing gets bigger than the Sun’s unusually high temperature spikes every summer, as a brand fight for Symphony, from which we effortlessly provide the best cooling relief with our range of innovative coolers.”

     

    Commenting on the campaign, Rahul Mathew, Creative Head, DDB Mudra West said: “No one understands cooling or has revolutionised it the way Symphony has. And that’s the main reason why they’re the market leaders. That’s why, in our brand campaign we wanted to capture the difference Symphony makes in the lives of their customers. Which is more than just cooling; but saving them from the wrath of the summer sun. And so, we decided to use the wrath of the sun as the idea itself. By capturing humorous instances that would make the sun lose its non-existential cool and making the earth suffer. With Symphony being the only way to save one’s self from the sun’s scathing anger.”