MAM
CVL Srinivas exits WPP India, ending a nine-year power run
MUMBAI: CVL Srinivas will retire as WPP India’s country manager on ’31 March, 2026, bringing down the curtain on a nine-year stretch that reshaped the group’s heft in the country’s bruising advertising market.
Srinivas took the top India job in 2017, succeeding Ranjan Kapur, after joining WPP in 2013 as chief executive of South Asia’s GroupM, now WPP Media. WPP said the succession process has been in motion for more than 15 months, with his successor set to be named in the coming weeks.
Speaking earlier on the group’s recent merger-driven reshuffle, Srinivas said the spotlight on WPP had only sharpened. Despite its scale, he argued, the network continues to work “pretty seamlessly across our agencies”, even as rivals circle for share.
Srinivas, who had indicated his wish to step down at 60, leaves behind a career that tracks the rise of modern media buying in India. He began at J W Thompson Worldwide as media lead for Unilever’s foods and personal care business at HTA Fulcrum, before stints as COO at Madison World, chief executive of Maxus Asia Pacific and chairman of Starcom Mediavest Group India. He also ran GroupM South Asia until 2018.
His departure opens up one of the most closely watched corner offices in Indian advertising, as WPP seeks to keep its edge in a market where global scale and local muscle are increasingly colliding.
Brands
DeVANS sparks buzz with self-chilling beer can April Fools campaign
Godfather stunt racks up 7 million impressions, blending humour with hype
NEW DELHI: DeVANS Modern Breweries has stirred up the marketing pot with a playful yet high-impact campaign teasing a futuristic “self-chilling beer can” under its flagship Godfather label.
What began as a seemingly bold product innovation quickly turned into one of the most talked-about brand moments online, before being revealed as an April Fools’ Day prank. The reveal, however, did little to cool the buzz.
The campaign clocked over 7 million organic impressions across platforms including LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X, with users debating whether the concept was a genuine breakthrough or clever marketing theatre. Thousands of shares and comments turned the idea into a full-blown conversation, drawing in both consumers and industry insiders.
The hook was simple but effective. A self-chilling can positioned as an on-the-go convenience product tapped into the imagination of younger, urban audiences. Add the timing around April Fools’ Day, and the campaign struck the perfect balance between curiosity and scepticism, keeping audiences guessing.
Marketing experts have pointed to the campaign as a case study in leveraging cultural moments. By leaving just enough ambiguity, the brand invited audiences to participate rather than simply observe, turning passive viewers into active contributors to the narrative.
“Godfather has always been an iconic brand, but iconicity must evolve to stay meaningful,” said DeVANS Modern Breweries chairman and managing director Prem Dewan. “The ‘Self-Chilling Can’ was our way of showing up in a cultural moment with confidence and a sense of humour.”
Beyond the numbers, the campaign signals a broader repositioning for Godfather. Long seen as a legacy beer brand, it is now leaning into youth culture, digital-first storytelling and topical engagement to stay relevant in a crowded alcobev market.
In a space where attention is fleeting, DeVANS has shown that sometimes the coolest idea is the one that keeps people guessing.
