Latest news with #HavasIndia
Mint
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
India roars at Cannes, but global creative dominance still eludes us
MUMBAI: India has never looked more confident on the global creative stage. With a rich haul of 32 Lions at this year's Cannes Lions International Festival, including a Grand Prix, nine Golds, nine Silvers, and 13 Bronzes, this was India's best outing since 2022. But behind the celebration lies a more sobering question: while Indian ad agencies are solving real-world problems and building culturally powerful narratives, are we still falling short of creating globally scaled, exportable creative intellectual property (IP)? The wins spanned newer, impact-led categories like PR, creative data, social and influencer, creative strategy and brand experience—marking a clear departure from the era when India's strength lay in print or radio. Among the most celebrated campaigns this year were FCB India's Lucky Yatra, which gamified Indian Railways' unreserved ticketing system to reward underserved travellers; Leo Burnett's Tailor Test, which used neighbourhood tailors to push men toward preventive health check-ups; and Ogilvy's Erase Valentine's Day, which continued 5Star's irreverent tone and won Gold for its culturally subversive social play. Also read: Advertising sentiment remains subdued during festive quarter 'India's performance at Cannes this year has been nothing short of inspiring, and I think it is the result of a steady evolution and not a sudden breakthrough," said Rana Barua, group chief executive officer, Havas India, SEA and North Asia (Japan and South Korea). 'We've been sharpening our strategic thinking while staying rooted in culture and elevating the craft to meet global standards. What's really working in our favour now is our ability to tell stories that are both deeply local but also hold universal relevance." Havas India picked up metals for Ink of Democracy, which turned a newspaper front page purple—the colour of India's voting ink—to nudge readers to vote. The campaign was high on cultural resonance and symbolic weight and reflected the kind of idea Cannes increasingly rewards. 'We're witnessing a definitive shift toward 'purpose with proof'. It's no longer enough for a campaign to simply say something meaningful; it also has to do with the right messaging and effective impact," Barua said. 'The work that wins today is emotionally compelling, but also measurable, actionable, and anchored in truth." Even traditional advertisers are leaning into this shift. Mondelez India's 5Star was again among the Cannes winners for its quirky, anti-Valentine's Day campaign. 'Winning Gold at Cannes is a moment of immense pride for us," said Nitin Saini, vice-president—marketing, Mondelez India. 'We aim to deliver bold, clutter-breaking work that drives both brand love and business impact." Also read: Music labels crack the whip as influencers flout copyright rules on social media Saini underlined that the brand doesn't create work just to win awards. 'Our briefs are always anchored on winning with consumers, keeping in mind our key brand objectives and with a laser focus on consumer impact," he said. 'But when the work is insightful, disruptive, and hits the right cultural nerve, it often earns recognition." He also pointed out that risk-taking is less about timing and more about internal culture. 'At Mondelez, we encourage our teams to deeply understand the consumer, the cultural context and our brands and from that foundation, we give them the freedom to experiment." But despite the optimism, some remain unconvinced that this success marks a permanent shift. Karthik Srinivasan, independent communications consultant, said, 'There is good work coming out of India, most definitely, but we could do a lot better in terms of scale and ambition." Srinivasan noted that many of the wins came from purpose-led interventions, where there's greater creative flexibility than in product-led advertising. 'Purpose-led activations have always been the well of creative thought, unshackled from the need to sell, which is the traditional bedrock of advertising. So it's no wonder that they offer better width for agencies to unleash creativity. But the real magic would be in producing such creativity in service of selling traditional products, using traditional brand storytelling." He also raised a deeper issue: India still hasn't created a globally exportable brand idea. 'We still lack the ambition to create ideas that can be scaled globally. For instance, Surf Excel's Daag Achche Hain, Snickers' You're Not You When You're Hungry, or Pepsi's No Lays, No Game were all successfully adapted in India and not originated. While we go hard on local relevance, when we create ideas that can work locally and can be successfully imported to other markets, that would signal something very different about Indian creativity." Some of this year's top winners weren't without controversy. Lucky Yatra drew criticism over execution claims, while a Britannia film raised concerns about exaggerated outcomes—rekindling debates around the line between case study storytelling and fact-based results. Also read: Former Disney India legal head Mihir Rale joins Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas 'Creativity, on its own, does matter," Srinivasan said. 'But when in advertising, there's a subsequent question: 'Did it work?' That depends on other factors—whether there was enough money and appropriate media vehicles used in service of the idea, and whether the intended audience gained from it. Awards matter when they are defined sharply." Barua believes that Indian agencies are moving in the right direction—investing in system-level change, not just in campaign flash. 'Great work doesn't happen by accident. It takes intent, collaboration, and a culture that champions both excellence and empathy," he said. 'Our Village model brings together creative, media, CX (consumer experience), design, PR, tech and health under one roof. We're not just making ads, we're solving complex business problems." This year's Cannes wins weren't dominated by any single holding company or city. FCB, Leo Burnett, Ogilvy, Havas, Dentsu Creative, Godrej Creative Lab and BBH all contributed, suggesting a broader base of ambition and capability across the ecosystem. But the question of consistency remains. 'We're absolutely capable of becoming consistent global forces," Barua said. 'What's holding us back is a mix of scale, mindset, and opportunity. We're often operating in a value-conscious, risk-averse environment, but that's changing." What's encouraging is that Indian creatives are no longer thinking in just 30-second TVCs or radio spots. They're thinking in platforms, formats and ecosystems. And this year's winners prove India can deliver culturally rooted, globally relevant storytelling. The challenge now is whether we can build on this momentum and create ideas that don't just win, but endure. India may not have had its Droga5 moment yet. But Cannes 2025 suggests we're no longer chasing others. We're finally beginning to lead.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
India's Cannes trophy shelf gets heavier
Mumbai: Indian agencies won a Gold, two Silvers and seven Bronze Lions on Day 3 of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on Wednesday, taking their overall tally to 22 - including three Golds, eight Silvers and 11 Bronzes at the time of going to press on Wednesday. Leo India won a Gold in the Creative Data category for ACKO's 'Tailor Test'. "Winning Gold at Cannes for this campaign is a proud moment for us. This is a testament to how powerful creativity can emerge from the simplest data-often hiding in everyday life," said Rajdeepak Das, CCO, Publicis Groupe South Asia and chairman at Leo South Asia. Leo India also picked up a Silver Lion in the Media category for Cathay Pacific's 'Takeoff Takeover', a campaign that used real-time flight data to create a hyper-targeted airport campaign. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo FCB India won a Silver in the PR category for 'Lucky Yatra', a campaign created for the Indian Railways. That takes the group's tally at the festival to three Lions - with a Gold and a Bronze won earlier. Havas India's 'Ink of Democracy' for The Times of India, which featured newspaper pages printed with unused electoral ink, won two Bronzes in the Direct and Media categories. The campaign had earlier won Gold in the Print and Publishing category on Day 1. "Winning a Gold and two Bronze Lions for Ink of Democracy is a moment of immense pride, for the work, the people behind it, and what it stands for. Huge shoutout to Team ToI and our global team for their belief in the idea and all the support," said Rana Barua, group CEO, Havas India, Southeast Asia and North Asia. Live Events Ogilvy India's 'Eye Test Menu' for Titan clinched another Bronze, this time in the Media Category. Other Bronze winners included Dentsu Creative's 'Garuda Rakshak' for DSP Mutual Fund and Talented's 'Nature Shapes Britannia' for Britannia Industries, both in the Media category. Ogilvy India's 'Box to Beds' for Amazon won a Bronze in PR, while BBH India's 'Bassi Vs Men's Facewash' for Garnier picked up a Bronze in the Social & Creator category. India also added one shortlist on Day 3. BBDO India's long-running gender-equality campaign for Ariel, 'Share The Load', earned a spot in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Lions under the newly launched Long-Term Brand Platform subcategory. The country's final shortlist count now stands at 85. Elsewhere, Actor Reese Witherspoon, joined by e.l.f. Beauty's CMO Kory Marchisotto, unveiled Sunny - a new Gen Z-focused sister brand to Hello Sunshine aimed at amplifying young female voices in media. Another session had TikTok's global head of business marketing Sofia Hernandez joining creators Keith Lee and Logan Moffitt to explore how modern culture is shaped "not in boardrooms, but in comment sections."
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
When global experience doesn't impress: The struggle of returning NRIs
After years of building a career abroad, many professionals dream of returning to India—closer to family, culture, and familiar ground. But for thousands of returning NRIs, the homecoming comes with an unexpected twist: the Indian job market isn't always as welcoming as they imagined. Your LinkedIn profile is impressive. Your resume reflects global exposure, cross-cultural leadership, and high-value projects. But when you apply here, you're met with silence, hesitation, or polite rejections. Why? The invisible wall What many returning professionals experience is a unique blend of reverse culture shock and market mismatch. It's not just about lifestyle—it's about how the job market operates. Recruiters and companies often wonder: 'Will they settle down here for the long run?' 'Will they adapt to the Indian work culture?' 'Do they expect global-level compensation and benefits?' The result? Stellar profiles often get filtered out before they're even fully considered. And then there's the structure of the Indian job market itself. Senior roles are fewer, fiercely competitive, and deeply relationship-driven. It's not just about the CV anymore. It's about who knows you; who trusts you; and how well you understand the unspoken rules of hiring here. Real stories, real struggles These aren't just isolated anecdotes. Here's what I've seen first-hand while coaching NRI returnees: A tech professional with 15 years of experience in Singapore applied to over 100 jobs in India. After eight months, he finally joined a startup—with a 40% pay cut. A UK-based marketing head was repeatedly told she was 'overqualified.' No one offered her a role, so she pivoted to consulting. Today, she runs a successful practice, but the transition was tough. A finance leader returned to care for aging parents. Despite decades of MNC experience, he was told he didn't understand 'Indian market realities.' Why this happens Here's what doesn't work: Expecting global experience to guarantee local respect. Titles don't translate. Indian companies want contextual relevance, not just global strategy. Applying remotely without groundwork. Many NRIs start applying from abroad, without building a local network or presence. That rarely yields results. Waiting for the perfect fit: The longer the wait, the harder it gets. Holding out too long creates a widening gap—both in time and mindset. What actually works I asked a senior respected HR Leader, Vandana Tilwani, Chief Human Resource Officer, Havas India and Chief Inclusion Officer, APAC as to what criteria she uses to assess candidates returning to India from international markets. She said: 'I look at three key criteria. First, the relevance and adaptability of their global experience to the local market context—can they translate those insights into meaningful impact here? Second, their cultural agility and openness to reintegrate into the evolving Indian workplace. And third, their long-term intent and commitment—are they here to build, contribute, and grow with the ecosystem? These factors together help gauge both immediate value and future potential.' Let's flip the script. If you're serious about returning, strategy matters more than pedigree. Start preparing your move. Reconnect with peers, mentors, and former colleagues in India. Let your network know you're coming back. Warm intros go a long way. Be flexible, initially. Yes, you've led global teams. But the Indian market needs to see you adapt. Even a temporary downgrade in title or pay can open doors that lead to long-term success. Look at Global Capability Centres. GCCs in India value global experience and understand transition challenges. They're often a smoother landing pad for returnees. Consult, don't chase. Consider project-based consulting or interim roles. It helps build your local credibility while giving you time to understand the landscape. Reframe your narrative. You're not 'just' coming home. You're bringing global vision with local commitment. Position yourself as a bridge, someone who understands international best practices and the Indian market pulse. The way forward Returning to India doesn't mean starting from scratch. But it does mean repurposing your global story for a local audience. The goal is not to lower your worth—but to align it with what the market needs and understands. Be proactive. Stay humble. And build your presence in a way that says: 'I'm not here to compare - I'm here to contribute.' Your global experience is valuable. The key is to present it in a language the Indian market relates to. With the right approach, your return can be more than just a comeback—it can be a leap forward.
