Pernod Ricard appoints Initiative as media agency partner for India & APAC

Pernod Ricard Indian Limited, one of the leading alcoholic beverages companies in India, today announced the appointment of  Initiative, an Omnicom Media agency, as its media agency partner across nine key markets in the India & Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, following a competitive review of its media mandate. Initiative takes over from Wavemaker a valued partner of Pernod Ricard for over two decades in India and Singapore. This association has been marked by marquee campaigns, brand activations and consumer engagement platforms, including Royal Stag Boombox and Xclamat!on’s India record campaign. Pernod Ricard extends its sincere appreciation to Wavemaker for its creativity, commitment and invaluable contributions to the company’s journey over the years. 

The new appointment reflects Pernod Ricard's ambition to unlock the next phase of brand-building in a rapidly evolving consumer landscape. As premiumisation accelerates and consumer preferences become increasingly nuanced, brands have an opportunity to move beyond traditional engagement models to build deeper cultural connections. The new partnership with Initiative will focus on combining consumer intelligence, cultural insights and media innovation to strengthen brand platforms, amplify their relevance and create impact across diverse markets.

In India, where consumers are increasingly experimenting across categories, occasions and experiences, this evolution presents significant opportunities for differentiated storytelling and engagement. The partnership will support Pernod Ricard's ambition to remain at the forefront of these shifts, bringing effectiveness to its media investments. 

Effective January 1, 2027, Initiative will assume responsibility for Pernod Ricard India's media mandate, encompassing media planning and buying, consumer and market insights, reporting and performance measurement, competitive analysis, thought leadership, and strategic collaborations and partnerships. The engagement will combine regional capabilities with local market expertise to drive media effectiveness. The mandate has been awarded for an initial period of two years, with an option to extend by an additional year, on the discretion of Pernod Ricard. 

Debasree Dasgupta, Chief Marketing Officer, Pernod Ricard India, said, " I am delighted to welcome Initiative as our new media partner. We are at an exciting inflection point where consumer aspirations are evolving, cultural influences are becoming more powerful and premiumisation is creating new opportunities across the category. For us, the ambition is not simply to reach more consumers, but to build brands that resonate more with people and the culture they live in. We see this partnership as an opportunity to bring together sharper consumer understanding, cultural intelligence and media innovation to create enduring brand relevance and impact." 

Rochelle Chhaya, Initiative APAC Brand President, said, "We are incredibly proud and excited to partner with Pernod Ricard across APAC. With an iconic portfolio and a strong legacy of brand-building, Pernod Ricard offers a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of what media can deliver. Our ambition is to combine deep consumer intelligence, bold strategic thinking and the power of data and technology to unlock new possibilities for its brands. We look forward to building a partnership that goes beyond conventional media solutions to create meaningful cultural connections, deliver exceptional brand experiences and set new benchmarks for media effectiveness." 

About Pernod Ricard India 

Pernod Ricard India Limited (“PRIL”) one of the leading alcoholic beverages companies in India, engaged in manufacturing, bottling, marketing and distribution of branded spirits, both by volume and end consumer-price based value . As Créateurs de Convivialité, Pernod Ricard India’s purpose is to turn every social interaction into a genuine, friendly and responsible experience of sharing. Our portfolio continues to include some of the leading brands in their respective categories in India, including Royal Stag, Blenders Pride, Jameson, Absolut and The Glenlivet. 

As one of the growing businesses for Pernod Ricard globally, Our products are distributed across 30 of the 31 states and union territories in India. Our manufacturing footprint consists of 20 manufacturing facilities across India, including two owned facilities and 18 facilities operated under third-party arrangements (one joint venture facility and 17 other third-party facilities, of which 14 are sub-leased by us for our exclusive use and three operate under the third-party bottling unit (“TBU”) model). Recently, Pernod Ricard India has built one of the largest malt distillery and maturation facility in Asia, situated at Nagpur, Maharashtra.  PRIL Pernod Ricard India Foundation (PRIF), a Section 8 Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 (“Act”), is a wholly owned subsidiary of Pernod Ricard India, instituted to fulfil its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility.