MAM
BBC World, World Service launch joint ad campaign
LONDON: BBC’s international news strengths are being promoted in a new joint global advertising campaign by BBC World, the BBC’s 24-hour international news and information television channel and BBC World Service, which broadcasts radio programmes and online in 43 languages worldwide.
Demand a Broader View highlights the BBC’s international news coverage and reminds audiences that the BBC’s internationally renowned impartiality and expertise ensures a balanced, thorough examination of every story, from every point of view.
Eye-catching images and challenging copy lines illustrate how stories can be re-interpreted. To give an example, a picture of a man in handcuffs is accompanied by three different words “Terrorist?, Hero?, Victim?”; a politician addressing an audience has the words “Democracy?, Bureaucracy?, Show time?”.
An official release says the campaign is targeted at international business decision-makers and people with a truly international outlook on life. It will run from this month through to February 2003 on posters at European and Asian hub airports and in ambient airport media such as on ticket wallets and carrier bags. It will also appear in international business and news journals as well as international daily newspapers.
Head of International Marketing Communications at BBC World Service Jane Futrell said, “Demand a Broader View takes our earlier joint campaign one step further and encourages our audiences to think about the breadth and range of BBC news output. The audience wants more and the BBC knows how to deliver it.”
Following a competitive tender, the campaign was designed by WARL Change Behaviour, the main communications agency within the WARL Group, which has been working with BBC World and BBC World Service since July 2002. The strategy for the campaign and its implementation has been developed, and will be delivered by Mediaedge:cia Worldwide.
Brands
Muthoot FinCorp names Arun Kumar COO & Harjit Singh Takkar chief distribution officer
Leadership hires to boost operations and widen pan-India reach
THIRUVANANTHPURAM: Muthoot FinCorp has strengthened its top deck with the appointment of Arun Kumar B as chief operating officer and Harjit Singh Takkar as chief distribution officer, sharpening its focus on scale, speed and service as it pushes into its next phase of growth.
The flagship financial services arm of the 138-year-old Muthoot Pappachan Group, popularly known as Muthoot Blue, is expanding both muscle and mindset. With more than 3,750 branches nationwide and its digital platform, the Muthoot FinCorp ONE app, the company is betting on tighter execution and wider reach to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive lending market.
Arun Kumar B steps in with nearly two decades of experience cutting across financial services, technology transformation and customer analytics. He previously worked with CreditAccess Grameen, where he led enterprise-wide technology and data strategy initiatives and played a pivotal role during a major merger in the microfinance space. His work spanned integrating operations and products while scaling lending and non-credit offerings such as insurance and pensions.
At Muthoot FinCorp, Arun will steer operational excellence and strategic growth initiatives, aligning teams and processes to deliver sharper efficiency across the business. A gold medallist from Anna University and a postgraduate from IIM Indore, he also holds certifications in design thinking, Blue Ocean Strategy and business analytics.
Harjit Singh Takkar takes on the newly created role of chief distribution officer, reporting directly to the chief executive officer. The position is designed to energise the company’s distribution engine and bring greater governance and agility across its branch network.
Takkar brings over 28 years of retail banking experience, having held senior leadership roles at IndusInd Bank, Bandhan Bank, Yes Bank and ICICI Bank. Known for scaling branch networks and building high-performing teams, he combines distribution expertise with governance depth as a qualified company secretary with a master’s degree in finance and control.
In his new role, Takkar will oversee branch business and distribution channels, with a clear brief to expand reach, lift productivity and reinforce the company’s pan-India presence.
Commenting on the appointments, Muthoot FinCorp Ltd. chief executive officer Shaji Varghese, said the company continues to invest in leadership as it scales. “Our purpose is to improve the financial well-being of the common man. As we grow, strengthening leadership across key functions is important to ensure consistency in execution and customer experience,” he said.
With complementary strengths in operations and distribution now in place, Muthoot FinCorp appears set to move from steady expansion to sharper acceleration, backed by people, process and technology working in concert.
