Brands
Heer by GIVA puts gold on the clock with ‘9KT in 9 seconds’
BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s streets have a new countdown. Heer by GIVA, the newly launched gold and lab-grown diamond brand from GIVA, has rolled out a striking out-of-home campaign that quite literally stops people in their tracks.
Launched on December 29, ‘9KT in 9 seconds’ centres on a large-format billboard near Nexus Koramangala Mall, featuring a clock-style timer that lights up every nine seconds. The visual hook is simple but sharp: that charged pause before a decision, a feeling, a moment. Heer uses it to make its pitch for 9KT gold — lighter, more accessible and designed for everyday wear rather than locked-away occasions.
The campaign reframes gold as modern, expressive and easy to live with, moving decisively away from the weight and formality that have long defined jewellery advertising in India. By taking the idea to the street, Heer is betting on physical disruption over polite persuasion.
Chief brand officer of GIVA, Resha Jain, says the campaign is about changing how a new generation relates to gold. ‘9KT in 9 seconds’ is our way of reintroducing gold as something lighter and more expressive, rooted in everyday moments. This is jewellery that fits real lives, without losing emotional meaning.”
The outdoor activation is being amplified across digital platforms with fast-paced, educational and storytelling-led content around the 9KT collection. A mix of micro and macro influencers is carrying the narrative forward, using relatable formats that echo the campaign’s youthful energy.
The push follows Heer by GIVA’s debut #AmiHeer campaign during the festive season and marks its second major brand statement in quick succession. The strategy is clear: influencer-first, community-led and unapologetically contemporary.
In a category steeped in tradition, Heer by GIVA is choosing speed, visibility and emotion. Gold, it suggests, no longer waits.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
