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Kenvue, which was previously Johnson & Johnson's consumer arm, concluded its APAC media pitch, which began in early 2024. The consumer health company appointed Publicis Media as its media agency, which was earlier handled by IPG, stated a report. R3, a global independent marketing consultancy, were handling the pitch. 


In early 2024, FCB and BBDO were added to Kenvue's creative agency roster, the MI report added.


In late 2021, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) announced its decision to separate the company's consumer health business, and create a new publicly traded company. In September 2022, J&J first announced the name Kenvue, which was inspired by two ideas: 'Ken', which means knowledge, and 'vue', which means referencing sight. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/manish-anandani-on-quick-commerce-booming-for-kenvue-and-market-38007.htm">Focussing on middle income groups for growth in India: Kenvue</a>

Kenvue concludes its APAC media pitch; appoints Publicis Media as its agency

Maker of Snickers, Mars Inc has launched a global review of its agencies, which includes influencer marketing, brand, public relations, media, commerce and social media, according to international media reports. The reason for the global review is to bring down the brand's number of agency partners, as per the reports. 


The review is expected to conclude in 2025, and it does not include creative. Currently, the creative responsibilities of Mars are handled by Omnicom's BBDO and DDB divisions. EssenceMediacom handles Mars' media planning and media buying. 


The review will focus on Mars snacking, which includes Snickers, M&M's, Mars Petcare which further includes Pedigree, Cesar brands. However, Mars Nutrition does not happen to be a part of the review.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/wpp-brings-integrated-agency-tpm-fully-within-its-global-network-47330.htm">WPP brings integrated agency T&Pm fully within its global network</a>

Mars launches global review of its agencies

Rediffusion Brand Solutions announced its appointment as the creative agency of Record for Nippon India Mutual Fund (NIMF).


Following a rigorous four-round pitch process, NIMF selected Rediffusion to handle its creative duties. This partnership aims to amplify NIMF's brand presence in the competitive mutual funds industry through innovative, insight-driven campaigns.


In a statement on the collaboration, Kaiyomurz Daver, Head of Marketing at NIMF, noted, “We found in Rediffusion what we were looking for—an in-depth understanding of the mutual funds category, the agility to adapt to evolving market conditions, and a passion for excellence. Importantly, we will be working with the same team that led the pitch, combining a robust mix of senior and fresh talent."


Sandeep Goyal, Chairman of Rediffusion expressed his enthusiasm: “Nippon India Mutual Fund holds a special place for me, given my two-decade-long association with Japanese brands in India. This partnership feels natural, and we are fully committed to helping NIMF become a preferred choice for Indian investors.”


Asheesh Malhotra, Executive Director at Rediffusion highlighted, “Indian investors are increasingly incorporating mutual funds into their core investment portfolios. The competition to attract customers in this highly regulated market is intense. Trust, transparency, and market intelligence are crucial differentiators. Investors are seeking trusted partners who offer customized solutions, innovation, and dynamic investment strategies to maximize returns in the short term. At Rediffusion, we value the importance of a team that deeply understands the category and consistently meets every challenge head-on."


Pramod Sharma, National Creative Director at Rediffusion, stated, “In a category that is often misunderstood, our challenge was to create a brand narrative that resonates across a wide target audience based on trust and transparency. Instead of relying on pure play emotional messaging, we focused on key pillars like process, discipline, and caution. The brand imagery that we developed, had a clean and bold black-and-white look, stood out in the marketplace and was well-received by both NIMF and its consumers. However, the real challenge begins now as we embark on the journey to elevate NIMF’s brand presence even further.”


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/smartphone-brand-honor-appoints-wpps-groupm-as-global-media-partner-45532.htm">GroupM bags smartphone giant Honor's $250 million global media account</a>

Rediffusion wins creative mandate for Nippon India Mutual Fund

Following a competitive pitch, WPP's GroupM was appointed by smartphone brand Honor as its global media partner. Further, Honor has handed its China planning business to GroupM from Publicis. The partnership between GroupM and Honor spans a decade beginning in 2014. 


From 2025-2028, GroupM will look into Honor's global media strategy and buying business covering China and overseas.


GroupM will also leverage WPP's global resources and talent advantages and further harness AI data technology in order to enhance the brand's marketing strategies, media efficiency and effectiveness.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/madison-wins-media-mandate-for-parag-milk-foods-rs-100-120-cr-account-45025.htm">Madison wins media mandate for Parag Milk Foods' Rs 100-120 cr account</a>

GroupM bags smartphone giant Honor's $250 million global media account

Interactive Avenues, the digital arm of IPG Mediabrands India, has secured the social media mandate for Home Centre looking to create their dream living spaces. Following a competitive multi-agency pitch, the account will be managed from the agency's Bengaluru office.


The partnership aims to enhance the brand's social media presence through a strategic focus on innovative, clutter-breaking content designed to drive engagement and business growth.

Interactive Avenues plans to leverage its expertise in influencer partnerships, social media platforms, and community-building strategies to elevate the brand's visibility and foster consumer connection. 

Shikha S Mazumdar, Head of Marketing & VM at Home Centre India stated, "Social media plays a pivotal role in today's digital-first world, and we are excited to leverage Interactive Avenues' proven expertise in this field for amplifying our brand's visibility and building deeper connections with consumers."

Sindhu Janardhan, Senior Creative Director at Interactive Avenues, highlighted, "We are delighted to join forces with Home Centre, a brand synonymous with stylish and premium home collections. We will use our digital and creative expertise to craft content that enhances brand equity and drives impact."


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/ds-group-awards-social-media-performance-marketing-mandate-to-brand-catapult-for-laderach-india-44872.htm">DS Group awards social media & performance marketing mandate to Brand Catapult for Läderach India</a>

Interactive Avenues wins social media mandate for Home Centre

The Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group) has awarded the social media and performance marketing mandate for the luxury Swiss Chocolate brand, Läderach to Brand Catapult, a 360-degree marketing company, headquartered in Delhi. 


This follows an extensive multi-agency pitch and rigorous selection process. As an exclusive partner of the luxury Swiss Chocolate brand, Läderach in India, DS Group aims to deliver an extraordinary chocolate experience to Indian consumers, stated the company.


Announcing the appointment, Sanskriti Gupta, Läderach India, said, "Läderach India is thrilled to award its social media and performance marketing mandate to Brand Catapult. DS Group's partnership with Läderach highlights the dedication of delivering exceptional experiences to Indian consumers with focus on quality which was understood well by the Brand Catapult team. We are confident that their ability to craft engaging and impactful content will help us connect with a broader audience and share our passion for high-quality chocolates."


Brand Catapult’s Founder, Dhruv Goel, stated, "We are honored to be awarded the social media and performance marketing mandate for Läderach India after a competitive multi-agency pitch. Läderach is a brand that epitomizes luxury and quality, and our team is dedicated to developing a robust social media presence and performance-driven campaigns that reflect Läderach’s heritage and commitment to excellence."


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/82-5-communications-bags-vadilals-creative-mandate-44391.htm">82.5 Communications bags Vadilal's creative mandate</a>

DS Group awards social media & performance marketing mandate to Brand Catapult for Läderach India

Former Lintas and Tilt Brand Solutions executives, Rajiv Chatterjee, Shriram Iyer and T Gangadhar (Gangs) announced the launch of their new Mumbai-based company, ZeroFifty Mediaworks.


In a joint statement, the three co-founders said, “ZeroFifty was born out of a desire to deploy simple human creativity in the service of complex brand challenges, without the teeming distractions that seem to have seized marketing and communications today. We are incredibly excited about what lies ahead."


Chatterjee has over two decades of experience, with long stints at Lintas and Tilt Brand Solutions. He has worked on several major brands, including Britannia, Dream11, Fastrack, Flipkart, GoDaddy, Licious, Livspace, Myntra, Google, Pernod Ricard, Swiggy, Tanishq and Tata Tea. Prior to entering advertising, he was a commodity broker and tea taster.


With over 20 years of experience, primarily with Lintas and Tilt Brand Solutions, Iyer has created advertising for brands like Unilever, Bajaj Auto, Fastrack, Google, Havell’s, ICICI Bank, Licious, Livspace, Swiggy, Micromax, Tata Tea and Dream11.


T Gangadhar has over 25 years of experience across advertising, marketing and media. Prior to his stint at Tilt brand Solutions, he was with WPP/GroupM as CEO, Asia Pacific - Essence (now EssenceMediacom). While at Sony, he conceptualised and led the launch marketing campaign for the Indian Premier League (IPL), in 2008.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/agency-news/ather-energy-onboards-tilt-brand-solutions-as-their-brand-and-communications-agency-33891.htm">Ather Energy onboards Tilt Brand Solutions as their brand and communications agency</a>

Former Lintas and Tilt ad execs launch a creative agency, ZeroFifty Mediaworks

Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol, has strengthened its creative mandate with Enormous Brands, an ad agency. As its creative partner, Enormous Brands will continue to manage brand strategy, creative solutions leading to mainline, digital & on ground executions.


As part of the renewed collaboration, apart from managing the creative mandate of Royal Challenge, Signature from the prestige segment; Singleton and Tanqueray from the Reserve portfolio, Enormous Brands will additionally manage the creative mandate for Don Julio, the icon of luxury in India. 


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/diageo-india-looking-at-growing-non-alcoholic-and-or-zero-alcohol-and-liqueur-categories-38186.htm">Diageo India looking at growing non-alcoholic and/or Zero Alcohol and liqueur categories</a>

Diageo renews its partnership with Enormous Brands

Vadilal, founded in 1907, has entrusted its creative mandate to 82.5 Communications Pvt. Ltd. It is one of the largest processed food manufacturers in India and the brand name is hugely synonymous with the country’s Ice Cream industry. 82.5 will handle the full-service creative duties of Vadilal for its entire portfolio along with their design expertise to help Vadilal with its packaging.


Vadilal is a household name and offers a large range of Ice Creams in the form of ice cream cones, candies, bars, ice-lollies, cups, family packs, and economy packs, in a variety of flavours, stated the company.


Commenting on the Vadilal X 82.5 Communications association, Aakanksha Gandhi, President – Branding & New Business Development said, “As a 90’s kid I grew up watching the ground-breaking works of Piyush Pandey and Ogilvy on TV and dreaming of a day when I could collaborate with such creative brilliance for Vadilal Ice Creams. Today, having been actively involved in the family business, I am proud to see Vadilal reach a stage where 82.5 Communications is the perfect partner to help us capitalize on the exciting opportunities ahead in the Indian ice cream industry. This partnership is the fulfilment of a personal aspiration, and it feels like being handed the ultimate creative opportunity. I am truly eager to witness the remarkable ideas and innovation that this association will bring to life.”


Niraj Presswala, General Manager – Marketing & Branding says, “Vadilal Ice Cream is one of India's leading ice cream brands, and as we continue to grow year after year, our goal is to connect with people of all age groups. Partnering with 82.5, we are committed to developing a distinctive brand language, communication and driving exceptional sales growth with brand inputs. With our resilience and the creative expertise of 82.5, we are confident in delivering something extraordinary to our audience.”


Chief Creative Officer of 82.5 Communications, Anuraag Khandelwal says, “I believe ice creams truly evoke happiness. Vadilal has a rich legacy, and their products are truly worth every bite (I love their BadaBite). We are thrilled to partner them and embark on this flavourful journey. It’s an exciting opportunity to spread the joy and love for ice creams in a country that has a sweet tooth for every occasion.”


Echoing this sentiment, Naveen Raman, Executive Vice President & Branch Head, 82.5 Communications – South, added, “We are thrilled to partner with Vadilal  and our chemistry with team Vadilal has been phenomenal. Vadilal holds a special place in the hearts of consumers, and we aim to spread its love deeper and elevate the brand to newer heights.”



82.5 Communications bags Vadilal's creative mandate

Efficacy Worldwide, a full-service advertising and marketing agency, has become the Agency of Record (AOR) for Hero Cycles. The agency has bagged this mandate after a multi-agency pitch. 

 
“With this partnership, we aim to captivate our target audience with compelling marketing campaigns that highlight the brand's unique value proposition. Efficacy and its expert team are aligned with our objective to take Hero Cycles to a different level. We’re hopeful to leverage their expertise to build a fresh brand identity” says, Rohit Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, Hero Cycles.

 
"Partnering with Hero Cycles, a name synonymous with quality and innovation, is a great opportunity for us. As they continue to lead the market, our focus will be on driving impactful, multi-channel campaigns to amplify the brand reach. We will optimize the brand's presence across all media platforms through targeted and impactful campaigns", says Vishnu Sharma, Founder & CEO, Efficacy Worldwide.

 
Aligned with Hero Cycles’ vision, Efficacy is set to provide its marketing and advertising services (TV, Print, Digital, Radio, Outdoor, Cinema and other allied services) with the impetus it needs to make its indelible mark on the industry, stated the agency.


Read More: <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/exclusive-hero-motocorps-media-mandate-up-for-grabs-auto-major-calls-for-pitch-35419.htm">Hero Motocorp's media mandate up for grabs; auto major calls for pitch: Exclusive</a>

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