News Headline
Publicis to shut down DMBB
Legendary ad agency D’Arcy, Masius, Benton & Bowles, which created the image of Santa Claus as we know him today, will soon down its shutters.
French owner Publicis Groupe SA has blamed the global recession saying it cannot afford to keep running the struggling 96 year old shop of DMBB, once a frontrunner in its class. DMBB was the agency that created the rotund, red coated Santa in 1934 for cola giant Coca Cola. Its closure was the obvious choice for Publicis as the agency was made out to be the weakest of its subsidiaries.
DMBB was the result of one of the largest ad agency mergers of its day, when in 1985, Benton & Bowles and D’Arcy-MacManus & Masius joined hands to create a new agency. In India, DMBB first joined forces with Madison, but the agency came under Publicis India’s wing later.
D’Arcy had fathered Santa’s image for Coke, as well fostered the Budweiser slogan “This Bud’s for you,” and M&M’s “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands. “Benton & Bowles was responsible for Mr Whipple for Charmin toilet paper, and introduced Ivory, Crest and Pampers.
The agency shutdown comes just one month after the French acquired the shop in a $3 billion deal that also gave them Leo Burnett Advertising, the Chicago powerhouse that created the Jolly Green Giant and the Marlboro Man, say reports. Burnett will absorb staff and accounts from the closed shop, reports indicate.
Publicis, currently ranked world’s number four agency group, has been struggling for profits as clients have cut back advertising spending in the global recession. The French company’s profit rose just two per cent in the first half of the year.D’Arcy had fathered Santa’s image for Coke, as well fostered the Budweiser slogan “This Bud’s for you,” and M&M’s “Melts in your mouth, not in your hands. “Benton & Bowles was responsible for Mr Whipple for Charmin toilet paper, and introduced Ivory, Crest and Pampers.
The agency shutdown comes just one month after the French acquired the shop in a $3 billion deal that also gave them Leo Burnett Advertising, the Chicago powerhouse that created the Jolly Green Giant and the Marlboro Man, say reports. Burnett will absorb staff and accounts from the closed shop, reports indicate.
Publicis, currently ranked world’s number four agency group, has been struggling for profits as clients have cut back advertising spending in the global recession. The French company’s profit rose just two per cent in the first half of the year.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
