Tag: India

India – Britannia has partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBGCP) to introduce a limited-edition Harry Potter-themed biscuit collection, offering fans a magical and indulgent sensory experience inspired by the world of Hogwarts.

Britannia’s limited-edition Pure Magic Choco Frames are open choco biscuits, each pack containing five intricately designed treats featuring Hogwarts’ four houses—Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff—with a rare chance to discover one embossed with Platform 9¾.

Perfect for everyday indulgence or gifting to Harry Potter fans, Britannia’s limited-edition Pure Magic Choco Frames offer consumers a delightful and collectible treat inspired by the wizarding world.

Siddharth Gupta, general manager of marketing at Britannia Industries, said, “At Britannia, we are committed to constantly innovating and finding new ways to delight our consumers while evolving our portfolio to meet changing preferences.” 

“Our collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products (WBGCP) marks a significant milestone as we bring a Harry Potter-inspired indulgence for fans through our Pure Magic Choco Frames. This strategic partnership is an attempt to bring the iconic legacy of Harry Potter together with Britannia’s expertise in crafting indulgent treats for everyone. It’s more than just a product; it’s an opportunity to create a memorable moment that resonates with fans across generations,” Gupta continued.

The Britannia Pure Magic Choco Frames is available only for a limited time on Blinkit or at Reliance stores.

India – As part of its annual Valentine’s Day tradition, Cadbury 5 Star has teamed up with Ogilvy India for a bold new campaign that enlists older couples to disrupt the excitement surrounding V-Day.

Cadbury 5 Star’s latest campaign film features a data scientist revealing a pattern: youth trends fade when older audiences adopt them. From skinny jeans to social media, once the older crowd joins in, the youth move on. Cadbury 5 Star applies this logic to Valentine’s Day—if uncles take over, the romance fades.

To put this idea to the test, the campaign directs its Valentine’s Week budget toward older couples, funding their dates to create a visible presence on V-Day. The brand will also amplify romantic content featuring older couples across social media, ensuring their participation is seen both online and offline.

Nitin Saini, vice president of marketing at Mondelez India, said, “At Cadbury 5 Star, we’ve always championed the virtue of doing nothing. Valentine’s Day often comes with a lot of pressure of putting on a romantic show, but it is certainly not for everyone. We wanted to take a light-hearted and fun approach to disrupt Valentine’s Day—by enlisting the help of uncles, who are often the last people associated with romance. It is a fun way to demonstrate the lengths to which we at 5star will go to by battling anything that gets in the way of doing nothing.”

Cadbury 5 Star continues its tradition of helping people “do nothing” on Valentine’s Day. After last year’s time-travel hack, the brand now aims to end V-Day for good—with the help of uncles.

Sukesh Nayak, chief creative officer at Ogilvy India, shared, “5 Star’s counterculture take on the cringe around Valentine’s Day has been gaining popularity year on year, so it was a no-brainer that we’d come back with something even bigger.”

“While last year we explored technological interventions like time travel, this time Karunasagar Sridharan (ECD Ogilvy) came up with a completely different yet simple and relatable solution. And our Creative Tech team, led by Rajneesh Bolia, helped build the platform to interview and recruit ‘uncles’ who can take this mission forward while rewarding the youth so that everyone who is tired of the mush around V-Day can actively contribute to pruning it,” Nayak added.

Shekhar Banerjee, chief client officer and office head at Wavemaker India, also commented, “Cadbury 5 Star, known for its counterculture play, is turning Valentine’s Day into ‘Destroy V-Day’ this year, with a cheeky, disruptive message. Our multi-platform strategy targets a digitally native audience through engaging content on Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat, while extending reach through strategic TV placements for broader reach. The campaign is amplified through strategic partnerships across cinema, retail, and sports, ensuring maximum impact and resonance. Supported by a unique KOL strategy that mirrors the playful, counter-culture spirit of our brand.”

“In a sea of predictable Valentine’s Day messaging, Cadbury 5 Star is poised to disrupt the norm and own the conversation,” Banerjee continued. 

Those looking to take part in Cadbury’s mission can nominate an uncle they know at www.destroyvalentinesday.com. Selected nominees will receive a “date allowance,” while nominators earn a small “commission” for their participation.

India – National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has teamed up with Enormous Brands for a Republic Day print campaign that turns everyday digital transaction sounds into a symphony of progress.

NPCI’s latest campaign reimagines familiar digital transaction sounds—such as ‘ting, ping, bing’ notifications—into a rendition of ‘Saare Jahan Se Accha.’ The initiative aims to highlight the everyday role of digital payments in India.

The campaign features a print ad that follows the journey of the national flag from its creation to distribution. It integrates mobile devices as key elements of the user experience and uses augmented reality to bring the visuals to life. By turning transaction sounds into a melody, the campaign creates a unique connection between digital payments and national identity.

Published in top-tier outlets, the campaign marks Republic Day by transforming transaction sounds into a unifying melody, showcasing NPCI’s role in India’s progress. Users can scan the QR code on the print ad and move their mobile devices over designated spots to access the interactive experience.

“Our mission has always been to empower India financially. This campaign transforms recognition into resonance by celebrating the familiar sounds of transactions. By turning these sounds into a melody, we’ve created a connection that reflects NPCI’s silent yet significant impact,”  said Ramesh Yadav, chief of marketing at NPCI. 

“We wanted to honour NPCI’s role in empowering millions. This melody is a song of progress—a celebration of what NPCI silently enables every single day,” added Ketan Shinde, senior creative director at Enormous.

India – Lovingle, a diaper brand from RSPL, has launched a new campaign with Cheil X that highlights the often-overlooked well-being of new mothers, encouraging families to offer support beyond the baby’s arrival.

Lovingle’s new campaign highlights how family attention often shifts entirely to a newborn, overlooking the mother’s well-being. It also urges support for new mothers and launches digitally with a film and social media assets under #BadhaiHoMaaHuiHai.

The campaign film begins with a young mother reminiscing about her pregnancy, reflecting on how she was once pampered by her family. As the film transitions to the present, it reveals how the same family now focuses solely on the newborn, leaving the mother feeling overlooked. The emotional film draws on real-life scenarios to empathise with new mothers, reminding viewers not to forget their well-being.

Amit Nandwani, national creative director at Cheil X, said, “The communication around diapers in India is focused on babies. We wanted to break this stereotype and shift the narrative to moms who often get neglected once the baby is born. The campaign line ‘Badhai Ho Maa Hui Hai’ beautifully celebrates newborn moms and sets the stage for a movement to sensitise people about the need to shower love on them as well.” 

Neeraj Bassi, chief growth officer at Cheil X, added, “I think the insight nicely captures the dilemmas of a newborn parent, especially the mother. Someone who was part of you is now detached and the centre of the world for everyone around. While it is very understandable at one level, at another level it takes a while to fully grasp this change. Brand Lovingle understands this vulnerability of a newborn mother and urges the family to support her during this phase of transition”.

Lovingle’s campaign takes a different approach in the competitive children’s diaper market by focusing on the emotional journey of new mothers, highlighting their experiences alongside their newborns. It also emphasises providing quality diapers at an affordable price.

Speaking about the product, Harkawal Singh, vice president of global marketing at RSPL, said, “Lovingle as a brand stands out for best quality premium products at an honest, value-for-money price. While our product serves newborn babies, who are the most fragile consumers, even more fragile is the emotive bond of relationships between family members, as a new member gets added to the family. While the category talks about the newborn baby, we wanted to highlight the other newborn, i.e., the mother. Fantastic work by the team to strategically highlight the newborn mother’s emotions and share a new perspective with the audience at large, especially the family members.”

India – FCB Group India has secured 14 new clients across its agencies, adding over $2m in business and strengthening its market position.

Recent additions to FCB Group India’s client roster include Mountain Dew (Pakistan), Sanofi-Dulcoflex, Tasty Bite, Wagh Bakri, and Torrent Electricals, spanning sectors such as FMCG, healthcare, food, beverages, and power.

As a full-funnel, new-age agency, FCB Group India is expanding its approach to creativity in business, offering solutions that address diverse brand challenges. These new partnerships reflect the agency’s growing role in the industry and its ability to meet evolving client needs.

Commenting on the agency’s success, Dheeraj Sinha, CEO of FCB Group India, said, “Our approach as a new-age agency is grounded in leveraging the power of data and technology, coupled with creativity, to solve real-world challenges. These new wins highlight the trust brands place in our ability to deliver work that moves the needle and sets industry benchmarks. We look forward to building impactful partnerships with these incredible brands.”

India – Times Innovative Media Ltd. (Times OOH), part of the Times Group, has introduced digital bus shelters in Bengaluru, expanding its network of premium digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising assets in the city.

The digital bus shelters feature L-shaped screens with a 125 sq. ft. display area, ensuring high visibility even from a distance. The screens are designed for clear, crisp imagery, particularly during evening hours, allowing for maximum visual impact.

The shelters also support dynamic, real-time content, such as time, weather, and air quality index (AQI) updates, along with trigger-based advertisements. This functionality enables brands to run more targeted and timely campaigns.

In the initial phase of the project, Times OOH has installed 20 digital bus shelters at key junctions, near malls, and in high-traffic marketplaces to maximise visibility and take advantage of increased footfall and dwell times. Future phases are expected to further expand the city’s digital advertising network.

The launch of these digital shelters aims to meet diverse campaign needs, offering flexible slot-based display options and exclusive branding opportunities for advertisers with varying budgets. In line with its vision to innovate outdoor advertising, Times OOH also emphasises sustainable practices, reinforcing its commitment to environmental responsibility.

Rohit Chopra, COO at Times OOH, said, “Times OOH is optimistic about the growth of the digital OOH format. With our extensive experience in outdoor advertising, we are dedicated to expanding our offerings with advanced features and capabilities. The launch of digital bus shelters in Bengaluru is a testament to this commitment. After careful analysis of traffic patterns and advertiser requirements, we strategically installed 20 digital bus shelters, and the response from clients has been overwhelmingly positive, with a significant uptick in enquiries and bookings.”

The introduction of digital bus shelters expands Times OOH’s regional presence, providing brands with a platform to engage Bengaluru’s urban audience. Major brands like Ibaco, Yes Bank, Bhima Jewellers, and IKEA have already adopted the new format for increased visibility.

India – To mark Republic Day, Axis Bank has teamed up with AutumnGrey, a Grey company, to introduce a new approach to digital security by rethinking how PINs are created and remembered.

The ‘Devanagari PIN,’ developed by Axis Bank and AutumnGrey, uses a custom-built font that incorporates hidden numbers within the Devanagari script, presenting an innovative approach to digital security rooted in Indian tradition.

This PIN departs from common combinations like birthdates, anniversaries, and patterns, which often leave users vulnerable to fraud. By embedding hidden numbers within the Devanagari script, it acts as a visual mnemonic, making PINs easier to recall while significantly enhancing security.

The Devanagari PIN introduces a unique feature that allows users to convert everyday words, such as a name, mantra, or place, into secure and hard-to-guess PINs. This approach enables the creation of personalised PINs that are easier to remember while enhancing security.

“Innovation doesn’t always mean inventing something new. It can also mean reimagining what we already have. With Devanagari PIN, we’ve transformed a global issue into a distinctly Indian solution. This is creativity with purpose, making banking safer and more personal for millions,” said Anusha Shetty, chairperson and group CEO of Grey India.

Axis Bank users can create their own Devanagari PIN by visiting www.devanagaripin.com.

India – Tata Trusts, one of India’s oldest and most respected non-sectarian philanthropic organisations, partnered with creative agency RepIndia to launch a heartfelt campaign celebrating grassroots progress and bringing to life the transformation of dreams into reality.

Tata Trusts’ Republic Day campaign draws inspiration from the familiar childhood exercise of writing essays about ‘India of my dreams,’ highlighting how aspirations on paper transform into tangible progress when met with action.

Created by RepIndia, the campaign film uses paper cutouts and stop-motion animation, paired with a catchy jingle inspired by nukkad naatak and grassroots storytelling. It highlights India’s tangible progress, showing how dreams on paper have become reality.

In an Instagram post, Tata Trusts wrote, “This Republic Day, we are reminded that the Constitution is a collective promise—a call to action that channelises aspirations and forms the foundation for a progressive society and nation.”

“On this day, Tata Trusts rededicates itself to nation building by continuing its efforts to empower communities, helping them turn aspirations into actions,” Tata Trusts added. 

India – FleishmanHillard has appointed Madhulika Ojha as managing director of its India operations, tasking her with driving the agency’s growth, strategy, and transformation in one of its key markets.

Ojha brings nearly 20 years of strategy consulting expertise, specialising in large-scale transformation programs that drive market share growth, enhance shareholder value, and improve operational efficiency through technology. Most recently, she was executive director of EY India’s Strategy and Transactions advisory team, where she guided C-suite leaders across diverse industries.

Her career includes leadership roles at global firms such as Capgemini, Deloitte, TCS, and Tech Mahindra. Ojha has also advised Fortune 500 companies across financial services, consumer, automotive, and life sciences sectors, with experience spanning Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

Based in Mumbai, Ojha will lead the strategy, operations, and growth of FleishmanHillard’s India offices. In her new role, she will report directly to Joanne Wong, Asia Pacific president and senior partner.

Wong said, “At FleishmanHillard, we focus on the role communications play in driving business outcomes and influencing C-suite priorities and board discussions. Madhulika’s expertise in post-merger integration, deals and transactions, and the financial communications ecosystem offers us growing opportunities to strengthen our position as a trusted advisor. As India’s business and financial landscape evolves rapidly, her leadership will enable us to better support clients in navigating this dynamic environment. We are thrilled to have her join us and lead the next phase of growth and transformation for our India operations.” 

Wong added, “Our focus for India and the broader APAC region in 2025 is to further solidify our unique position as a business-critical advisor, offering both high-level strategic counsel and robust implementation for clients. With management consulting leaders like Madhulika bringing greater strategic depth, combined with our trusted brand, leading global networks, and comprehensive offerings, we are confident in achieving this priority.” 

Also speaking on her new role, Ojha said, “The FleishmanHillard team in India has built an impressive foundation, and I’m excited to build upon their success. The agency’s commitment to delivering business-informed, technology-powered communications that drive tangible business outcomes aligns perfectly with my passion and professional experience. I look forward to contributing and collaborating with the team to help clients protect, transform, and grow their businesses through strategic communications.” 

India – POCO India, in collaboration with Monks India, has launched its latest campaign featuring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar as the brand ambassador, aimed at connecting with today’s high-performance youth.

The campaign unveils POCO’s X7 and X7 Pro alongside its new brand positioning, ‘Xceed Your Limits,’ crafted to connect with a social media-savvy Gen Z audience. It speaks to gamers, performers, doom scrollers, and pop-culture enthusiasts, highlighting how the phone’s high performance and AI capabilities empower users to push boundaries and overcome barriers.

Conceptualised and created by Monks India, the campaign features Akshay Kumar in a comic-book-inspired live-action film, paying tribute to the fast-paced, action-packed world of movies and games. Kumar embodies the brand’s ethos of high performance and the signature ‘X’ attitude.

Commenting on the launch, Soven Mandal, executive creative director at Monks India, said, “The lens of advertising a product needs to shift towards content marketing. In today’s world, slapping product advertising on a user’s feed will probably result in getting lost in the clutter of content they see. This is especially true for Gen Z. They need to see content based on what they are willing to watch on their feed organically. More pop culture, fewer ads. And with the superhero shebang of the Marvel and DC universe taking over social media and their fans, it made sense to project the brand to our fans similarly.”

The campaign launched in January with teaser content on social media, culminating in a 60-second film. The end-to-end campaign was developed and delivered within weeks, reflecting the fast pace of today’s social-first culture. It highlights the need for brands to adapt as real-time creators, delivering impactful work that resonates in the moment.

“Our approach was to create a narrative that isn’t just seen but felt, high-energy and engaging, an experience that connects with the audience in a way that feels organic and authentic. With POCO X7 and X7 Pro, we embraced the ‘Xceed Your Limits’’ not just as a message. Our team pushed boundaries by reimagining the typical phone ad into something more than just a product showcase,” said Megha Ahuja, VP of account management at Monks India.

“In production, timing is everything. We were working in real time where speed had to coexist with the highest standards of quality. The entire process from pre-production to final cut was planned meticulously, with seamless coordination and an incredible team effort. It wasn’t just about moving fast; it was about executing with precision under tight timelines, ensuring we deliver a campaign that amplified the essence of POCO X7 and Akshay Kumar Xceed Your Limits,” added Liju Kochummachan, VP of production and COE at Monks India.