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Kantar has unveiled the winners of the Creative Effectiveness Awards India 2025, recognising India’s most impactful and resonant advertising campaigns of the past year. In 2024 alone, Kantar tested over 12,000 ads globally, including 1,350 in India. More than 200 standout campaigns were identified across diverse categories, platforms, and audience segments.

The top-performing brands this year include Godrej Consumer Products, Hindustan Unilever, Haleon and Danone, with creative agencies such as Ogilvy, FCB and Godrej Lightbox behind some of the most celebrated work. Among the winning campaigns were Godrej’s GoodKnight LV Power Cut (TV), Haleon’s ENO 3 in 1 Sangeet (TV), Horlicks' School Ready by HUL (TV), Danone’s Protinex – Strength Apne Liye, Apno Ke Liye (TV - Unstereotype) and HUL’s Taj Mahal – Kona (Digital).

Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director & Chief Client Officer- South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar said, “As we celebrate five years of the Creative Effectiveness Awards in India, it’s clear that creative evaluation has shifted from a checkpoint to a true growth driver. With content tailored for varied platforms and audiences, Kantar helps brands test and optimise creative across formats- from TVCs and digital films to influencer collaborations. While influencer content drives short-term attention and sales, its full potential emerges when crafted with precision.”

To mark five years of the awards in India, Kantar also introduced a new creative effectiveness framework distilled from its extensive database and insights: “Culture is the Context. Creativity is the Catalyst. Impact is the Outcome.” This framework reflects the enduring elements of successful advertising. Campaigns that have resonated most consistently over five years are those rooted in familiar cultural truths, powered by storytelling that is emotional, authentic, and reflective of evolving consumer realities.

Key learnings include the idea that culture functions like comfort food—familiar, emotional and grounded in memory, while creativity is the ‘tadka’ that brings the story to life. Effective ads are often built around micro-moments, instantly relatable scenes from daily life that deepen emotional connection. Executional finesse, such as the use of idioms, humour, music, and relatable casting, also plays a critical role in memorability.

Importantly, the report underscores the power of regional relevance in India’s multilingual landscape. Campaigns that reflect cultural nuance, rather than merely translating language, tend to perform better across diverse geographies. Influencer content was also found to be a key attention driver, with skip times over 2.2 times better than traditional branded content and stronger brand salience.

Prasanna Kumar, Head of Creative Domain, Insights Division, Kantar added, “The patterns we uncovered over five years show us what resonates deeply, stories rooted in culture, sparked by creativity and rich in emotional truth. But to turn resonance into results, brands need more than instinct. That’s where Kantar comes in, bringing the voice of the consumer, the ultimate stakeholder, into the creative process. It’s how we combine cultural insight with evidence and transform storytelling into effectiveness. It is not just validating the creative idea but about developing an understanding of the finer execution elements that are crucial in amplifying impact.”

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/wpp-cuts-profit-revenue-outlook-for-2025-on-tough-macro-weaker-new-biz-performance-73613.htm">WPP cuts profit, revenue outlook for 2025 as client spending slows amid tougher economy</a>

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/ad-holding-giants-go-on-a-shopping-spree-for-influencer-marketing-firms-72250.htm">Ad holding giants go on a shopping spree for Influencer Marketing firms</a>

Danone, Hindustan Unilever, Haleon and Godrej Consumer Products shine at Kantar India’s Creative Effectiveness Awards

Madison Media Sigma, a unit of Madison World has won the Media AOR for The Sleep Company, a comfort-tech company with its focus on the consumers' improving sleep quality. The agency will be responsible for traditional media mandate that includes television and print. 

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/madison-media-omega-wins-media-mandate-for-farmley-72791.htm">Madison Media Omega wins media mandate for Farmley</a> 


Speaking on the win, Vanita Keswani, chief executive officer, Madison Media Sigma said, “We are thrilled to partner with a disruptive and innovation-led brand like The Sleep Company. We look forward to leveraging our strategic media expertise to amplify their growth journey across traditional and emerging platforms.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/madison-media-plus-appoints-saumya-agarwal-as-vice-president-71566.htm">Madison Media Plus appoints Saumya Agarwal as Vice President</a> 


Ripal Chopda, chief marketing officer, The Sleep Company commented, “At The Sleep Company, our goal is to revolutionize the way India sleeps and sits through disruptive innovation and consumer-first thinking. As we scale our presence across the country, impactful media execution becomes critical. We are thrilled to have Madison Media as our traditional media partner. Their strategic media acumen will play a pivotal role in helping us drive deeper awareness and accelerate our next phase of growth.”


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/madison-media-plus-wins-media-mandate-for-strch-73144.htm">Madison Media Plus wins media mandate for Strch</a> 


Madison Media Sigma wins Media AOR of The Sleep Company

Haleon, the maker of Panadol tablets, Sensodyne toothpaste, Centrum vitamins, and Advil painkillers has launched a global creative agency review, as per an Ad Age report. The aim is to streamline work, which is currently spread across three ad holding companies: WPP, Interpublic Group (IPG), and Publicis Groupe. 

Havas was also named a partner with the launch of Havas Consumer Health. In 2024, the pharmaceutical company named US based Collectively as its principal US influencer marketing partner, and Vistar Media as its partner for  programmatic out-of-home campaigns. 

Haleon in India is a leading fast-moving consumer healthcare company, and its product portfolio spans five major categories - oral health, pain relief, respiratory health, digestive health and vitamins, minerals and supplements (VMS). 

The company's long-standing brands are Sensodyne, Eno, Iodex, Otrivin, Crocin, Polident, Parodontax and Centrum. 

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/bhawna-sikka-to-join-adidas-india-as-cmo-exclusive-35702.htm">Bhawna Sikka to join Adidas India as CMO: Exclusive</a>


Haleon initiates a global creative agency review

Madison Media Plus, a unit of Madison World, has won the media mandate for Strch, a home-grown Indian activewear brand. The account was won in a multi-agency pitch and the agency will be managing the entire media mandate for the brand.

Strch is built on the promise of comfort, performance and style as it caters to a new generation that values both function and fashion in active wear. Madison Media Plus has been entrusted with scaling Strch’s presence across India by driving awareness, building aspirations and positioning it as a go-to activewear brand.

Mimi Deb, COO, Madison Media Plus said, “We’re very excited to partner with Strch. Our focus will be on building a sharp and scalable media strategy that not only drives visibility but also cements Strch’s position as a front-runner in the activewear space.”

"We’re excited to join hands with Madison Media Plus as we take STRCH to the next stage of growth. We look forward to this journey together as we make STRCH a go-to name in the Indian activewear space,” said, Prithvi Bhagat, Founder, Strch.

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/madison-media-omega-wins-media-mandate-for-farmley-72791.htm">Madison Media Omega wins media mandate for Farmley</a>

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/havas-media-networks-arena-india-bags-the-integrated-media-mandate-for-realme-72263.htm">Havas Media Network's Arena India bags the integrated media mandate for realme</a>

Madison Media Plus wins media mandate for Strch

Since the start of 2025, the technology sector has faced waves of layoffs driven by the acceleration of artificial intelligence, with major firms reducing headcounts in pursuit of efficiency. The advertising industry has watched these developments closely. Since discussions around generative AI began dominating agency boardrooms in 2023 and 2024, concerns have persisted that advanced automation could replace creative and operational roles.

Today, those concerns remain, but industry leaders argue that the conversation needs to evolve.

“The right lens to look at it is, ‘How do we upgrade our people to do better quality work and increase their output through the appropriate use of available technology?’,” said Ashish Bhasin, founder of The Bhasin Consulting Group.

Amitesh Rao, CEO of Leo, and Anil Nair, co-founder of Glassbox Ventures and former CEO of VML, echoed Bhasin’s view. Rao described AI as an enabler that can enhance creativity rather than diminish it, adding new dimensions to the creative process.

AI, they argue, plays two roles: supporting the creative workforce while freeing up talent and resources to focus on strategic thinking. “In the old world, we relied on market research, consumer interviews, our own intuition, knowledge and experience to find the right input in order to think creatively. And, AI is giving us that swiftly. Hence, it opens up so many more possibilities from where creative thinking can springboard from,” Rao said.

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Brands in India have already explored AI’s creative potential. In 2023, Nihilent Limited used generative AI to create a version of India’s national anthem with cloned voices, while companies such as Zomato, Britannia, and Shaadi.com have deployed AI to shape their messaging.

“The actual impact of AI is not whether people are individually adapting to it, but whether organisations have adopted it, are adapting to it, whether it is making a difference to businesses, and is bringing the required productivity to the companies,” said KV Sridhar, global chief creative officer at Nihilent Limited.

<strong>Will AI Replace Talent?</strong>

Bhasin cautioned that even as automation grows, it cannot replace the need for strong talent in the industry. “For the effective use of AI, there is a necessity for good talent,” he noted, pointing out that while Leo and its holding company Publicis have invested heavily in AI, the agency group has also continued to expand its talent base.

Rao anticipates significant shifts in talent structures within the industry. “We're not going to have a lot of full-time talent. That's the reality of it. The gig economy is a real thing,” he said.

Nair emphasized the need for agencies to retool their structures to coexist with AI, enabling them to move up the value chain and command premiums for strategic ideation. “The beauty here is that AI is still learning. And, as it grows and there are more use cases, even AI will try to move up the value chain,” he said.

Certain roles, however, may face the risk of redundancy. Bhasin expects media operations and support roles in creative and client servicing to be the first affected, followed by functions in finance, human resources, and legal.

Nair added that while planners, strategists, and designers may be insulated to some extent, roles that depend on speed and scale will be more vulnerable. He noted that the rapid evolution of large language models could further reshape existing structures.

Sridhar predicted that the mechanical functions of advertising—such as account planning, research, media buying, and data analytics—will see significant AI disruption. Yet, he stressed the continued importance of human oversight: “One needs talent with the required skills and imagination to command in order to obtain the desired output from AI.”

Drawing parallels with the introduction of computers in India’s banking sector, Sridhar suggested that while fears of job loss are understandable, adaptation could ultimately generate new opportunities. “How different is the scenario today? The world has comfortably adjusted to it, and a lot more jobs have been created,” he said.

For some in the industry, this adjustment is already underway. Satyabrata Das, chief alliance officer at Laqshya Media Group, recounted the experience of a media planner at GroupM who began learning AI after losing his job. Das noted that as tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Canva AI become ubiquitous, companies are urging employees to develop proficiency, giving them timelines to adapt.

“Moving into the future, we will have AI curators (merger of two disciplines). Art designers in the creative team will be called conversational designers. If I'm going to hire a professional who will look after my consumer profiling, he will be called the synthetic media lead,” Das said.

“Moving forward, AI will become a very important tool for advertising people in all fields of advertising, provided we are able to upgrade, upscale and train our people to use it properly,” Bhasin added.

Still, Sridhar predicted that the immediate impact of AI on advertising and marketing functions may remain muted for the next 18 months, citing the need for enterprise-level adoption and structural recalibration among agencies.

“There will be winners and losers,” Bhasin concluded. “Those who invest early in AI and genuinely start adopting it beyond client presentations will be in the former category.”

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/this-new-executive-role-could-decide-the-future-of-your-company-62730.htm">This new executive role could decide the future of your company</a>


Amid AI upheaval, advertising leaders seek balance between talent and technology

Madison Media Omega, a unit of Madison World, has recently won the media mandate for Farmley for Tamil Nadu. Under this mandate, the agency will manage Farmley’s traditional media responsibilities, including Print, Radio, Cinema, Television and Outdoor.

This partnership comes at a pivotal moment as Farmley aims to light up Tamil Nadu with its vibrant snacking portfolio. By leveraging Madison’s deep media expertise and on-ground understanding of regional markets, this collaboration is set to unlock powerful visibility and accelerate Farmley’s growth in the South and beyond. 

Speaking on the win, Dinesh Rathod, Madison Media Omega said, “We are excited to partner with Farmley. Our team is eager to harness the power of media to build meaningful consumer connections and amplify Farmley’s presence across the country.”

Speaking about the agency’s appointment, Aman Gupta, Head of Marketing, Farmley commented, “We’re excited to partner with Madison Media Omega as we scale into new markets. Their strategic expertise and strong media network will help us take the Farmley promise to more homes across India.”

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/bajaj-auto-appoints-adglobal360-to-run-pan-india-hyperlocal-marketing-71955.htm">Bajaj Auto appoints AdGlobal360 to run pan-India hyperlocal marketing</a>

Madison Media Omega wins media mandate for Farmley

As social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok rose to prominence over the past decade, so did a new class of digital tastemakers. These influencers, once hobbyists posting about beauty tips or gaming reviews, have become central to how brands reach consumers online.

Today, influencer marketing is a $33 billion global industry, more than tripling in size since 2020, according to Statista. And as marketers follow audiences across digital platforms, the world’s largest advertising holding companies are following the money, snapping up influencer marketing firms to bolster their digital portfolios.

For the ad giants, building in-house influencer operations has proved challenging. In one case described by an industry expert, an India-based media agency attempted to create its own influencer team but struggled with the sector’s advance payment requirements, leading to payment delays, public backlash on social media, and the dissolution of the team within a month.

“Since no one offers a one-year runway or financial cushion to set up a team, public ad holding companies view acquisitions as a practical route,” the expert said. “They’re buying both talent and revenue, solving the P&L issue at once.”

Publicis Groupe, the world’s third-largest advertising company, has been among the most aggressive acquirers in the space. In July 2024, it purchased Influential, an AI-powered influencer marketing platform, in a $500 million deal. Influential, which manages a network of 3.5 million creators and data on 90 percent of global influencers with over a million followers, will combine its capabilities with Epsilon, Publicis’ data and identity unit, to offer clients a unified, AI-driven approach to influencer campaigns.

Earlier this year, Publicis also acquired BR Media Group, a leading Latin American influencer marketing firm with a network of 500,000 creators, further tying its influencer capabilities to Epsilon’s data-driven targeting.

In May, Publicis added Captiv8, another influencer marketing platform, to its roster, positioning it within Publicis Connected Media and integrating it with Influential to strengthen its global influencer offering. Captiv8, which processes over 2.5 billion social posts annually across 120 countries, enables creators and brands to monetize content while providing detailed, real-time measurement of campaign outcomes.

Other holding companies are also expanding their influencer ambitions. Stagwell, a U.S.-based marketing and communications group, acquired Tel Aviv-based LEADERS in 2024. LEADERS, founded in 2017, operates an AI-powered influencer SaaS platform, IMAI, and has worked with clients like Nespresso and Coca-Cola. The platform allows brands to launch campaigns with just a few clicks while providing analytics and sales prediction tools.

WPP, the world’s largest ad holding company, acquired Goat, a UK-based agency specializing in data-led influencer campaigns, in 2023. Goat was integrated with WPP’s GroupM to form a global influencer marketing agency under the Goat name, aiming to deliver measurable, outcome-based campaigns for clients such as Meta and Dell.

Earlier, in 2022, WPP acquired Village Marketing, an influencer-led creative agency in North America, folding it into the VML network. Village Marketing, founded in 2013, is known for running social-first campaigns for brands like Nike and Netflix.

The consolidation wave reflects a broader recognition that influencer marketing is no longer an experimental line item in advertising budgets but a critical part of the media mix, demanding scale, data integration, and operational efficiency.

As social media platforms evolve and digital behaviors shift, these acquisitions position the ad giants to offer clients a seamless path to reach consumers - one sponsored post at a time.

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/why-brands-are-bringing-influencer-marketing-in-house-66080.htm">Why brands are bringing influencer marketing in-house</a>




Ad holding giants go on a shopping spree for Influencer Marketing firms

Arena India, a part of Havas Media Network India, has won the integrated media mandate for smartphone brand realme. The mandate was won following a competitive multi-agency pitch. The mandate will be managed out of the agency’s Gurugram office.


With this win, Arena India has not only retained its existing business with realme but has also expanded the partnership to include the full-funnel integrated mandate spanning traditional, digital, and strategic partnerships.


Arena India, led by Manish Sharma, president – Arena India, offers focused, agile, and ROI-driven media strategies tailored for high-growth brands in the digital-first economy. 


Zhang Tao, marketing head, realme, said, "We’re excited to deepen our association with Arena India and Havas Media Network. Their understanding of our brand’s ambition, consumer-first mindset, and ability to deliver innovative, converged solutions at scale made them the right choice. As realme continues to grow its footprint in India, we look forward to a partnership that builds strong brand narratives and drives business outcomes.”


Mohit Joshi, chief executing officer, Havas Media Network India, added, "realme is a powerful and progressive brand, and we are proud to take our partnership to the next level. Arena India’s integrated approach and sharp media thinking have been key to this win. This expansion reinforces our commitment to driving scale and effectiveness for one of India’s most dynamic tech brands."


Uday Mohan, chief operating officer, Havas Media, said, "This is a significant win for us not only in terms of scale but also in terms of strategic importance. It demonstrates our ability to stay ahead of the curve with connected solutions, backed by data intelligence and category expertise. The mandate reflects our growing strength in managing complex, multi-platform mandates in a competitive landscape."



<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/quantum-brief/havas-media-network-india-retains-realmes-media-mandate-11690.htm">Havas Media Network India retains realme's media mandate</a>
 


Havas Media Network's Arena India bags the integrated media mandate for realme

AdGlobal360 (AGL), a MarTech company and a member of Hakuhodo International, has secured the mandate to manage Pan-India hyperlocal marketing for Bajaj Auto Ltd. Probiking. Within three months of the partnership, all KTM and Triumph dealerships across India have been onboarded onto AGL’s proprietary hyperlocal platform, Glocal360.

Glocal360 is being actively leveraged by Area Sales Managers (ASMs) and the broader dealer ecosystem. Among its most impactful tools are TrendVizor, which enables data-backed decision-making through in-depth campaign performance insights and GeoBiz Manager, which enhances dealer visibility by streamlining the management of Google Business Profiles.

Bajaj Motorcycles, the brand’s core commuter segment, is currently preparing for a pilot rollout on the platform, marking the next phase of this digital expansion.

Manik Nangia, President Probiking at Bajaj Auto Ltd., said, “At Bajaj Auto Ltd. Probiking, we are committed to accelerating digital transformation at the ground level, fuelling stronger brand presence, discoverability, and consumer engagement at every dealership touchpoint. We are excited to embark on this journey with AGL, whose deep expertise in hyperlocal marketing and customised tech stacks will help our dealer network deliver more relevant, timely, and impactful customer experiences.”

Rakesh Yadav, CEO of AdGlobal360, said, “With Glocal360, we're not just digitizing dealer networks, we're enabling them to respond to consumer intent in real-time. This mandate is a validation of our deep-rooted investments in scalable, made-for-India MarTech solutions that adapt to regional nuances while delivering national impact. As we extend this ecosystem to Bajaj Motorcycles, we’re confident in building a hyperlocal model that’s both agile and outcome-driven.”

Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/wpp-medias-essencemediacom-bags-nilkamals-media-mandate-70924.htm">WPP Media's EssenceMediacom bags Nilkamal's media mandate</a>

Bajaj Auto appoints AdGlobal360 to run pan-India hyperlocal marketing

The screen opens on a lone Rajasthani man. Soon, the frame widens to reveal others—men, women, children - all jostling in unison, as though part of a strange, synchronized ritual. A rickety bus barrels forward on a desert road, impossibly packed with passengers clinging to every inch of its structure - inside, outside, and atop. The question begs: How are they not falling off?

The answer is revealed, humorously and cleverly, on a small sign affixed to the rear of the vehicle: “Fevicol: The Ultimate Adhesive.”

When this advertisement debuted in 2002, few could have predicted its enduring legacy. Yet over two decades later, it remains etched in the collective memory of Indian viewers, celebrated for its storytelling, symbolism and cultural resonance. Behind the now-iconic film lies a story of creative conviction, logistical hurdles and a filmmaker’s inspired vision.

It began, modestly, with a print ad.

Renowned filmmaker Prasoon Pandey, founder of Corcoise Films, had come across a Fevicol print campaign that depicted a crowded local train with passengers hanging perilously off the sides. Yet, no one fell. A small Fevicol logo at the bottom explained the miracle.

“It was simple. Brilliant,” Pandey recalled in a later interview.

Soon after, Ogilvy & Mather approached him to create a television commercial inspired by the print concept. But Pandey hesitated. Simply translating the idea from print to screen, especially with the same train setting, felt creatively unfulfilling. It took him over a month to commit—only after he found a compelling cinematic alternative.

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Pandey drew unexpected inspiration from a 1958 Dutch short film titled Glass, directed by Bert Haanstra. The film, which juxtaposes traditional glassblowing with industrial manufacturing, sparked a thought: what if the ad focused on rhythm, motion and visual buildup?

The train became a bus. The chaos, more exaggerated. “I imagined a road so bad, even a goat would be shaken up,” Pandey said. The visual metaphor was simple: if Fevicol could hold together this chaotic ensemble, it could hold anything.

The commercial was shot over several days in the sand dunes near Jaisalmer. More than 200 local villagers were cast as passengers. But logistical challenges abounded.

“The winter sun travels left to right, so we had to change the bus’s direction every couple of hours,” Pandey explained. To simulate the rough ride, one-foot-deep ditches were dug across the road, but the initial effect was underwhelming. “It looked like a rabbit hopping,” he joked. Alternating the trenches left and right finally delivered the desired bounce.

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Then there was the goat. As the story goes, the animal—unimpressed by the film’s artistic ambitions—would urinate on the young boy seated beneath it every time the bus lurched. The crew, Pandey recalled, found it hilarious.

The soundtrack, minimal but evocative, was crafted in collaboration with percussionist Taufiq Qureshi and composer Loy Mendonsa. The goal was not music for music’s sake, but something that could carry the film’s visual rhythm and pacing.

At Cannes in 2002, the ad won a Silver Lion - the first Indian film to win at the prestigious festival in six years. It marked a turning point not just for Fevicol, but for Indian advertising itself.

Piyush Pandey (now Chief Advisor at Ogilvy) was closely involved in the campaign. His creative partnership with Madhukar Parekh, Chairman of Pidilite Industries (Fevicol’s parent company), has become one of the longest-running and most successful in Indian advertising. 'That’s the real Fevicol bond,' they often quip.

Over the years, “Fevicol ka jod” has become a part of the vernacular - a metaphor for relationships, alliances and unbreakable bonds. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi referenced it during a 2014 visit to Japan, calling India-Japan ties “stronger than a Fevicol bond.”

Fevicol’s advertising strategy has always centered on people, culture and a touch of absurdity. From 1991’s “Dum Laga Ke Haisha” to more recent campaigns, the brand has resisted trendiness in favor of timeless humour rooted in Indian life.

“Some call it retro,” said Piyush Pandey. “I say, we’re not retro, you’re metro. That’s where India lives.”

The Fevicol bus ad was never just about glue. It was about the strength of storytelling and how humor, visual poetry and a touch of absurdity can turn a brand into something mythic.

As Piyush Pandey noted, “An iconic ad isn’t written. You just write the best thing you can. When people fall in love with it, it becomes iconic.”

<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/how-fevicol-egg-advertisement-was-a-turning-point-in-the-brands-creative-journey-51815.htm">How Fevicol egg advertisement was a ‘turning point’ in the brand’s creative journey</a> 

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