MAM
DDB Mudra appoints Manish Darji as head of Art – West
Mumbai: DDB Mudra has announced the appointment of Manish Darji as head of Art – West. In his new role, Darji will lead the design mandate for the agency’s west office and will report to DDB Mudra creative head – West Pallavi Chakravarti.
As part of his mandate, Darji will explore applications of craft in newer categories like digital, data, entertainment, and content. His appointment reinforces the Group’s commitment to craft at a time when visual storytelling is constantly evolving, said the agency in a statement. DDB’s unexpected works philosophy lays a strong emphasis on creating clutter-breaking work that drives results, and craft plays a crucial role in this advanced approach.
In a career spanning two decades, Darji has worked on some of India’s leading brands like Coca-Cola, NDTV, Big Bazaar, Volkswagen, Marico, Viacom 18, Mondelez. He served as executive creative director and associate creative director at DDB Mudra in the year 2014 and 2010 respectively. He has also worked at BBH, McCann Erickson, Ogilvy, Rediffusion Y&R and Bates 141.
Speaking on his appointment, Pallavi Chakravarti said, “It is impossible to look at a piece Manish has worked on and not be wowed. His passion for craft and grasp of distinctive visual languages are skills sorely needed in this day and age. We’re delighted to have him on board to further the creative vision for DDB Mudra West.”
“Bill Bernbach was the first to put art and copy on the same floor, back in the 60s, and that’s been the model for all agencies ever since. With it comes the opportunity to let craft shine as we pursue our promise of unexpected works. I am truly excited to be on this ride,” Manish Darji added.
An art graduate from MSU Baroda with a specialisation in advertising, digital, graphic design, illustration, product design and animation, Darji’s work has been recognised at some of the biggest creative forums including Cannes Lions, Spikes Asia, One Show, D&AD, LIA, and Kyoorius.
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.
