MAM
Skoda assigns creative mandate to Publicis India
MUMBAI: Popular automobile brand Skoda Auto India has extended its partnership with its creative Agency on Record (AoR) Publicis India by another three years.
The agency was awarded the extension after a hotly contested multi-agency pitch and will continue to manage the business out of its Mumbai office.
As part of its mandate, the agency will continue to provide mainline strategy and creative communication solutions to Skoda. It will handle all the sub-brands from Skoda including Rapid, Octavia, Superb, Kodiaq and soon launched Karoq.
Skoda Auto India head of marketing and product Tarun Jha says, “Skoda India is currently in a positive growth phase, and will be launching products across segments in the next few years. We were looking for a partner to help us achieve our goals and further strengthen Skoda’s equity in the Indian market. Publicis India showcased a thorough strategic and strong creative framework which was in alignment with the brand’s vision for the future. We are happy to be renewing our creative partnership with them and look forward to a great body of work in the coming years.”
Publicis Ambience COO Paritosh Srivastava mentions, “We expected nothing less given the body of work created by us in the last three years, which has also been recognised by the global Skoda team. It was a long and tough pitch and we are thankful that the team at Skoda has entrusted us for another three years. We are lucky to have been a part of an exciting transformation that Skoda India has undergone in the last three years from product design to experience to after-sales and are delighted that it has given the brand a boost in India.”
In Skoda Auto’s almost two-decade long presence in India, Publicis India has the longest association as its agency partner.
“There are always newer and bigger challenges in the tremendous growth journey we’re on and we are ready as trusted partners to help Skoda Auto India overcome them in the next few years,” adds Srivastava.
Over the past few years, Publics India has rolled out a series of campaigns for a range of brands under Skoda Auto. Be it the launch of the new Superb, new Rapid, new Octavia and even the Kodiaq, each communication material that has been released has resulted in significant returns for the auto-maker in India. Not to forget the extremely positive views and likes garnered from the customers across its social & digital channels.
The agency is currently working on a new brand campaign for Skoda Auto that would be unveiled very soon.
In India, the agency works with an impressive array of clients that include Nestle, Citibank, Zee, Garnier, Heineken, Nerolac, Skoda, Malaysia Tourism, HDFC Mutual Funds, etc.
MAM
DB Group names Abhay Dubey as chief brand marketing
Seasoned marketer brings regional muscle and launch savvy to DB
LUCKNOW: Dainik Bhaskar Group has appointed Abhay Dubey as chief brand marketing, strengthening its leadership bench as the media major sharpens its focus on brand-led growth.
Dubey steps into the role after a high-impact stint as regional marketing manager at Reliance Broadcast Network, where he led data-driven regional campaigns and rolled out new initiatives from concept to completion. Based in Lucknow, he steered end-to-end account marketing, orchestrated launch events, and fine-tuned go-to-market strategies with a sharp eye on budgets and brand visibility.
Before that, he served as area marketing manager at Mahindra Holidays & Resorts India Limited, handling business development, media buying and integrated branding campaigns across Uttar Pradesh. His remit included planning new service launches and working closely with creative agencies, media owners and government departments.
Dubey also held the position of brand manager at EM3 Agriservices Pvt. Ltd., where he drove product launches, demand generation and stakeholder engagement. Earlier in his career, he was head of marketing at Saffron Communications Pvt. Ltd., overseeing integrated campaigns across sectors, and began his journey at Jagran Engage, building experience in advertising and lead generation.
With expertise spanning digital marketing, brand management, demand generation and below-the-line advertising, Dubey brings both strategic planning skills and hands-on execution experience to the table. His track record suggests a marketer who is as comfortable crunching numbers as he is crafting narratives.
At DB Group, he is expected to shape sharper brand strategies, amplify market presence and ensure campaigns that do not just make noise, but make sense.
