MAM
Scarecrow bags Margo account; appoints Bhavik Gajjar as creative director
MUMBAI: Advertising agency Scarecrow has been appointed as the communication agency for toilet soap brand Margo.
DraftFCB Ulka is the incumbent agency.
The mandate was given to Scarecrow following a multi-agency pitch, which involved 14 agencies.
Says Scarecrow Communications founder director Raghu Bhat, “We thank Margo Brand Team for reposing their trust in us. Margo is an iconic brand and for Scarecrow, it is nothing less than a historic opportunity. We have a fair amount of experience in the beauty and skincare and hope to use that to create communication that wins hearts and builds marketshare.”
Scarecrow has also appointed a new creative director.
Bhavik Gajjar, who was working as art director at JWT Toronto has joined Scarecrow as its new creative director.
On his appointment Manish says, “Bhavik is coming from an expat background and except a brief Indian stint, he has mostly worked abroad with International agencies. It would be also advantageous for our agency to have someone like him as he has a lot of experience in the electronic field, for our ATL activities.”
In a career spanning close to a decade, he has worked at various agencies in Canada, including Leo Burnett, Taxi and Cossette Communication, after starting out at OgilvyOne in Mumbai.
Gajjar has also worked on brands such as McDonald‘s, Nestle, Kraft, Walmart, Yellow Pages, Telus Telecommunications and Salvation Army.
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
