MAM
Language can turn ideas into magic or dust: Tim Love
VARCA, GOA: In today‘s diverse world compressed by an overwhelming digital presence, language is the most powerful technology around.
“Language is a technology in itself,” Omnicom Group vice chairman and Omnicom Asia Pacific India Middle-East and Africa (APIMA) CEO Tim Love said, presenting a new facet to the debate of the relevance of technology in a post-digital World.
Quoting McLuhan, Love said that once you master technology, it becomes invisible. As human beings have more or less mastered their respective language – verbal and non verbal, it is becoming invisible. Every advertising professional needs to bear in mind that this technology is omnipresent and affects the reception of the message globally.
As a consequence, we have also started focusing on electronic technology and started undermining the potential of “human technology”. The potential of human insights and understanding still plays a major role in determining the effectiveness of an ad message.
Speaking at Goafest 2012, Love went on to give the example of an automobile brand Nova which was to be launched in the Latin American countries. While in some cultures and languages the word Nova refers to something new, in this particular country it had a negative connotation. The local agency professional pointed this out to the brand. It did not deter the brand from going ahead with the name, but it did make for a good study of the multicultural fabric we operate in and how marketers and ad professionals need to be sensitive to the language difference that exists in the world.
“The worst thing you can do is to presume we all think the same,” Love warned. “Respecting the difference in the languages and culture and moulding your communication accordingly makes for a better strategy. Even sign language is not universal.”
It is necessary to keep in mind the syntax of different languages as well. For example, Japanese use their verb at the very end. Also, the intonations in the language make it slowly spoken. Hence, while communicating to a Japanese audience, the message should keep these things in mind for the audience to better assimilate and comprehend the matter.
Cultural agility also needs to be maintained to gauge the preferences and choices of the audience in this case. While some factors like language, environment and symbols may be evident, there are many aspects like religion, history, superstitions, values and attitudes that are more covert.
“I would give three tips for maintaining cultural agility. First, treat language with more reverence. Second, when using an interpreter slow down and use crisp sound bytes and third, learn how to say hello, please and thank you in the language of your communication partner,” Love said.
An idea is not an idea till it drives innovation and explores new realms of understanding and conversation. In this context, Love concluded that an idea can be turned into magic or dust depending on the hand that rubs against it. Using the linguistic and cultural context while planning and executing a campaign can make that difference between dust and magic.
Brands
Dabur buys minority stake in Ras Beauty for Rs 60 crore
Dabur Ventures deal backs fast-growing luxury skincare brand
MUMBAI: Dabur India Limited has dipped into the world of luxury skincare, signing a definitive agreement to acquire a minority stake in Ras Beauty Private Limited for Rs 60 crore. The investment marks the first bet from Dabur Ventures, the FMCG major’s Rs 500 crore platform set up in October 2025 to back high-potential, new-age direct-to-consumer brands.
Founded in Raipur by Shubhika Jain, her sister Suramya Jain and their mother Sangeeta Jain, Ras Beauty has grown from a family-led passion project into a fast-scaling “Farm-to-Face” skincare label. Its range of face elixirs, serums and moisturisers blends essential oils with nature-derived actives, striking a balance between botanical purity and laboratory precision.
The numbers tell their own story. Ras has clocked a three-year Cagr of around 75 per cent and an annual run rate of approximately Rs 100 crore, all while maintaining strong gross margins. That growth has been fuelled by a digital-first approach, in-house R&D and manufacturing, and a sharp focus on clean, sustainable sourcing.
Dabur India executive director and group head corporate strategy Abhinav Dhall, said the company was drawn to Ras’s distinct positioning at the intersection of nature, science and luxury. He added that the premium beauty segment is poised for robust expansion over the coming decade, and that Ras is well placed to capture that opportunity.
For Ras, the partnership is as much about scale as it is about shared philosophy. Co-founder and CEO Shubhika Jain said Dabur’s 141-year legacy of building trusted, purpose-led brands makes it a natural ally. The capital infusion, she noted, will help accelerate the brand’s omnichannel footprint, deepen research capabilities and invest in team and brand building, with an eye on establishing Ras as a leading Indian luxury skincare name both domestically and overseas.
With this move, Dabur is not just investing in a skincare label. It is placing an early wager on India’s growing appetite for premium, conscious beauty, and signalling that heritage FMCG players are ready to play in the new-age D2C arena.
