MAM
Weber Shandwick bags IPRA Golden World Award for Gillette campaign
MUMBAI: Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick’s (CV|WS) “W.A.L.S.” (Women Against Lazy Stubble) campaign for Procter & Gamble (P&G) has won “Launch of a New Product” at IPRA’s annual Golden World Awards.
The campaign marked the launch of Gillette’s Mach 3 razor in India.
The W.A.L.S. campaign for men’s grooming brand Gillette mobilised women in India to advocate for men to adopt the clean-shaven look. The campaign utilised the results of an AC Nielsen survey that showed that 85 per cent of Indian women prefer clean-shaven men, a finding that runs contrary to the look that numerous Indian men and even celebrities often wear.
Corporate Voice I Weber Shandwick leveraged this survey result to create the women’s advocacy group W.A.L.S that led to the “Shave India Movement” to convince men to shave. The campaign, culminating in a mass “Shaveathon” in which approximately 2,000 men publicly shaved their beards using Gillette’s Mach 3 razors, created world records in the Guinness World Book of Records and the Limca Book of Records in India.
“We are delighted to see Gillette’s Shave India Movement, once again, being recognised on such a prestigious platform like the IPRA Awards – the only winner from India. PR continues to be fundamental to brand building and a core pillar in all marketing campaigns at P&G, including being the source of holistic ideas such as the Gillette Shave India Movement,” said P&G India associate director amd head of external relations Shweta Shukla.
“The W.A.L.S. campaign demonstrates the power of Weber Shandwick’s unique Advocacy approach. By equipping women to be advocates for the clean-shaven look that Gillette delivers, the campaign impacted male consumers’ grooming preferences and purchasing decisions,” said Corporate Voice | Weber Shandwick CEO Shiv Reddy.
The same campaign also earned a Silver Lion at the 57th Cannes International Advertising Festival in the “PR Led Integrated Campaign” category.
This year, the Golden World Awards will be given to 26 winners from 352 entries received across 42 countries. The prize ceremony is scheduled to take place at the IPRA Summit in London on 5 November.
Brands
Aptronix unveils ‘Big & Beyond’ campaign, opens largest store in Hyderabad
Naga Chaitanya, Sobhita front push as retailer expands premium Apple experience
HYDERABAD: Aptronix has rolled out its most ambitious brand push yet with the launch of the ‘Big & Beyond Aptronix’ campaign, alongside the opening of its largest retail store in India.
The campaign features actors Akkineni Naga Chaitanya and Sobhita Dhulipala as brand faces, signalling a sharper focus on aspirational, experience-led retail as the company scales its presence in the premium Apple ecosystem.
At the centre of the rollout is a new 8,000 sq. ft. flagship outlet at Sarath City Capital Mall, now the largest Aptronix store in the country and among the biggest Apple Premium Reseller formats in India. The space is designed to offer immersive product discovery, personalised guidance and integrated service support, positioning the store as more than just a point of sale.
The campaign itself leans into themes of scale, ambition and accessibility, aiming to connect with a younger, increasingly design-conscious generation of Apple users. By pairing celebrity appeal with in-store experience, Aptronix is looking to deepen emotional engagement while reinforcing its premium positioning.
A key pillar remains its ‘Limitless Aptronix Exchange’ programme, which offers customers simplified upgrade paths, transparent pricing and wider access to Apple devices. The initiative has been central to driving adoption by making high-end technology more approachable for a broader audience.
Premium Lifestyle and Fashion founder & owner Sutinder Singh said the new store reflects a long-held belief that Indian consumers should have access to the best Apple retail experience without compromise. He added that the campaign’s celebrity faces mirror the brand’s core values of elegance, ambition and confidence.
Aptronix CEO Meghna Singh said the ‘Big & Beyond’ theme reflects how the company operates, with a focus on building a best-in-class retail experience. She noted that the Hyderabad launch and the campaign together signal Aptronix’s intent to set new benchmarks in the category.
With this dual push of scale and storytelling, Aptronix is not just expanding its footprint but also redefining how premium tech retail is experienced in India.
