#e4mExclusive:  Pernod Ricard appoints ZeroFifty Mediaworks as creative agency

Independent creative agency ZeroFifty Mediaworks has won the creative mandate from Pernod Ricard India.

According to multiple people familiar with the development, Pernod Ricard India has awarded ZeroFifty Mediaworks a three-year creative mandate following a competitive multi-agency pitch process. The French spirits major is also expected to retain and appoint at least one additional agency.

The development comes days after Pernod Ricard India initiated a review of its creative advertising mandate, inviting agencies to compete for strategic and creative responsibilities across several brands in its portfolio. At the time, the company’s creative duties were shared between Ogilvy and Omnicom Advertising India.

Read: Pernod Ricard India calls creative agency pitch

Industry executives said the move signals Pernod Ricard India's preference for a hybrid agency model that combines the agility and senior-level involvement of an independent creative outfit with the scale and execution capabilities of a larger network agency.

Neither Pernod Ricard India nor ZeroFifty Mediaworks responded to e4m's queries. 

Early win for a new-age independent

The account win represents a major milestone for ZeroFifty Mediaworks, which was launched by advertising industry veterans Rajiv Chatterjee, Shriram Iyer and T Gangadhar.

The founders collectively bring decades of experience across some of India's most influential advertising agencies. Chatterjee is best known for his leadership roles at Lintas, while Iyer and Gangadhar have been associated with several high-profile campaigns and brand transformations over the years, including their stint at Tilt Brand Solutions.

Industry observers said the founders' reputation for strategic brand-building, combined with their entrepreneurial positioning, helped the agency emerge as a strong contender against larger network agencies.

"The market is increasingly opening up to senior-led independent agencies that can provide direct access to experienced talent and faster decision-making," said a senior agency executive aware of the review process. "For marketers looking to build differentiated brands, that proposition is becoming increasingly attractive."

Strategic importance of the mandate

The Pernod Ricard business is widely regarded as one of the most coveted mandates in the alcoholic beverages sector. The company owns a portfolio spanning whisky, vodka, gin, wine and premium international spirits, including brands such as Royal Stag, Blenders Pride, Chivas Regal, Jameson, Absolut and The Glenlivet.

India remains one of Pernod Ricard's most important global markets, with the company continuing to deepen its focus on premiumisation and innovation-led growth. The company has also been investing heavily in building premium and prestige brands as changing consumer preferences drive demand for higher-value products.

The creative review also follows a broader reassessment of the company's marketing ecosystem. Earlier this week, Pernod Ricard India launched a review of its media business. 

The company reported advertising and promotional expenditure of about ₹864 crore in FY25, underlining the scale of its marketing investments.

Industry trend

The appointment reflects a wider shift in the advertising industry, where large marketers are increasingly looking beyond traditional agency networks and allocating portions of their business to independent agencies with specialist creative capabilities.

Industry executives noted that while network agencies continue to dominate large integrated mandates, independent agencies are increasingly winning strategic assignments due to their lean structures, senior leadership involvement and ability to move quickly.

For ZeroFifty Mediaworks, the Pernod Ricard win provides an early validation of its business model and immediately positions the newly formed agency among the industry's notable independent creative players.

With the mandate expected to run for three years, the agency is likely to play a key role in shaping communication for one of India's largest premium spirits marketers as competition intensifies in the country's fast-growing alco-beverage market.