MxM India

Havas Creative India has announced the appointment of Montu Sangha as Bengaluru Head. Based in Bengaluru, Sangha will report to Anupama Ramaswamy, Managing Director and Chief Creative Officer of Havas Creative India. She will oversee regional operations, drive business expansion, deepen client partnerships, nurture talent, and enhance the agency’s integrated creative offering.

The Market Research Society of India hosted its 34th Annual Market Research Seminar, evaluating 22 shortlisted papers selected from more than 100 entries across three principal tracks: Terrain, focusing on people; Compass, addressing methodology; and Instruments, covering technology and innovation under the overarching theme, ‘The Next Human’. The two-day conference gathered professionals from the insights sector to examine how emerging human behaviours are influencing commercial growth models.

A fundamental transition is taking place across India’s marketing sector, with 15 to 25 per cent of brand marketing budgets shifting towards the creator economy, according to an industry discussion report surveying more than 100 brands and marketers published by the Indian Influencer Governing Council. Content creators are moving beyond basic promotional roles to become strategic brand partners, contributing to consumer trust, product consideration, sales conversions, and wider commercial goals.

Global creative non-profit D&AD has announced the appointment of Nils Leonard as its new President, succeeding Lisa Smith following the conclusion of her one-year term. Leonard previously served as Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of Grey London prior to co-founding Uncommon Creative Studio, which has developed major projects including the brand transformation of EA Sports FC, viral fashion design pieces, high-profile mental health initiatives for ITV, and brand revamps for British Airways.

Tonic Worldwide has developed a festive campaign for mattress brand Kurlon that draws on everyday domestic conversation during Durga Puja, encouraging consumers to review the comfort of their home furnishings alongside regular festive purchases. The creative concept focuses on typical family banter during the festive period to highlight the value of daily home comfort.

ICICI Life Insurance has introduced a new brand platform titled ‘Har Kal Aasaan’, created in collaboration with Ogilvy, aimed at repositioning long-term financial security around simplicity and reassurance rather than procedural complexity. The campaign film considers why future financial planning often causes anxiety and sleeplessness.

I am no food historian, just a foodie who got curious enough to dig into where these dishes actually came from. The digging turned up a lot more than the menu cards let on. Dassera and Durgo Pujo are just days away and gluttony sits at the centre of both. That is partly why I am waxing eloquent on my favourite pastime: food! I have never been to Kolkata during Durgo Pujo.

Abstract: India’s consumer companies are enthusiastically pursuing premiumisation, but who is improving the everyday purchases of consumers unable to pay more? This column argues that better quality should reach the mass market through improved performance, durability, repairability and value for every rupee spent.

GKB marked the opening of its 100th store in India alongside its transition from GKB Opticals to GKB. The 1,000 sq. ft. store in Mumbai, was inaugurated in the presence of brand ambassador Sanya Malhotra, Priyanka Gupta, Director, and Ajay Mishra, Vice President. Stellaratti Brand Consultants led the end-to-end conceptualisation and execution of the launch event.

Naturali has unveiled its latest campaign for the anti-hairfall range, featuring actor Medha Shankr in a story about hair, inherited beauty expectations and the freedom to make individual choices. Said Anirrban Mukherjii, Vice President, Personal Care, Guilt Free Industries Limited: “With this campaign, we wanted to capture something that often gets brushed off as harmless advice: the constant opinions women hear about their hair.