MAM
VivaConnect appoints Bharatesh Salian as Chief Strategy Officer
MUMBAI: The voice & missed call company, VivaConnect, has appointed Bharatesh Salian as the chief strategy officer. He will define and execute strategic initiatives for brands, media houses and agencies to deliver a unified-interactive experience across all screens and touchpoints.
Salian comes with a strong technology background and in-depth understanding of brands and consumer behaviour. He brings on board, 14 years of experience in mobile, digital and social media marketing space. Prior to joining VivaConnect, he was with Mogae Media Group as strategic planning & business development director. His former stint as a general manager- digital and mobility services at Omnicom Media Group owned OMD and PHD, had him heading the mobile strategy and project implementation for large FMCG’s like Hindustan Unilever Limited, Johnson & Johnson.
With his strong conviction about mobile offering the highest reach, he executed campaigns for notable brands using Telecom Platform on a 10-digit mobile number (Long Code). Other major projects include introduction of “Web Click to Call” concept in a Brand Campaign for Pepsi in 2009 and Missed Call Activity in a Brand Activation for Tide Plus.
He has been a recipient of ‘Innovative Leader Award’ at Indira International Innovation Summit, January 2013.
Speaking on the appointment, managing director Vikram Raichura said, “I am delighted to welcome Bharatesh to the team VivaConnect. With his treasure-box of experience across brands and agencies, I am confident that it will further enable us to deliver greater value to our clients apart from giving them a competitive advantage. I wish him all the luck for his career-journey with VivaConnect.”
MAM
De Beers launches ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ centenary book
Visual retrospective traces 100 years of iconic slogan and cultural impact.
MUMBAI: De Beers just dropped a century’s worth of sparkle between two covers because when a four-word line becomes forever, even the book needs a forever title. De Beers Group has released A Diamond Is Forever: The Making of a Cultural Icon 1926–2026, a landmark visual retrospective celebrating 100 years of shaping the modern perception of natural diamonds. The book traces how the brand transformed diamonds from elite heirlooms into universal symbols of love, commitment and personal achievement, with rare archival material, campaign highlights and cultural commentary.
At its core is the legendary 1947 slogan “A Diamond Is Forever,” penned by N.W. Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety. The four words redefined diamonds as eternal promises, earning the title of the 20th century’s greatest advertising slogan from Advertising Age in 1999. The book explores how this idea and others like the “Two Months’ Salary” guideline and the “Right Hand Ring” influenced social rituals, female independence and consumer behaviour worldwide, including in India, where diamonds shifted from gold-centric traditions to emotionally resonant milestones.
Beyond marketing, it showcases collaborations with artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Raoul Dufy, alongside icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Later campaigns, including the 1990s “Shadows” series set to Karl Jenkins’ Palladio, reinforced diamonds as timeless and unique. The narrative also addresses today’s focus on provenance, sustainability and ethical stewardship, positioning natural diamonds as symbols of both enduring love and responsible luxury.
The book arrives as De Beers marks a century of innovation in luxury marketing, from the Great Depression to the era of conscious consumption, offering a rare window into one of advertising’s most enduring brand stories.
In a world where trends fade fast, De Beers didn’t just sell diamonds, it sold forever, and now it’s bound the proof in pages that will outlast even the hardest carat.
