From a quieter agency, we have now become an agile network: Rana Barua 

Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India, claims the agency, in the last two years, has transformed into an integrated network with many new clients across the group

e4m by Naziya Alvi Rahman
Published: Jan 29, 2021 8:30 AM  | 7 min read
rana

As Havas Group goes through a series of churns in the last few weeks, we speak to Rana Barua, Group CEO, Havas Group India about the reporting to global leadership, their struggle with pandemic, recovery and much more. Below are edited excerpts:- 

Q: Let’s start with the latest talking points. Havas was in the news twice last week, earlier for some key elevations in India and most recently for Vishnu’s resignation. Meanwhile, you have now been asked to report to the global CEO. Can you share more details of the recent changes and the strategy behind these developments?

There hasn’t been much change in India. We have been reporting into the global leadership for over a year now, since India is and continues to be one of the priority markets for Havas Group globally. The last two years have been transformative for India, from an agency that was known for one big client (RB) – we have now become an agency network with an integrated village offering, many new clients across the group, expertise of six specialist agencies across three groups: Havas Media Group – Havas Media, Arena Media, Tribes (out-of-home),  Havas Creative Group – Havas (integrated creative), Shobiz Havas (experiential marketing), Havas CX - Think Design Havas (design), Langoor Havas (digital), and Havas Health Group with Havas Life Sorento (healthcare). 

From a quieter agency, we have now become a network that is agile, aggressive, busy creating meaningful work, positive conversations and have many happy (new) clients.

Alberto Cantelli, CEO Middle East and Eastern Europe Havas Group, remit has been extended to include South East Asia and North Asia including Singapore, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Indochina, Indonesia and Vietnam, while I will continue to run Havas Group India as Group CEO, and both of us will report to Chris Hirst (Global CEO Havas Creative Group) and Peter Mears (Global CEO Havas Media Group).

Q: The pandemic has affected us all. However, going by numbers of all the leading agencies, Havas seems to have been more affected than many others. Although your performance has been showing a steady improvement, there still seems to be gaps that need to be covered. The numbers for the last quarter are still not out. Can we expect to see a significant recovery in the bottom line in the last quarter?

We have rationalised the numbers during the pandemic and have revised our targets. As a group, we are working together and looking at growth in a resurgent way. We will keep observing and mapping any opportunities that may arise to reach our targets. 

Q: What has been India’s contribution to this overall scenario? How is India contributing to the growth?

India is a crucial market for Havas group globally the strategy and focus areas for India going forward is to further strengthen the Indian offering this year. All aimed at adding greater strength to the overall ecosystem of the Havas Group and ensuring better and effective solutions for our client, with our meaningful brand philosophy at the very core.  

During the tough 2020, we were able to drive significant value for all our clients, new business wins as well as new initiatives, and win recognition. Whether it was through our integrated wins like Fortis Healthcare, JBL & Harman Kardon, or  Havas Creative winning accounts like Dabur Honey and its extensions, William Grant & Sons, Hike, Suzuki, Norton LifeLock, myPaisaa. Or then Havas Media bagging the Domino’s Pizza business and other accounts like Smule, ACC cement, Vikram Solar, MyGate, Gamezy, Seedworks, Boult Audio, NortonLifeLock Antivirus, Transforming Rural India Foundation (TRIF) + Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) among others. Havas Creative bolstered its digital and CX capabilities with Havas CX. Havas CX is a new international network dedicated to delivering meaningful experiences across the entire customer journey.

Q: Need for a robust technology was one of the key lessons we learnt from the pandemic. What were some of the key steps you took as a group on the technology front that helped you navigate through these stressful times?

We were one of the early agencies in India to announce work from home.  We were very fortunate to already have some great technology in place around the network globally, we had invested in the latest version of Microsoft, had already started utilizing Teams, and so it was easy to adapt to along with platforms like Zoom, WebEx, and others. The most important step for us was helping our employees leverage the tools. We prioritized training around how to present in a remote setting, best practices for pitching virtually, tips for setting up a home office, and ensuring employees were as comfortable and prepared to do their best work. 

We’ve also been very thoughtful about learning and skill development. We've added several online learning courses to our Havas University online learning platform, ranging from leading through change to managing anxiety. We'll continue to monitor the tech we have in place, as well as hear from employees on what's working and what could be improved. 

Once our global network became remote, we knew we needed to find a way to keep everyone connected, learning, and focused on their wellbeing, and so we created Havas from Home. Havas from Home became a twice-weekly global communication with tips for settling into remote work, employee news and spotlights, learning opportunities available at home on Havas University, as well as tips for staying well such as at-home workouts, mental health advice for working parents, meditation practices, and more. It also captured how leaders were adjusting to remote work with a series called "At Home With..." which showed a real human side of our leaders around the world. The feedback from employees was extremely positive and carried through to social media where employees used #havasfromhome to document their WFH experiences.  

  • Now with our blend of office and remote work around the network, Havas from Home has transformed into Life@Havas, a once-weekly newsletter capturing all the great people/culture news around the globe--much of it informed by employees who send in their stories. It has become a very powerful way to capture all the great employees that make up Havas and celebrate all the good things happening around the network (#lifeathavas).

 

  • Learning also continues to be a demand from employees, and so in addition to weekly learning opportunities offered in Life@Havas, we started a program called Havas ChatRooms. ChatRooms is a virtual speaker series connecting employees with experts & thought leaders. Topics have ranged from multicultural marketing, creativity during COVID-19, leadership in this new world of work, changes in the media landscape, and more.

Q: Finally, now that the markets have opened again and businesses have started to pick up, what are your estimates from 2021 for the industry and what are the areas you see growth coming from? 

We are going to be pragmatic about our approach but aggressive in our growth targets. It is in a way rebuilding lost momentum and speed, by ensuring effective work and results. 

Expanding our strength and presence in the Indian M&A world our focus is on further strengthening our offering with new domain expertise. There are many new acquisitions, joint venture and expertise launches planned for both creative and media. All aimed at adding greater strength to the overall ecosystem and ensuring meaningful and effective solutions for our clients. 

We will focus on building meaningful brand conversations, adding multiple expertise to our portfolio, driving the Havas CX network, which was launched last year. The CX network is dedicated to delivering meaningful brand experiences across the entire customer journey. I see a lot of new business pitches, wins and many new clients getting added to our portfolio.

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Hamdard launches campaigns for Cinkara and Naunehal Gripe Syrup

Hamdard has revived its popular campaign, ‘Zindagi ka josh har dum’

By exchange4media Staff | Mar 21, 2023 6:53 PM   |   2 min read

hamdard

Hamdard Laboratories (Medicine Division) has announced a special summer campaign for its products- Cinkara and Naunehal Gripe Syrup. The campaign highlights how Cinkara and Naunehal Gripe Syrup help in coping with the health issues, arising out of nutritional gaps in case of Cinkara and teething issues in case of Naunehal Syrup.

“Hamdard has revived its popular campaign, ‘Zindagi ka josh har dum’. Cinkara, the most recalled brand of Hamdard is a complete health tonic that restores lost energy, increases appetite, and improves conditions of fatigue. The tonic contains six essential Vitamins along with four minerals and nine effective herbs to keep the body strong, healthy, and agile. While India is the playground for Cinkara, it has a larger footprint in UP, Bihar , West Bengal and Delhi /NCR,” the company said.

Abdul Majeed, Chairman & Managing Trustee, Hamdard Laboratories India ( Medicine Division) said “My late grandfather had a vision for the brand and its role. The Cinkara packaging is inspired by our tricolor, hoping that one day it would become the tonic of the nation. For more than 40 years now, Cinkara has been one of the most popular and affordable health tonics in the country. At Hamdard, it’s our constant endeavor to provide products that are targeted at holistic wellness and keep us energetic to fight life challenges- “Jindagi ka Josh Har Dum” justifies the brand truth”.

“It is always a wonderful feeling to know that Hamdard products touch so many lives, in so many ways. People from different states, and different strata of society swear by our products. Our medicines are affordable and effective. In most cases, Hamdard products have been in families for generations. Through this campaign, we hope to further expand our reach and help people lead healthy and happy lives, free from the burden of illness and health issues” said, Suman Varma, CMO, Hamdard Laboratories. 

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In new campaign, Rajkummar Rao highlights perils of not having Lay’s at home

The campaign is created by Leo Burnett

By exchange4media Staff | Mar 21, 2023 4:29 PM   |   3 min read

Lay's

Lay’s has launched a new campaign with actor Rajkummar Rao to remind consumers to have ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’!

“At-home experiences and occasions are best enjoyed with friends and family, and a pack of Lay’s makes these moments even better. But running out of Lay’s can interrupt the good times and may even induce last-minute panic to restock. In the campaign, Lay’s has hilariously drawn attention to the outcomes of last-minute restocking trips,” the brand said.

The introduction of the latest TVC under the ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’ campaign speaks to the consumers on the perils of not stocking-up Lay’s at home.

Directed by Vinil Mathew, the TVC film opens with Rajkummar throwing a costume party at home with himself dressed as a burglar. When his girlfriend (played by Dolly Singh) informs him that they've run out of Lay's, Rajkummar nervously heads out to the grocery store, starting a series of comedic mishaps. From being mistaken as a real burglar by the public to getting arrested by the police, his hilarious roller-coaster of misadventures concludes upon his release from jail, when he tells a jail warden curious about his imprisonment that “Mai toh sirf Lay’s lene gaya tha”. The TVC ends on an entertaining note as Rajkummar explains his Lay's misadventures to Dolly and proudly shows off his fully stocked pantry with Lay's, remarking, “Isliye…Ghar pe Lay’s Always!”.

Speaking about being part of the TVC film, Rajkummar Rao, expressed, “For years, Lay’s, with its iconic and irresistible flavours has been my favourite snack. When the brand reached out for their 'At Home' film, I was instantly drawn towards the comical and playful script because I have always related to the frenzy of keeping my home stocked with Lay’s. I had a lot of fun filming the TVC and I am definitely going to have ‘Ghar Par Lay’s Always’. I hope the audience enjoys the film and ensures Lay’s is a part of all their joyful moments at home.”

Expressing her excitement at the TVC, Shailja Joshi, Director-Marketing, Potato Chips Category, PepsiCo India said, “At Lay’s, we are committed to infuse a sense of joy into our consumers’ lives and uplift their consumption experiences with our distinct offerings and relatable storytelling. Our newest TVC film for ‘Ghar Par Lay's Always’ perfectly captures the central role that Lay's plays during at-home occasions. We're thrilled to have associated with Rajkummar Rao for this campaign and he has fantastically brought this messaging to life in the film. We hope that it will prompt Lay's fans to always keep their favourite Lay’s well-stocked at home and experience fun uninterrupted."

The campaign is created by Leo Burnett.

Speaking about the campaign Rajdeepak Das, CEO & Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett - South Asia, said, “Lay’s has always been the perfect snack partner and with this film we wanted to reiterate to the audiences to stock up their favourite Lay's at home. With this hilariously exaggerated cautionary tale starring Rajkumar Rao, our film gives people a glimpse into the perils of not having 'Ghar Par Lay's Always'! If you don't have Lays, anything can happen.”

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Airtel launches new brand campaign to show ‘limitless possibilities’

The TVC campaign has been conceptualised by DDB Mudra

By exchange4media Staff | Mar 21, 2023 1:57 PM   |   2 min read

Airtel

Bharti Airtel has rolled out a new brand campaign.

The campaign highlights the clear advantage and limitless possibilities that Airtel 5G Plus offers to its customers in a very contemporary manner.

Shashwat Sharma, Director of Consumer Business, Bharti Airtel, on being asked to comment on the campaign had this to say, “I would first like to take this opportunity to thank our 10 million happy 5G users who have embraced ultrafast Airtel 5G Plus. Customer obsession is what drives us at Airtel and we have taken the lead to simplify the new technology and get our customers to experience the real difference of 5G. Airtel 5G Plus, while delivering incredible speeds and the best voice experience, will work on all 5G smartphones and be kinder to the environment. Additionally, all our customers will be able to enjoy the advantage of 5G services using their existing SIMs at no additional cost. We invite more and more customers to experience the power of limitless possibilities on Airtel 5G Plus.”

The TVC campaign has been conceptualised by DDB Mudra and produced by Equinox Films.

The Airtel 5G Plus TVC has been dubbed in 12 languages and will be localized for audiences all across the country as it is rolled out in full strength.

The 360-degree, high-decibel campaign will be extensively seen across diverse mediums like Television, digital and OOH over the next few weeks.

Commenting on the film, Ram Madhvani, Founder & Director, Equinox Films, had this to say, “The thing I’ve learnt in advertising is that it’s not just about ‘what’ is being said or ‘how’ it’s being said but also about what the audience ‘feels’ when it ‘sees’ any piece of communication. Our film is an example of this. We have tried to create a visceral experience for the audience to create a feeling of speed and future-ready technology which is what Airtel 5G Plus is actually about.”

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Goafest to be held on May 24-26

The 16th edition of the advertising fest will take place at Grand Hyatt, Bambolim, Goa

By exchange4media Staff | Mar 21, 2023 1:47 PM   |   3 min read

goafest

South Asia’s biggest advertising festival, Goafest is all set to make a grand return. Co-hosted by The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and The Advertising Club, Goafest 2023 is scheduled to take place on 24th, 25th and 26th May at Grand Hyatt, Bambolim, Goa. The prestigious fest will also witness the 54th edition of the ABBY’s, South Asia’s Gold standard, that has been recognizing creative excellence in advertising for over five decades. 

Goafest is the definitive annual festival for the advertising, marketing and media industry that attracts over 2000 industry professionals. The festival is an eclectic platter of knowledge, recognition, networking and celebration that makes each day at this 3-days event a remarkable experience. In addition to presentations and sessions by leading industry experts, Goafest 2023 will host a total of 10 knowledge-sharing masterclasses, the highest to date. The upcoming edition of the festival is also expected to have increased participation and presence from advertisers. 

Announcing Goafest 2023, Prasanth Kumar, President, the Advertising Agencies Association of India and CEO, South Asia GroupM said, “Goafest has cemented its position as the most admirable creative festival in South Asia that truly brings together the best of creative and marketing professionals. Our goal is to offer our industry colleagues three power-packed days of learning, engagement, interactivity and curiosity. We are confident that this year's edition will be the biggest and best yet, leaving each attendee with valuable learnings and benefiting the industry as a whole.” 

“Year after year, Goafest has evolved and innovated, making it the most relevant advertising festival in India. From knowledge-sharing sessions to exclusive speakers, we are certain of having guests from across the globe that will benefit the industry, especially younger professionals, this year as well. For the first time, various committees involving senior industry leaders have been formed thus making the event all-inclusive and broad-based for the entire advertising industry. We look forward to curating a festival that drives participation and empowers the fraternity thus positioning India as a sharper contender in the global advertising landscape.” added Jaideep Gandhi, Chairperson Goafest 2023. 

Partha Sinha, President, the Times of India group and President of The Advertising Club, further added, “We believe it is imperative that we celebrate the industry and Goafest enables us to do exactly this. The festival empowers the industry to push creative boundaries and think beyond existing possibilities. We look forward to another year of firsts at Goafest 2023 and encourage India’s creative economy to participate actively.” 

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Asian Paints says ‘Shauq Ki No Limit’ in new campaign

The campaign has been conceptualised by Ogilvy India

By exchange4media Staff | Mar 21, 2023 1:04 PM   |   2 min read

Asian Paints

Asian Paints has launched “Budget mein fit. Shauq ki no limit.” campaign.  Conceptualized by Ogilvy India, in the campaign, the paints are shown to be an ideal solution for homeowners seeking good quality paint within their budget.

The campaign tells a humorous story of a colleague who can fulfil his wishes in his newly painted house, thanks to Tractor Sparc & Ace Sparc Emulsion.

As part of the TVC, the brand has also created a fun, snappy jingle that will stay in consumers' minds and help generate high recall. The jingle conveys Tractor Sparc and Ace Sparc Emulsion's value proposition as high-quality, cost-effective paints that will allow consumers to fulfill other desires through savings on these paints.

Speaking about the new Tractor Sparc & Ace Sparc campaign, Amit Syngle, Managing Director and CEO, of Asian Paints Ltd., commented, “In our endeavor to offer smart, value-for-money offers to the consumer and truly democratize the home décor market, we continue to innovate and launch solutions which offer customer strong propositions. This customer is willing to upgrade to branded solutions, accompanied by a strong quality and décor promise. The new campaign takes quite an entertaining route to communicate the value-for-money proposition of Tractor Sparc and Ace Sparc emulsions.”

Sukesh Nayak, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy India, said, “Asian Paints Tractor Sparc & Ace Sparc Emulsion are cost-effective paints that promise to offer a rich finish for interior and exterior walls at low cost. Our new campaign highlights the benefit of this feature with an enjoyable take. What the world thinks when they notice the amazing paint job, and also the things that are bought to fulfill the wishes, with the money saved from the cost-effective paint.”

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Edelweiss Mutual Funds TVC talks of visibility of returns

The ‘Kitna Milega’ campaign showcases Target Maturity Funds' unique investment approach

By exchange4media Staff | Mar 21, 2023 12:34 PM   |   1 min read

mutual fund

Edelweiss Mutual Funds has unveiled its TVC brand campaign ‘Kitna Milega’, which focuses on Mutual Fund products that are designed to provide visibility of returns.

The ad campaign showcases Target Maturity Funds' unique investment approach, which offers investors visibility of returns* on their investments provided they stay invested till the maturity of the fund. This campaign will also have presence on print media, outdoor and digital and social media.

Speaking about the campaign, Radhika Gupta, MD & CEO, Edelweiss MF said, "Inherently we have heard investors always asking ‘How much return will I make in this product’ before they choose to invest in any financial product/ Mutual Funds. Investors want simple products that provide visibility of returns.

We have picked this insight of ‘Kitna Milega’ to build on the communication for Target Maturity Funds. These funds are structured and designed in a way to give visibility of returns to investors and are simple in a structure like traditional deposits. Investors will be able to understand and invest in this category banking on the growing popularity of Debt Passives and Target Maturity Funds," she adds.

The campaign aims to convey a clear message about returns on investment that investors have while investing in mutual funds.

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Tanishq’s Ugadi film celebrates women creating own narratives

The film is a celebration of the brand’s Ugadi collection ‘Vardhini’

By exchange4media Staff | Mar 21, 2023 12:28 PM   |   2 min read

Vardhini

Tanishq has launched a heart-warming digital film for the auspicious occasion of Ugadi.

Tanishq’s first-ever digital film for Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is a tribute to every woman who is not only unique in her thoughts and stance but also supports her decisions by being her voice.

The film is a celebration of brand’s beautiful Ugadi collection ‘Vardhini’, which is inspired by rich culture and crafted with precision for the women who prosper and thrive in all their might.

Conceptualised by Tanishq and Mind Your Language, the 75-second digital film showcases a powerful narrative of how a woman of today believes in carving her own path, takes a stand for herself and weaves a magic of her own new narratives. The film is an ode to the progressive women of today who want to create an identity for themselves, strongly believes in the importance of new beginnings and that life after marriage goes beyond motherhood.

Speaking on the launch of the film and the collection, Ranjani Krishnaswamy, General Manager – Marketing, Tanishq, Titan Company Limited said, “Today, women are yearning to carve an identity for themselves and are creators of their own narrative. The film is a tribute to the women who prosper and thrive in all their might and the Vardhini collection is truly a celebration of her extraordinary beauty and beliefs that make her stand apart.”

Deepan Ramachandran, Creative Director- Mind Your Language!, said “Tanishq, like the protagonist Swati in our Ugadi film, has always stood out with their progressive and new thoughts. Their brief to us was to straddle the conventional celebration of Ugadi with the new-age thinking of today’s woman. That’s when we asked ourselves - Why shouldn’t today’s woman dream differently? We found the answer in the story of Swati.”

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