MAM
How to tackle lockdown woes the Schbang way
NEW DELHI: It can’t be said enough that the ongoing COVID2019 crisis has impacted the business of creative and media agencies severely. From mainline to digital, every business is facing serious problems in functioning. However, creativity has seen no dearth in its virtue during the crisis.
Mumbai-based integrated solutions agency Schbang has been one of the top performers during the term, helping its clients with out-of-the-box creative solutions, helping them stay relevant during this time of dip in sales.
They have got people growing their hair for BBlunt #GrowOutChallenge, promoting Tinder’s free passport services, and also shot a virtual commercial for Pillsbury Atta that will go live soon. The whole video has been shot virtually and directed via Hangouts, Whatsapp video, Skype etc.
Schbang founder-MD Harshil Karia shares, “8 actors from across the country are a part of this video. While the actors are chosen basis their acting capabilities, we are also keeping in mind their respective kitchen aesthetics too as this is being shot from home in their own kitchens.”
But how has the team managed to create so much of good work despite the many restrictions that the lockdown has come with? The credit can be given to a detailed work-from-home policy that Schbang created for its teams, which consists of not just work but also play.
According to Karia, the agency was quick in adapting to the work-from-home situation. “We started acting even before the lockdown was announced and sent to our employees’ homes their computer systems in advance. We also charted out rules, and also introduced several interesting activities and challenges to keep the team engaged.”
He also shared the detailed WFH Guidelines with us. The document mentions three general tips: maintaining disciplined work hours, reiterating those working hours to clients if needed, and take scheduled breaks.
Schbang has also guided its team leads to minimising the number of places they contact with members and sticking primarily to emails for coordination. They are also scheduling daily meetings to brainstorm and has limited the number of participants in those, keeping in mind people spend time on only important things.
They have also created a model for sharing feedbacks.
This has helped the agency in streamlining its processes better and work effectively in set timelines.
Apart from this, the teams across Mumbai and Bengaluru have created several WhatsApp groups to come together for certain activities such as cooking, working out (sessions in the morning and/or evening), photography, trivia/quiz, a jamming team called Schband and some indulgence into groups playing Ludo too online.
Karia shares, “These groups are buzzing daily keeping the energy and momentum going. The cooking group called Schefs of Schbang seems to be a bigger hit and we soon will be launching an Instagram page dedicated to that.”
They also have two tracks for workouts, one for the morning and one for the evening. Karia noted, “The teams come together online and workout or mediate together using some subscriptions we have from Mindhouse and cure.fit. Or just motivate each other to get out there and stay fit.”
Additionally, a live thematic quiz experience is undertaken every Sunday on various topics like Harry Potter, Friends, The world of Disney & Marvel, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Office, among others.
Karia concluded, “While work has not been easy and everyone's had their fair share of highs and lows in terms of energy, these team activities are helping people to stay motivated, connected, and happy. Being in a creative space, people interaction, and feeding off each other's energies is what we enjoy the most. So keeping that going even virtually is a step in the right direction for the team.”
Brands
Dabur buys minority stake in Ras Beauty for Rs 60 crore
Dabur Ventures deal backs fast-growing luxury skincare brand
MUMBAI: Dabur India Limited has dipped into the world of luxury skincare, signing a definitive agreement to acquire a minority stake in Ras Beauty Private Limited for Rs 60 crore. The investment marks the first bet from Dabur Ventures, the FMCG major’s Rs 500 crore platform set up in October 2025 to back high-potential, new-age direct-to-consumer brands.
Founded in Raipur by Shubhika Jain, her sister Suramya Jain and their mother Sangeeta Jain, Ras Beauty has grown from a family-led passion project into a fast-scaling “Farm-to-Face” skincare label. Its range of face elixirs, serums and moisturisers blends essential oils with nature-derived actives, striking a balance between botanical purity and laboratory precision.
The numbers tell their own story. Ras has clocked a three-year Cagr of around 75 per cent and an annual run rate of approximately Rs 100 crore, all while maintaining strong gross margins. That growth has been fuelled by a digital-first approach, in-house R&D and manufacturing, and a sharp focus on clean, sustainable sourcing.
Dabur India executive director and group head corporate strategy Abhinav Dhall, said the company was drawn to Ras’s distinct positioning at the intersection of nature, science and luxury. He added that the premium beauty segment is poised for robust expansion over the coming decade, and that Ras is well placed to capture that opportunity.
For Ras, the partnership is as much about scale as it is about shared philosophy. Co-founder and CEO Shubhika Jain said Dabur’s 141-year legacy of building trusted, purpose-led brands makes it a natural ally. The capital infusion, she noted, will help accelerate the brand’s omnichannel footprint, deepen research capabilities and invest in team and brand building, with an eye on establishing Ras as a leading Indian luxury skincare name both domestically and overseas.
With this move, Dabur is not just investing in a skincare label. It is placing an early wager on India’s growing appetite for premium, conscious beauty, and signalling that heritage FMCG players are ready to play in the new-age D2C arena.
