Brands
DDB Mudra and WARC hunt for India’s sharpest young strategists
MUMBAI: Creativity may sell, but strategy decides what to sell—and how. On 26 November, DDB Mudra Group and Warc will host Portfolio Evening: Strategy Edition in Mumbai, the first platform of its kind aimed at unearthing brand strategy talent in India. Open to those with five years’ experience or less, it’s a rare chance for junior strategists to present their work to 20 of the country’s most influential agency leaders.
The format is straightforward: participants get 20 minutes to pitch their thinking to two jurors, who respond with direct feedback. No panels, no platitudes—just work and critique. The winner walks away with exclusive access to Warc’s Creative Impact Unpacked from Cannes, a compendium of case studies from the industry’s most celebrated campaigns.
To enter, applicants must submit two pieces of work by 15 November—either from their existing portfolios or in response to briefs provided by the organisers. The jury will be looking for clear problem definition, sharp consumer insights and strategic recommendations that hold water.
The evening also marks the India launch of Warc’s Future of Strategy 2025 report, which maps how planning is adapting to artificial intelligence and fragmented media. It’s a timely addition: as algorithms increasingly dictate what people see, the role of the human strategist—someone who can spot patterns, frame problems and shape narratives—becomes either more valuable or more obsolete, depending on whom you ask.
The jury includes Dheeraj Sinha, group chief executive for India and South Asia at FCB; Menaka Menon, president and managing partner for growth and strategy at DDB Mudra Group; S Subramanyeswar, group chief executive for India and chief strategy officer for Asia-Pacific at MullenLowe Lintas Group; and Prem Narayan, chief strategy officer at Ogilvy India, among others. Between them, they’ve shaped campaigns for some of India’s biggest brands.
For an industry that often celebrates execution over thinking, Portfolio Evening is a statement: strategy matters. Now it has a stage.
Brands
Blenders Pride unveils The One And Only campaign
New 360 campaign celebrates standing apart in a crowded world
MUMBAI: Blenders Pride Packaged Drinking Water has lifted the curtain on its latest campaign, ‘The One And Only’, sharpening its focus on a simple but powerful idea. In a world full of winners, only one truly stands apart.
Launched on 2 March 2026, the new narrative reframes success as something more than visibility or volume. For the brand, true success lies in distinction. It is not about being one among many. It is about being unmistakable.
The campaign brings this thought to life through three striking protagonists. Avanti Nagrath embodies fearless confidence and individuality. Kirandeep Chahal commands attention with a magnetic, unapologetic presence. Mahieka Sharma represents poise and quiet admiration. Each reflects a different facet of the brand’s personality, yet all share the same defining trait. They rise above.
Set in an aspirational world filled with equals, the film suggests that aura, confidence and style are what set the exceptional apart. It is a subtle reminder that influence is not claimed loudly, but worn effortlessly.
Blenders Pride has long positioned itself at the intersection of style and success, shaping modern Indian aspiration through innovation, industry firsts and iconic fashion platforms. With ‘The One And Only’, it turns the spotlight on a new generation that does not just want recognition. It wants admiration.
Pernod Ricard India chief marketing officer Debasree Dasgupta, said the brand has always believed in success with style and stature. She noted that today’s youth do not merely aim to succeed, but to stand apart with assurance, and the campaign captures that cultural shift.
The creative is backed by a full 360-degree rollout across digital and social platforms, including placements during the ICC T20 World Cup, alongside front-page newspaper ads and prominent outdoor sites across major cities. The aim is clear. To ensure the message of distinction is seen everywhere, yet feels like it belongs to the few.
Conceptualised by Ogilvy India, the campaign reinforces Blenders Pride’s long-standing cultural leadership. As Ogilvy North chief creative officer Nitin Srivastava put it, the brand has always stood for stature, style and effortless panache. ‘The One And Only’ simply distils that philosophy for a new era.
In a marketplace crowded with claims of greatness, Blenders Pride is betting on a quieter confidence. Not everyone can be the one and only. But that, perhaps, is the point.
