South Asia Archives - MARKETECH APAC

India – Posterscope, the OOH specialist agency from dentsu India, has announced the appointment of Pallavi Patil as vice president-strategy to oversee clients nationally and empower strategy across out-of-home, retail, activation, and rural marketing verticals.

In her new role, she will focus on delivering a fresh perspective on the agency’s strategic expertise combined with a rich blend of innovation to clients in the OOH space.

Pallavi will align with Posterscope’s global vision, addressing complicated issues with simple, strategic, human-centric solutions. She will report to Imtiyaz Vilatra, managing director at Posterscope India.

Prior to joining dentsu, Pallavi led strategy in Madison OOH as their AVP. She has a career spanning over 18 years and has worked with Kinetic Worldwide (GroupM), TNS (Kantar), Nielsen, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and Force Motors.

Over the years, she has carved out expertise in marketing, research, and media strategy. She has also worked on some recognised and awarded OOH campaigns.

Imtiyaz Vilatra, managing director at Posterscope India, said, “We are thrilled to have Pallavi as part of the Posterscope family. With her wealth of experience and knowledge, I am confident she will bring a lot of value with fresh insights and ideas. I would like to welcome her onboard and am certain she will be instrumental to further scale our growth momentum.”

Commenting on her appointment, Pallavi added, “Embracing new opportunities, I step into this position with elation as I join Posterscope India. With experience as my guide, I am ready to contribute, learn, and thrive with the team in this exciting journey of growth and innovation.”

India – StepOne, a local marketing and events startup, has announced its expansion into Singapore after establishing its presence in India, particularly in HR tech, fintech, and retail sectors. This move marks the company’s strategic entry into the Southeast Asian market.

StepOne’s decision to open an office in Singapore is part of its strategic plan to build a presence across the globe. With this expansion, StepOne will be able to share its knowledge of experiential events with the business community in Singapore and provide convenience to its Indian clients who frequently plan events in South Asian markets.

Speaking about the expansion, Rajat Khaitan, founder of StepOneXP, said, “The Singapore base ensures StepOne is well-positioned to serve the entire Asia Pacific (APAC) region and will add to our credibility. With this strategic expansion, we’ll be able to offer cost-effective solutions to our existing clients who are keen on doing events in Southeast Asia, along with taking our incomparable solutions to Singapore and Southeast Asia-based companies.”

India – Roopa Badrinath, HR veteran and ex-chief talent officer of Wunderman Thompson South Asia has officially launched Turmeric Consulting, a diversity, equity inclusion (DEI) consultancy with a vision of helping organisations create diverse and equitable spaces for people to thrive for who they are.

Prior to launching Turmeric Consulting, Badrinath served as the chief talent officer at Wunderman Thompson South Asia and is an award-winning professional with over 25 years of experience in the realm of DEI, HR, as well as training & development.

Furthermore, Badrinath is a DEI practitioner and certified diversity auditor. She is also a Google-certified gold tier facilitator, having trained more than 350 women worldwide in self-advocacy skills. She is passionate about leveraging her vast experience in people strategy and employee experience to enable behaviour and mindset shifts through systemic interventions.

Commenting on the launch of her new venture, Roopa Badrinath, founder of Turmeric Consulting, said, “DEI is about being intentional and intersectional. It is about deliberately providing opportunities for all, creating level playing fields and ensuring that all voices are heard, so that people can realise their full potential by knowing that they matter, and their opinions and perspectives make a difference.”

“Organisations are on the lookout for a partner who can conceptualise and contextualise scalable DEI strategies, curated to match their requirements. With Turmeric Consulting, my goal is to partner with organisations in their DEI journey, to help change mindsets and attitudes, so eventually an equitable future gains momentum.”

“ I chose to launch Turmeric Consulting in the Independence Day month as freedom for me is embracing diversity and differences and fostering change to free us from the shackles of prejudice, biases, and judgement. While it requires consistent effort and commitment, I deeply believe in the intentionality of organisations to spark meaningful change and be a force for good. I see Turmeric Consulting as an enabler to help organisations translate their intent into action,” she added.

India – Carat India, the media agency under Dentsu, has recently named Sanchayeeta Verma as the new chief executive officer. In her role, she will directly report to Anita Kotwani, the media CEO of South Asia, at Dentsu.

Sanchayeeta will be based in Bangalore and be in charge of providing strategic direction to improve the agency’s growth trajectory. Along with this, she will concentrate on coaching the agency’s large talent pool, motivating people to investigate disruptive solutions that provide practical business results that put the needs of clients first.

By ensuring operations, Sanchayeeta will lead the development of new business possibilities and strengthen current client relationships, establishing herself as a dependable partner for customers. Additionally, she will integrate her work with the network’s global brand offering, which will further increase revenue streams in India.

Sanchayeeta is a senior business executive with 27 years of experience in the marketing, media, and advertising sectors. She developed her skills in managing a variety of sectors, including media, content, data, and technology, during the course of her career. Sanchayeeta had senior management positions before joining Dentsu, making contributions across several areas at GroupM’s Mindshare and Wavemaker. Moreover, she has also held roles in businesses like Lintas Media Group, JWT, Kiwi TTK, and others.

Speaking on her new role, she said, “Dentsu and Carat continue to be the front-runner in addressing critical industry issues such as audience attention, brand EQ and sustainable media. They continuously pioneer and lead in digital and CXM. I am very excited to join the Carat-Dentsu family. I look forward to Carat being a fantastic partner to its clients, as well as an ideal place for our employees and the planet at large, by marrying the warmth of ‘creating for people’ with the dynamism of media, content, data, and technology.”

Meanwhile, Anita Kotwani, CEO Media, South Asia, Dentsu, commented, “The network’s focus on strengthening our media businesses aligns with our global ambition. Getting the best people on board is, therefore, very critical. Sanchayeeta’s ethos and the value systems that drive Carat are inextricably linked. Her varied expertise in consumer research, business planning, and client leadership has kept her abreast of the shifting media landscape.”

Anita added, “She is also dedicated to lifelong learning and staying ahead of the curve, making her an ideal candidate for this position. Carat has increased its scope over the recent year with notable wins such as Tata Neu, Tata Croma, Hero Vida, Times Pro, and others. Sanchayeeta will accelerate expansion and propel the Carat brand to the forefront of the Indian market.”

Mumbai, India – To avoid the misinformation about menstrual periods being ‘dirty and impure’, feminine-care brand Whisper under Procter & Gamble has released a campaign to shed light on the biology of periods and explain that it’s a natural process that happens in every woman.

Conceptualised with advertising agency Leo Burnett, the fourth edition of the #KeepGirlsInSchool campaign showcases ‘The Missing Chapter’ film. This aims to teach the biology of periods and enlighten both mothers and daughters on menstrual hygiene and using sanitary pads during monthly cycles.

The campaign also comes after a study revealing that 1 out of 5 girls in India drop out of school every year due to lack of period education, whilst 7 out of 10 mothers are not aware of the biology of periods, seeing it as ‘dirty or impure’.

Girish Kalyanaraman, vice president and category leader of Feminine Care at Procter & Gamble India, said that the brand is dedicated towards period education to spread awareness about menstrual hygiene and giving sanitary pads to girls across the country. Therefore, they aim to educate mothers about the biology of periods and right sanitary products.

“Our aim is to empower young girls to achieve their dreams by completing their school education without any gaps and to stop them from dropping out of school because of a biological process as natural as periods. Our consumers can make a huge difference in helping us bridge this gap,” Kalyanaraman added.

Whisper started to launch its #KeepGirlsInSchool campaign in 2020 to address all girls in India and enlighten them about the true science behind the said cycle. Moreover, Whisper has been conducting school and community programs to teach period education and give free pads to girls and mothers.

Mumbai, India – Denim brand Lee Jeans, in collaboration with integrated marketing solution provider CupShup and advertising agency Leo Burnett India, launches ‘#TheRealDenim’ campaign to announce the inauguration of its flagship store in Bengaluru.

The campaign started with week-long activation across multiple locations, including the #BrothersInBoxers initiative where four young boys wore boxers inside the stadium whilst holding placards saying that they ‘won’t be wearing any jeans until the real denim arrives’.

Moreover, the campaign also created a ‘friendly brand war’ to counter Lee’s competitive brand store. 30 ‘boxer brothers’ went around Brigade Road whilst holding placards. During the launch, they gathered in front of the competitor’s store.

In the post-launch phase, influencers and regular walk-ins participated in the campaign. They were asked to discard their old denim on Brigade Road and walked into Lee Jeans’ store dressed solely in boxers. In exchange, received ‘the real denim’ from Lee for free.

Moreover, the launching was graced by the presence of India’s famous content creator Jordindian who participated in unveiling the store.

Lokesh Kataria, CMO at Lee and Wrangler India, said that they executed the campaign and launch with a fun, disruptive idea, which successfully brought ‘party’ to the city whilst witnessing the crowds rally and cheer for the cause.

Sourav Kumar, co-founder at CupShup, added, “Lee has always been a fun & friendly brand. We leveraged their tonality and translated it into a fun disruptive campaign that was in line with it. This gave the customers something to smile about and arouse their curiosity about the brand.”

India – Wunderman Thompson India expands its client roster after winning the brand building mandate of Tata Astrum Super, a brand of hot rolled sheets from Tata Steel – a company which is associated with the agency for more than 90 years.

Within the long-term partnership, Wunderman Thompson India has been working on brand-building projects for Tata Steel Corporate, and other retail brands like Tata Tiscon, Tata Shaktee, Tata Kosh, Tata Pravesh, and Tata Wiron.

In the new mandate, Wunderman Thompson India will help Tata Astrum Super brand in building a competitive edge so it can command a premium over branded & unorganized players, forge bonds with channel partners, and connect with end users. The agency will also help in maintaining the brand’s promise to resonate with both fabricators and end users.

Vijay Jacob Parakkal, senior vice president & managing partner at Wunderman Thompson Kolkata, said that they are pleased to have Tata Astrum Super into the Wunderman Thompson brand family, and they are confident in giving justice to the new mandate that they will handle.

Earlier this year, Wunderman Thompson India also bagged the strategy and creative remit of Czech automobile brand ŠKODA.

India – Advertising company DDB Mudra has announced the appointment of Saad Khan as its president and managing partner for growth and strategy to lead the business whilst building on strategic capabilities for its operations in the West region.

Khan brings with him an experience in building strategies for brands. He previously worked as chief strategy officer at agency FCB Ulka, where he oversaw strategies in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

He has also worked with food and beverage brands such as Coca-Cola, ITC foods and Amul; consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser; automotive manufacturers Tata Motors, Honda and Volvo Cars; and industrial paint company Nerolac.

Rahul Mathew, chief creative officer at DDB Mudra Group, said that the company believes that its core to be great in creativity is built on strong thinking, and Khan will help in strengthening this belief.

This year, DDB Mudra has also appointed Menaka Menon as national strategy head and Nitin Pradhan as creative head for South.

India — Dentsu India has recently elevated Anita Kotwani to the CEO position for the Media Division of the South Asia team. Previously, it was solely agency Carat India that was under Kotwani’s leadership, and with the expanded role, she will now move to the helm of all other media outfits under the division.

The role will be seeing Kotwani leading agencies iProspect, dentsu X, Posterscope, and media investment arm Amplifi, aside from Carat which she oversaw for almost three years since 2020.

Rob Gilby, the CEO of dentsu for APAC and Interim CEO of India until newly appointed CEO, Harsha Razdan, starts vouches for Kotwani as “a well-loved leader who firmly looks to the future,” bringing her people with her on the journey and someone who is fearless in approach to driving new solutions for clients.

“The Media opportunity in India is growing exponentially. Anita’s background, coupled with Harsha’s complimentary experience is building a powerful force in our business to drive growth for our clients in this exciting market,” commented Gilby.

Kotwani is a passionate media expert with over two decades of experience in the industry. She brings with her extensive background in media management for companies in the industries of consumer durables, financial services, FMCG, as well as MNC brands.

As a seasoned marketer, Kotwani is a regular on the award circuit, chairing juries for various bodies including EMVIEs, Goafest, and Kyoorius.

Dentsu shared that outgoing South Asia CEO Divya Karani, after building a successful media reputation for dentsu India over the last decade, will be transitioning off the media business to pursue personal interests

Gilby added, “Over the past 10 years Divya has successfully scaled our business on a market-beating trajectory, evidenced by dentsu becoming the #1 agency in RECMA 2021. We thank her for her years of dedication and wish her the very best for the future. I am looking forward to the next wave of leadership accelerating the solid foundation Divya has built.”

Meanwhile, Karani expressed her thoughts on the transition, and says she’s proud of what she has accomplished with dentsu and is very much confident with Anita taking over.

“Having worked closely with Anita – a valuable member of my leadership team, I know there is no better candidate for me to hand the reins to lead the media business to new heights. While it’s always a bittersweet moment to leave your ‘baby’, it is time for me to move on and pursue new opportunities,” said Karani.

Newly appointed Kotwani commented, “I have learned a tremendous amount from Divya and am honoured to be given this baton to carry on the marathon. You don’t just replace three decades of experience overnight – I intend to take this on with my utmost commitment and will look to continually challenge myself and my wonderful team of media specialists to always stay at the forefront of the industry to deliver the world’s best-integrated media strategies.”

The announcement closely follows last week’s appointment of Harsha Razdan as the new CEO of the overall dentsu network in South Asia. Meanwhile, over at the SEA region, the network has announced the creation of a new cluster for SEA which will include Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Dentsu has bolstered its leadership roster in line with the new arrangement with Sanjay Bhasin, Prakash Kamdar, and Bharti Agarwal being handed new roles as CEO of SEA, CEO of clients and solutions for SEA, and CFO of SEA, respectively.

India – With its commitment to maintaining growth and maximising business outcomes for clients, marketing communications agency Wunderman Thompson South Asia has promoted Raji Ramaswamy as its chief growth officer and Joy Chauhan as its chief client officer. They will report to Shams Jasani, chief executive officer at Wunderman Thompson South Asia.

Ramaswamy will retain her CEO role at Contract India, Wunderman Thompson India’s group company and Chauhan will simultaneously work as a managing partner of Wunderman Thompson in Delhi.

In their new role, Ramaswamy and Chauhan will lead strategic growth for the group, focusing on new business and key clients across the region. They will also oversee client retention and business development, nurture teams of talent and drive strategic growth initiatives including the development of new client services and capabilities.

Ramaswamy brings with her over 25 years of experience in marketing and brand management. During her stint in Contract India, she maintained its vision to create the most integrated agency model for the future with a seamless multi-dimensional structure.

Meanwhile, Chauhan brings with him experience in managing people across multiple business units. In his stint at Wunderman Thompson Delhi, he was responsible for driving the growth of the agency’s brands, people and business.

CEO Jasani said that Ramaswamy and Chauhan’s appointments come at a perfect timing when the agency can drive good impact for clients and business whilst delivering transformational work that builds Wunderman’s capabilities in creative, data, tech, and commerce.

“With India as one of our fastest growing markets and being uniquely poised to provide integrated solutions to our clients, we are on an ambitious growth trajectory with Raji and Joy as enablers to chart the best course for the next growth phase,” Jasani added.

This month, Wunderman Thompson also elevated Gavin Bain as its chief executive officer for Australia.