MAM
Cannes 2011: Lodestar UM wins first Gold for India
MUMBAI: Lodestar UM wins the first Gold metal for India at Cannes Lions 2011.
The agency turned triumphant for its campaign ‘The world’s first newspaper on 100% recycled newsprint’ done for Garnier.
In the Media Lions category, besides Lodestar UM, Maxus India won a Silver Lion for Tata Sky in the same category.
In the Outdoor Lions category, Taproot picked Silver and the Bronze Lions were bagged by Sorento Healthcare and BBDO India.
Taproot India bagged the Silver Lion for its entries ‘Dalai Lama’, ‘Nelson Mandela’ and ‘Hitler’ for Audio Book India. BBDO India brought home the Bronze Lion for their entries ‘Nuclear’ and ‘Sea level’ entered for White Collar Hippies.
Sorento Healthcare Communications’,‘Osama’/’Bush’, ‘Batman’/’Joker’ for Wockhardt, also managed to strike a chord with the jury and was awarded a Bronze Lion.
McCann Worldgroup, which was the only Indian agency to be nominated in the Radio category, won a Bronze. The agency won a Bronze for their entries ‘Terminator’ and ‘A few good men’ for Mirc Electronics’Onida DVD Players.
Hence, Indian agencies concluded the fourth day at Cannes with a total of 11 metals, including one precious, Gold.
The winners in the Press, Design and Cyber Lions categories will be announced tomorrow.
One expects a better performance then as the winners of Press and Design Lions categories will be announced. Indian creativity has received a total of 19 shortlists in the Press and 11 in Design Lions.
Also, the performance is expected to be better than the recession-hit 2010, when the total stood at 17, with three Gold, seven Silver and seven Bronze.
In 2009 and 2008, India had decent standings with 25 and 23 metals respectively.
Brands
Devyani International names Sandeep Anand, Robinder Singh in key roles
Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee businesses see leadership refresh from April
MUMBAI: Devyani International has strengthened its senior leadership bench with a fresh set of appointments across its key brands, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee, signalling a sharper focus on growth and brand momentum.
The company has appointed Sandeep Anand as chief marketing officer and business head for Pizza Hut. His appointment, approved by the board via a circular resolution on April 3, follows a recommendation by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, as reported by CNBC-TV18. Anand will officially step into the role on April 6, 2026.
He takes over from Vijay Gogate, who currently serves as chief executive officer for Pizza Hut within the company’s operations. The move marks a strategic transition as the brand looks to sharpen its marketing and business playbook in a competitive quick service restaurant market.
Anand brings over two decades of experience across the food and FMCG sectors, with a strong track record in brand building and innovation. His career spans roles at major consumer-facing companies including Domino’s, Zydus Wellness, Zomato, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Reckitt and Ranbaxy, giving him a well-rounded perspective on both scale and agility.
Alongside this, Robinder Singh has been appointed business head for Costa Coffee and the company’s airport operations. He too will assume his new role on April 6, bringing more than 18 years of experience in operations, business expansion and customer experience transformation.
The twin appointments come at a time when Devyani International is doubling down on leadership depth to steer its portfolio through evolving consumer preferences and heightened competition. With fresh faces at the helm of two key verticals, the company appears set to brew up its next phase of growth with renewed energy.
