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Makani Creatives wins integrated creative mandate for brands Stimulus and Eeken from Paragon Group
Mumbai: Footwear brands Stimulus and Eeken, subsidiaries of one of the oldest footwear names in India- the Paragon group, have appointed Makani Creatives as their AOR to handle the Brand Creative and Social Media mandates for both brands. The agency brings their full scale Integrated Brand Communications capabilities to this partnership and will shape the narrative of both Stimulus and Eeken across traditional and new media.
Both Stimulus and Eeken are brands that are targeted to the youth and will benefit from Makani Creative’s strong pulse on this target segment. While Eeken is for the easy-going college kid, living life like #WeekendEveryday, Stimulus is meant for the young, early-jobbers full of dreams and go-getter energy. Their footwear range is crafted for comfort so that their target audience can focus on their ventures. Coming from the house of Paragon, the products are designed to display their expertise in quality and longevity.
Speaking on the vision for the brands, Paragon Footwear CMO Shawn Chandy said, “Our products are not just made for our consumers, they are inspired by them. With this partnership, we look forward to tapping into Makani’s pulse on the younger generations and connecting meaningfully and deeply with our consumers.”
Makani Creatives chief integration officer Pavan Punjani said, “It is very exciting to work on brands whose purpose is clearly defined and promises to deliver more than just stylish products. Both brands have a shared DNA but distinct purpose. Stimulus is the true representation of India. It is a catalyst that will help Indians push beyond their limit and achieve what they set their eyes on. Eeken is a celebration of the lightness and joy of being young. Our role is primarily to help both the brands communicate across diverse mediums- be it mainline, digital or on-ground, without losing out its core essence.
Speaking of the association, Paragon Footwear executive VP Sachin Joseph added, “Both Stimulus and Eeken are on an accelerating growth trajectory and we are excited to have Makani Creatives partner with us bringing their expertise in the footwear category and creative thinking that balances fashion and storytelling.”
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
