Brands
Titan’s new TVC defines the joy of gifting
New Delhi: Titan has launched a new advertising campaign that aims to infuse warmth into the very moment a gift changes hands.
The brand wants the buyers to look at the iconic brand, and the original owner of the gifting platform, in a brand new light. A special part of this objective was to return the brand’s ever-popular theme music to its earlier status as gifting as a warmest mnemonic. The message is supported by a wide range of watches across several collections; one for every kind of gifting moment, or relationship.
The creative rendition of the brief celebrates the long-forgotten ‘Joy of Gifting’. The television commercial created by Ogilvy India showcases a playful and warm situation set in a college classroom. What initially appears to be routine mischief in an otherwise regular lecture snowballs into a heartening group effort by the students to thank their teacher. A rendition of Titan’s classic signature melody is recreated by the students in acapella form, by thumping on desks and classroom stationery, and of course their own voices. While the teacher looks on, overwhelmed by emotion, a student walks up to him and hands him a book that celebrates their memories. Upon flipping the pages, he finds in one of the pages, a sophisticated Titan watch.
Titan Watches Global marketing head & product head Rajan Amba said, “The new TVC rekindles an emotional bond that plays an important role in shaping our lives. Gifting is as much about receiving as it is about giving, and giving freely without expectations greatly increases the joy of giving. We have brought back the Titan tune in an emotional yet contemporary manner which is bound to bring back memories among an audience of all ages.”
Ogilvy executive chairman and national creative director Piyush Pandey, also shared his views on the commercial, “The new Titan campaign dovetails the introduction of more world class watches by Titan. The campaign explores deep human emotions associated with gifting. The first in the series is a tribute to the great Indian tradition of gurushishya.”
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
