Times Power of Print throws down the gauntlet to ad agencies
The work calls for entries for campaigns that will get more voters to the booths.
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BBC splits its India operations
Following a series of tax raids in 2023 and shifting regulations, the BBC announced it's dividing its operations in India this week, as it seeks to meet the country's foreign investment rules.
FCB India appoints Ashima Mehra as CEO
Mehra has over 18 years of experience and was most recently at Leo Burnett India.
Over 70% of brands are investing in influencer marketing in India, says new EY report
The report also finds that 77% of brands surveyed feel confident in their agencies' ability to execute influencer marketing campaigns effectively.
Brands capture the vibe and vibrancy of Holi to engage with consumers
Check out Campaign India's roundup of Holi campaigns that focus on the exuberant spirit of the festival to find resonance with their audiences
Times of India launches 'My City, My Art' challenge for World Art Day
Participants are encouraged to unleash their creativity by reimagining their cities through artistic expression.
Goafest unveils 'age of adaptability' theme for 2024
A chameleon has been selected as the 2024 event mascot, symbolising the industry's need to continuously evolve in response to changing environments.
Hindustan Unilever announces leadership changes, appoints new executive director
The changes come as HUL reported a 6% decline in standalone net profit for the fiscal fourth quarter.
Goafest 2024 and ABBY Awards to be held in Mumbai amid election season
The much-anticipated Goafest will now take place at the Westin Powai in Mumbai from May 29 to 31.
Havas Worldwide India bolsters creative team
Arjun Jetly, Neharika Awal, Ajitesh Verma, and Monish Gupta all step into roles as executive creative directors.
Leo Burnett Mumbai shakes up leadership to drive new growth initiatives
The creative shop has appointed three new roles: Abhimanyu Khedkar and Neetika Aggarwal as managing partners, and Saurabh Dahiya as head of strategy.
Stereotypical ads missing out on India’s diverse consumer base: New report
The report by Kantar, ASCI and the UN Stereotype Alliance also found that less than 1% of ads in the country showcased members of the LGBTQIA+ community, while modern women continue to be underrepresented.
Indian advertising doyen Bobby Sista passes away
Sista, whose career spanned decades in advertising and philanthropy, passed away on Saturday 27 July following a prolonged illness.
Dust, cook, listen, repeat: Audible enthralls listeners whilst juggling mundane chores
The online audiobook and podcast service’s first global ad contrasts the listener's surroundings with the worlds they can imagine, highlighting the immersive nature of audio storytelling.
Criteo collaborates with Microsoft Advertising to drive retail media growth
The expanded relationship is intended to help address fragmentation in the fast-growing retail media landscape.
65% of Indians will buy brands that stand for something they can identify with
This was one of the key findings that Kantar shared while launching the fourth edition of its ‘Creative Effectiveness Awards’ for India.
53% of consumers distrust influencer content, says report
The iCubesWire survey of 1000 people added that there is still hope to reverse growing cynicism encircling influencers by prioritising their audiences’ interests and being honest and transparent.
Indian consumers show greater appetite for personalised ads on streaming media services
A report by Moloco and YouGov found that 41% of Indian consumers have cancelled a subscription because of the ads experience.
HCLTech and IBM launch generative AI Centers of Excellence in India, UK, and US
Located in Noida, London, New Jersey, and Santa Clara, these centers aim to modernise legacy applications and drive continuous innovation using IBM’s WatsonX AI and data platform.
The CMO's MO: Kia India's Shakti Upadhyay on thinking global, acting local
The head of marketing and PR discusses how the brand is embracing 'glocalisation', explains their ongoing commitment to the belief that content reigns supreme, and shares his vision for transforming Kia India into a provider of sustainable mobility solutions.
How high-quality digital ad inventory buys can slash carbon emissions
A new survey by DoubleVerify and Scope3 found that purchasing higher-quality media impressions reduced carbon emissions by almost 65,000 metric tons in 2023.
Cheil X's new visual identity dips into its Korean heritage
The independent full-service agency, part of the Cheil SWA group, operates two established offices in Gurgaon and Mumbai.
Generation AI: Can AI redefine friendships for the Indian youth?
From wingman to co-creator: a report by Cheil India reveals how AI is tackling loneliness and reshaping the modern social fabric.
Deloitte: Indian consumers shift to value-conscious purchases
Tailoring product assortments and marketing strategies to local preferences to bolster brand connections are highly valued.
Adland chiefs lead Cannes Lions fantasy jury experience
The Loudest Roar is a jury room simulation to help young talent develop their judging, teamwork and creative-thinking skills.
Piyush Pandey to receive 2024 LIA Legend Award
He is the second person to get this award; former global CCO of Leo Burnett Worldwide Mark Tutssel bagged the debut trophy last year.
Bata's 'Try and Fly' campaign promises to take customers' feet on a European adventure
By simply trying on shoes from the brand's new 9 to 9 collection at Bata’s outlets in India, potential buyers have a chance to win a trip to various destinations.
Amazon launches 'Creator University' in India
The education programme and a series of 'Creator Connect' events aim to connect influencers with their peers and industry experts.
Quotient Ventures faces leadership overhaul; top executives exit
T. Gangadhar, Shriram Iyer, and Rajiv Chatterjee to depart by end of June; Joseph George assures continuity and commitment to excellence at Tilt and Vector Brand Solutions.
Whisper unveils new phase of #KeepGirlsInSchool to tackle early menstruation awareness
The latest poignant film seeks to normalise periods as healthy changes, empowering young girls to reshape their narratives around puberty.
Google Pay taps on trust in new campaign in India
Produced by Lowe Lintas, the campaign features Bollywood actress Kajol, and highlights the ease and security of the digital payment platform.
Robinhood and Dot Media collaborate to combat hunger in India
The campaign aims to leverage influencers and creators for humanitarian action to support the underprivileged.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs seeks integrated social media agency
The chosen agency will be responsible for all social media activities for the Bureau of Indian Standards, including influencer marketing and public relations.
65% of men call for better menstrual education campaigns: Everteen survey
The brand also released a short Hindi film based on real events, highlighting the need for normalising conversations about periods with men.
‘Vada Pav Girl’ and ‘Dolly Chai Wala’: Signalling the surge of India's regional social media stars
As audiences choose raw snatches of life from regional influencers over superficial content from influencers in urban pockets, a new medium for brand marketing has opened up.
Sirona tackles menstrual taboos with #TheBloodyConversation campaign
The campaign urges open and unfiltered dialogue on menstruation by dismantling the stigma surrounding periods, particularly among men.
Mahesh Babu keeps it humble in latest Denver ad
The celebrated actor has been associated with the deodorant brand since 2019.
Bosch partners with Amnet and Samsung for weather-activated campaign
The initiative harnesses weather API and CTV to boost awareness of Bosch's new machines, with impressive results in Mumbai.
Healthcare and offshore betting ads emerge as most violative in ASCI’s Annual Complaints report
With 85% of objectionable ads coming from digital media, the report also found that online safety continues to be a concern.
Lee Cooper's new campaign celebrates persistence over perfection
Adopting the motto "So what?" the campaign geared towards Gen Z encourages a more lighthearted approach to life.
Over 70% of brands are investing in influencer marketing in India: EY
The report also finds that 77% of brands surveyed feel confident in their agencies' ability to execute influencer marketing campaigns effectively.
Marketers uncertain about ROI from martech tools: Report
The report also finds that while spend on martech is growing, brands are still looking for partner support to help guide budget allocations.
ASCI issues disclosure guidelines for LinkedIn influencers
As unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn does not provide platform disclosure tools, ASCI advises influencers to display the permitted disclosure terms with their posts.
McCann, Famous Innovations lead the charge at South Asia’s Agency of the Year 2024 awards
Also imparting a memorable mark: FCB Kinnect, Havas Media India, OMD, and White Rivers Media with their impressive wins showcasing gold, glory, and game-changing creativity.
Googlies on Google: A curiosity-driven game for search
The campaign, conceputalised by Ogilvy India, aims to make the simple task of searching for information on Google into a curiosity-driven, interactive search experience.
Uber India’s Shroff duo campaign: Throwback vibes meet millennial swag
Fuel Content produced the ad films, while FCB India was the creative agency for the campaign.
Women’s cricket searches rose by 103% in 2024: Kantar India study
Live music events including Coldplay, Taylor Swift, Vijay Antony, and Diljit Dosanjh concerts also saw a 43% increase, according to the report.
India's ad watchdog partners with gaming bodies to curb illegal betting ads
The ASCI will help to set up a monitoring cell to collaboratively spot and report offshore betting and gambling advertisements in India.
What India's streaming shakeup means as JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar merge into JioHotstar
Despite its strengths, the new entity’s biggest challenge will be getting its pricing right in a highly cost-conscious market.
WPP strengthens Indian roots with new Chennai campus
This is the company’s third campus in the country, after Mumbai and Gurgaon, with plans to add similar facilities in Bangalore and Coimbatore over the coming years.
Rohit Ohri retires from FCB
Ohri spent eight years at the helm of FCB Group India before being elevated to FCB global partner, and worked closely with global CEO, Tyler Turnbull.
India’s festive shopping revolution: Short videos drive over 47% of consumer choices
A report by ShareChat and Moj found that these engaging clips have ingrained themselves into the daily routines of 81% of Indian consumers, especially those aged 25-44 years.
Dentsu launches business transformation practice in India
Narayan Devanathan will lead the Dentsu BX division, while continuing his existing role as the agency’s president and chief strategy officer for South Asia.
Hakuhodo unveils martech data labs in India
The Tokyo-based agency has also appointed Shweta Sharma as CEO of Hakuhodo Data Labs India.
Reliance Industries gets go-ahead for $8.5 billion merger with Disney
Reliance and its affiliated entities will maintain control in the newly merged company, holding 63.16% of the stake, while Disney retains a 36.84% stake.
Cision launches media monitoring platform in APAC
This marks the company’s first full-service media monitoring venture in the market, after CisionOne’s launch in the UK and the US last year.
Low awareness among Indians about generations’ labels and their own cohort: Ipsos Generations Report 2024
One-size-fits-all may not work for brands and could lead to missing business opportunities.
How brands celebrated India’s 78th Independence Day
A round-up of ads from Indian brands including Tata Tea, Radico Khaitan, ITC, Ambuja Cements, MediBuddy, and Asian Paints.
Kaizzen goes global in a bid to redefine real-time communications worldwide
The integrated communications agency’s move to establish a global presence comes after its first international footprint in Dubai last year.
Indian CCI raid GroupM, Publicis, IPG and Dentsu offices over alleged price-fixing
As India’s ad market evolves, CCI's raids on global agencies and broadcasters raise concerns over price collusion, media buying, and market fairness.
Zee and SPNI resolve merger disputes in amicable settlement
The merger between two of India's largest broadcasters was set to create a media entity valued at approximately $10 billion.
Meta CMO to publish new book for marketers
Named one of the world’s most influential CMOs by Forbes in 2024, Meta CMO and VP of analytics Alex Schultz is set to release the book this October, exploring the new rules of marketing in the digital age.
WPP invests in Stability AI to drive brand storytelling
Stability AI’s models and workflows will be integrated with WPP’s AI-driven operating system WPP Open, transforming its visual content creation.
DoubleVerify invests in FirstPartyCapital
The company aims to support innovation in the global adtech ecosystem through this investment.
Parle tops India’s FMCG rankings for 13th consecutive year: report
Meanwhile, Britannia, Amul and regional players like Haldiram’s and Balaji up the competition.
India's media companies must label paid posts on social handles
The change from India's ad watchdog follows consumer complaints about misleading or undisclosed promotions, on platforms where editorial credibility is high.
Influencer content outperforms digital ads on lower- and mid-funnel metrics: Study
67% of Indians trust influencer recommendations over traditional advertisements, notes Kantar’s Influencer Playbook report.
India's digital advertising industry to be $8.15 billion by end-2026: Study
Estimated to touch INR 59,200 crores (US $6.9 billion) this year, the country's digital advertising market is growing at 19.09%, according to a Dentsu report.
Musk’s X battles India in court while advertisers continue to play hardball
The social media platform challenged India’s content-blocking rules as advertisers still continue to adopt a wait-and-watch approach in the country and globally.
Spinny acquires Haymarket’s automotive titles in India
Haymarket Media India to focus on sustainable growth in its non-automotive portfolio.
KFC India appoints Aparna Bhawal as CMO
She was previously VP of marketing at Hindustan Times
Invnt Group expands to India
The Group has appointed ex-Mindshare partner and most recently, former Starlight Gaming CEO Laveesh Pandey, to head the agency in Mumbai.
Tinder empowers a woman to swipe right on new bonds and experiences
Tinder has rolled out a campaign 'you up' as a part of its global message 'it starts with a swipe' to redefine the narrative around dating by exploring the possibilities that extend beyond the search for 'the one’.
Kia's Sonet scratches and claws through an uncharted thrill ride
Watch the film conceptualised by Innocean here
iPhone wishes it could party hard like Google Pixel
Watch the film here
Babita Baruah to be VML India CEO
Shamsuddin Jasani exits Wunderman Thompson, Saurabh Saksena elevated as president
Zee labels media reports about merger being called off 'baseless'
The statement issued to the BSE added that Zee is committed to the merger with Sony and is continuing to work towards the successful closure of the merger
92% of Indian consumers want urgent regulation of AI: Cheil report
The report outlines what Indian consumers feel about the transformative powers of AI while shedding light on their fears and expectations from it in 2024
When the cookie crumbles: How are marketers gearing up for a cookieless era?
SOUNDING BOARD: Experts explore the strategies digital marketers are employing to survive and thrive in the aftermath of the demise of third-party cookies
Google settles $5 billion lawsuit on user privacy
The Alphabet company backtracked in a lawsuit that accuses it of tracking users’ internet usage even in the ‘Incognito’ or private mode of browsing
AI will help writers command a premium: Anselmo Ramos
The co-founder of Gut was part of a panel which discussed his advertising journey, plans for the next five years, and more...
Amitesh Rao joins Leo Burnett as South Asia CEO
The former McCann operations executive director replaces Dheeraj Sinha who left for FCB last year.
Is consolidation the inevitable path forward for the Indian OTT market?
SOUNDING BOARD: We ask experts to delve into the factors shaping the future of OTT in India, exploring whether collaborations or innovative disruptions will define the OTT industry in the coming years
Rapid fire with Ikea's Anna Ohlin
Campaign is placing the fraternity on the 'hot seat' to answer questions about the year gone by and their expectations from 2024.
Vivo urges parents to #SwitchOff their smartphones and rekindle family bonds
Vivo has rolled out the fifth edition of its #SwitchOff campaign, to highlight the essence of meaningful relationships, especially between parents and children.
Ferrero Rocher unwraps Christmas joy with Hrithik Roshan and Sara Ali Khan
Hrithik Roshan and Sara Ali Khan star in Ferrero Rocher's holiday campaign.
Campaign India Marcomverse: In conversation with Anindo Samajpati
Manasi Narasimhan, marketing and communications professional and former head of IMC - Mastercard South Asia, is hosting a fortnightly podcast for Campaign India
Anurag Agnihotri elevated at Ogilvy to CCO
Agnihotri was the managing partner of creative for West India at Ogilvy.
Cadbury 5 Star envisions a future where AI works and humans do nothing
Cadbury 5 Star has rolled out a campaign 'nothing university', where it advocates for work-life balance and encourages the adoption of AI.
Campaign India Crash Course: Creating a network based in India
In this lesson, Saurabh Varma, founder and CEO, Wondrlab, explains how one can look to create an agency network based in India
Prasanth Kumar re-elected as president of AAAI
Rana Barua continues as vice president
Agency of the Year South Asia 2023: Mindshare, Ogilvy and Avian WE take the big wins
WPP’s Mindshare and Ogilvy dominate the Gold wins; the Gold list also prominently features Famous Innovations. New entrant, Talented.Agency is the second most awarded
Rapid fire with Gautam Reghunath
Our year-ender this time around places the fraternity on the 'hot seat' to answer questions about the year gone by and their expectations from 2024
India ad sales grew by 11.8% in 2023: Magna
Magna's 'Global Ad Forecast' states that global advertising revenues will reach USD 853 billion this year, a growth of 5.5% in 2022, and will grow by 7.2% in 2024
24 hours with… Josy Paul
BBDO India's chairperson and chief creative midwife takes us through what a day in his life looks like
48% Indians want more inclusive representation from brands: ASCI
Depiction of women in Indian ads continues to be skewed stereotypically while diversity and inclusion of LGBTQI+ groups nearly absent, according to a Kantar report
Sony calls off merger with Zee Entertainment in India
Indian media giant Zee will take legal action against Japan-based Sony Group; the proposed merger would have created India’s largest broadcasting company.
Wondrlab enters Europe with Webtalk acquisition
This latest venture marks the Indian martech agency's fifth acquisition and its first international venture since its inception in 2020.
Google addresses concerns over Privacy Sandbox
In a new blog written by Victor Wong, senior director for product management—Privacy Sandbox, Google reveals it has been working on the initiative for the last four years.
98% of top Indian apps use deceptive patterns: ASCI report
The survey uncovers the widespread use of dark patterns in popular Indian apps, highlighting concerns over user autonomy and ethical design practices.