Week at a glance: EFFIE India Awards; Prasoon Joshi on McCann wins; Regulating AI

McCann Worldgroup India win big at EFFIE India Awards 2023

The Advertising Club hosted the latest edition of the coveted EFFIE India Awards 2023 in Mumbai on Friday. Mondelez India was judged the EFFIE India Client of the Year, while McCann Worldgroup India was named EFFIE India Agency of the Year. The coveted Grand EFFIE was won by Enormous for Jaquar’s campaign ‘Unimaginable Brand Extensions.’

EFFIE India wins underscore creative excellence at McCann Worldgroup India: Prasoon Joshi

Expressing his elation on McCann’s victory, Prasoon Joshi, CEO & CCO, McCann Worldgroup India and Chairman, Asia Pacific, remarked, “I am extremely delighted and proud of McCann winning the Agency of the Year at the Effie India 2023 Awards.” He emphasised on McCann India’s unique positioning in the dynamic landscape of the industry, facing unprecedented challenges in shaping the future.

Prasoon Pandey and Prerna Mehrotra among Jury Presidents at Cannes Lions 2024

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity revealed the key figures leading the 2024 Juries, including acclaimed ad filmmaker Prasoon Pandey and dentsu Chief Client Officer and CEO Media, APAC Prerna Mehrotra. Pandey, the head of Corcoise Films and a previous Lion of St. Mark honoree, will preside over the Film Craft Lions, while Mehrotra takes the role of Media Lions President.

2024 AI Odyssey Part-1: AI’s dark underbelly and the road to regulation

Generative AI has taken the world by storm, but it has not been without challenges and consequences. How do you deal with a misinformation-spouting AI chatbot? Who will take responsibility? Is it the AI machine, or those who have fed data into the machine, or the tech company behind that Large Language Model (LLM)? Adgully attempts to find answers to these questions and more in this two-part series.

2024 AI Odyssey Part 2: How to build a responsible AI for the whole world?

As the momentum for global regulation in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to grow, concerns about potential negative impacts and ethical considerations are at the forefront. In this second part of the series, we delve deeper into the key reasons behind the push for global AI regulation, exploring challenges, ethical considerations, and the crucial need for a robust regulatory framework.

Lavanya Wadgaonkar on 4 pillars of Nissan’s communication strategies for 2024

In conversation with Adgully, Lavanya Wadgaonkar, PhD, Global Vice President of Communications and Global DEI Champion at Nissan Motor Co Ltd, shares insights into Nissan’s performance in 2023, emerging trends in the automotive industry, and the communication strategies adopted by the company for the year 2024.

In 2024, brands will adopt a more people-centric & humanised approach: Valerie Pinto

In PR conversation this week, Valerie Pinto, CEO, Weber Shandwick India, speaks in length about emerging trends expected to shape the PR industry in 2024, shedding light on the firm’s focal points for the year. She elaborates on the firm’s crisis management and reputation protection approach for clients, insights into the evolving challenges in this domain and outlines the strategies considered crucial for 2024 and much more.

The tailwinds propelling OOH advertising in India towards growth in 2024

Out-of-home (OOH) advertising in India is expected to register impressive growth in 2024. As in the case of most industries, the OOH industry, too, is leveraging the innovation potential of Artificial Intelligence. As per Statista, Ad spending in the Out-of-Home Advertising market is projected to reach US$589.70 million in 2024.

Digital presence, focus on UAE market – how Archies Ltd is geared for growth in 2024

In an exclusive interview with Adgully, Varun Moolchandani, Executive Director, Archies Ltd, speaks about the company's over four-decade long journey, further fortifying its presence in the online space, focussing on the UAE market, the relevance of Archies greeting cards in the digital era, and much more.

Irvinder Kaul & Maneesh Kaushal dissect MarTech’s role in data-driven decision-making

In today’s digital era, there is a whole new transformation of the marketing landscape, where businesses are required to find and identify innovative, out-of-the-box ways to engage and interact with their TG. Adgully spoke to Irvinder Kaul, Executive Director, Deloitte India, and Maneesh Kaushal, Global Head, Business and Analytics, OLX Autos, to explore more about how MarTech tools play an important role in the enablement of data-driven decision-making.

At Niva Bupa, we will not sell fear, but sell possibilities and optimism: Nimish Agrawal

In an exclusive with Adgully, Nimish Agrawal, CMO, Niva Bupa, highlights the company’s innovative marketing dashboard, the strategic use of digital spending and a non-metro push to enhance brand visibility, Niva Bupa’s unique campaign designed to shift consumer perceptions, growth strategy from 2024 and beyond, and more.

Nippon Paints is crafting unforgettable brand experiences on Bigg Boss Kannada

In a recent interaction with Adgully, Mark Titus, Assistant Vice President, Nippon Paints, sheds light on the company’s dynamic marketing strategy and its alignment with evolving consumer trends. Emphasising the importance of customer preferences and behaviours, Titus reveals how Nippon Paints continuously adapts to shifting demands and trends to craft unforgettable brand experiences.

We’re outspoken, loud, and bold: Siddha Jain on brand Bombae

In conversation with Adgully, Siddha Jain, Chief Business Officer, Bombay Shaving Company Women, speaks about Bombae brand’s inception, positioning of a ‘True-to-Women’ brand, marketing strategies, targeted growth in revenue terms, being a leader in the hair removal space, campaign strategy, and more.

How Anupama Chopra is creating the Avengers of film journalists

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Anupama Chopra, Founder, Film Companion, which is a daily source for LIVE Box Office News, Reviews, Interviews, Features from Bollywood, South, Hollywood and more, speaks about her journey being an entrepreneur and how she created a business out of content and was able to scale it, growing diversity in leadership positions, how organisations can effectively encourage and groom women leaders, and more.

French Essence is eyeing 15-20% market share over next 5 years: Nidhi Gupta

In an interaction with Adgully, Nidhi Gupta, Founder & CMO, French Essence, speaks about the growth and entrepreneurial journey of her venture, the startup ecosystem in India, tackling challenges, what budding entrepreneurs should do to set up a successful venture, and much more.

Jagrut Kotecha named PepsiCo India CEO; Ahmed El Sheikh moves to Mid-East Unit

PepsiCo India has announced a pivotal leadership transition in its executive team. After almost 7 successful years at the helm, Ahmed El Sheikh, currently CEO for PepsiCo India, will move on from his current role to assume new responsibilities within PepsiCo as the CEO for the Middle East Business Unit as of March 2024. Jagrut Kotecha, currently Chief Commercial Officer for PepsiCo in Africa, Middle East, and South Asia (AMESA) will assume the role of CEO for PepsiCo India in his place.

Havas ropes in David Shulman as CEO for its global CX Network

Havas has announced the appointment of David Shulman as CEO of its global CX network. Shulman becomes the network’s inaugural CEO and will lead the more than 1,800-person group that sits across 26 Havas Villages, in more than 19 countries around the world.

Havas India elevates Jaibeer Ahmad as Chief Transformation & Growth Officer

Havas India, part of Paris-headquartered advertising network Havas, has elevated Jaibeer Ahmad, formerly Managing Partner – North at Havas Worldwide India to the role of Chief Transformation & Growth Officer. In this newly created role in India, Jaibeer will set transformative strategies, driving business growth through integration and collaboration across all 18 Havas India agencies.

TV18’s News business records massive 23% revenue jump in Q3FY24

TV18’s news business has registered a strong jump of 23% in revenue in the third quarter of the current financial year. India’s largest TV news network registered revenue of Rs 402 crore in Q3FY24, as compared to Rs 327 crore for the same quarter last fiscal.

Rubika Liyaquat to join News18 India as consulting editor

News18 India is sprucing up its line-up and programming ahead of the upcoming general elections. The latest addition to its editorial team is Rubika Liyaquat, who is joining the Hindi news channel as a consulting editor. She has earlier been with news channels such as ABP News and Zee News.

AdGlobal360 forms strategic alliance with creative agency the BlueBeans

Adglobal360, India’s Leading MarTech Service provider, announces strategic alliance with The BlueBeans (and The Blue Digit), with a vision of powering its Tech & Data solutions with creative human strategies. The alliance comes after 5 years of successful working relationships between the two companies on clients like Rivigo, DTDC, etc.

Podcasts: TV's secret weapon in the attention war

Forget billboards and trailers, the future of TV marketing is in our ears. A new report from Hub Entertainment Research, "Can You Hear Me Now?," reveals podcasts as a game-changer for both traditional TV networks and streaming services. Podcasts are not just entertainment; they're powerful magnets for TV shows.

Xapads collaborates with Disney+ Hotstar to enhance capabilities in CTV advertising

The dynamic changes in how people consume content have created exciting prospects for streaming platforms to connect with audiences in innovative ways. In India, Disney+ Hotstar, a leader in the streaming space, is seizing this opportunity by collaborating with Xapads to enhance its capabilities in Connected TV (CTV) advertising.

National Startup Day: Entrepreneurs reflect on the road ahead

January 16 marks an important date in the calendar for the startup ecosystem in India. It was in the year 2022 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced January 16 as the National Startup Day. On the occasion of National Startup Day today, some of India’s leading entrepreneurs reflect upon the achievements of the startup ecosystem and the road ahead for this sector.