MAM
Ashwini Dhingra joins DDB Mudra
MUMBAI: Ashwini Dhingra has been appointed DDB Mudra Delhi SVP and will report directly to DDB Mudra Group Delhi president Vandana Das. He will be handling some of the agency‘s Delhi-based clients such as Dabur, HBO, Jaypee Group, PepsiCo, Twinings and Wrigley‘s.
Dhingra‘s previous stint was with JWT Kolkata where he was vice president and director client services. He started his career in 1990 with Specialty Papers and shifted to advertising in 1997 with Euro RSCG where he worked for 14 years before joining JWT in 2011. In his tenure of 15 years, Dhingra has worked with Essar Cellphone, Lacoste, Kohler, Lebon, IMT, Jaypee Group, Zee News, ITC, Mayur Plywood and Tata Steel to name a few.
DDB Mudra Group CEO and managing director Madhukar Kamath said, “For the DDB Mudra Group, Delhi is the growth market. Our offerings – advertising, media, digital, CRM, experiential, shopper marketing, retail and strategic branding enable us to deliver to a varied client portfolio. In line with our strategy to grow in Delhi, which already accounts for close to 40 per cent of the DDB Mudra Group businesses, we are further strengthening the team with Ashwini who comes to us from JWT. We now have a terrific team in place spearheaded by Vandana.”
Das said, “Over the past few months, the team in Delhi has gotten stronger. We‘ve got Radhika Das, Xavi, Ravinder Siwach, Nagendra Choudhary and now Ashwini on board. All of them are experts in their respective fields and I feel truly privileged to lead such a talented team.”
Dhingra said, “It is a fantastic opportunity to join an agency focussed to touch newer heights and I am looking forward to adding value by teaming-up with one of the best talents of the advertising industry.”
Brands
De Beers & GJEPC partner JioStar to promote diamonds in cricket broadcasts
New JioStar tie-up blends sport and style as diamonds shine on and off pitch
MUMBAI: De Beers Group has teamed up with the Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council to bring natural diamonds into India’s cricket broadcasts, marking an unusual crossover between sport and sparkle.
The collaboration, in association with JioStar, will see women anchors adorned with natural diamond jewellery throughout the cricketing season, adding a premium visual layer to studio coverage. From statement necklaces to cocktail rings and stacked bracelets, the idea is to place diamonds squarely in the spotlight of one of India’s most-watched formats.
In a first, the broadcast will also feature a weekly segment titled ‘Real Diamonds of the Week’, celebrating standout cricketing performances while drawing a parallel with the rarity and resilience associated with natural diamonds.
Beyond the studio, the campaign leans into a broader cultural shift. Cricketers Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav front the initiative, reflecting a growing acceptance of diamonds as a form of everyday self-expression, including among men.
“India is reimagining its relationship with natural diamonds, and our partnership with JioStar is a celebration of that evolution,” said De Beers Group SVP Shweta Harit. She added that, much like cricket, natural diamonds represent something earned, enduring and rare, now increasingly tied to personal identity rather than just milestone occasions.
Echoing the sentiment, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council chairman Kirit Bhansali said India is fast evolving from a manufacturing hub into a major consumer market for diamond jewellery. He noted that with India already the world’s second-largest diamond jewellery market and projected to reach Rs 1,500 billion by 2030, the cricket broadcast offers a powerful platform to connect with younger audiences.
The partnership also underscores a wider ambition within the industry to reposition natural diamonds as relevant, contemporary and woven into everyday culture.
From pitch-side drama to studio style, diamonds are stepping off the pedestal and into the mainstream, proving they can play the long game as well as any seasoned cricketer.
