Brands
Viacom18 awards media mandate to Madison Media
MUMBAI: Madison Media has been appointed as the agency-on-record for Viacom18 and will now handle the media planning and buying duties for its entire gamut of brands. It won the account after a multi-agency pitch.
Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats says, “We have constantly endeavored to build a portfolio of iconic, distinctive brands and leverage synergies wherever possible. As we step into our next decade, the consolidation of our media duties under one agency will allow us to drive economies of scale and dial up synergies within the network. In Madison, we found a passionate, confident and committed partner with a varied body of work that cuts across industries.”
Madison group CEO of media and OOH Vikram Sakhuja adds, “It is particularly exciting to be chosen as Viacom18’s consolidated media AOR at a point in time when it has successfully celebrated its first decade and is poised to develop segmented offerings for 1.3 billion Indians. Viacom18 is the country’s foremost storyteller with leading brands in almost every broadcast genre it operates in. Add to that the allied businesses the network has invested in–merchandising and live events and for an agency nothing can be headier and more dynamic than being a partner in the marketing of such varied content.”
Madison Media has been in the news recently for winning key accounts of Titan, Sri Sri Tatva and Xiaomi in Bangalore, Uber in Delhi and Bandhan Bank in Kolkata, apart from winning a host of other accounts across its office in the country.
Viacom18 recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.
Brands
Rohini Laya Venkateswaran named executive director at Gillette India
P&G veteran with two decades of experience steps into leadership role
NEW DELHI: Rohini Laya Venkateswaran has been appointed executive director at Gillette India Pvt. Ltd., bringing with her more than two decades of experience across sales, strategy and brand leadership within the consumer goods sector. In her new role, she will help steer the company’s strategic direction and growth while strengthening its footprint in the grooming and personal care category.
Venkateswaran joins the board after a long career at Procter & Gamble, where she spent nearly 21 years shaping sales strategy, building brands and driving market expansion across India and international markets.
Most recently, she served as chief sales officer for India at P&G. Prior to that, she was vice president and country manager for east gulf markets, overseeing operations in Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar while also guiding sales strategy across the Gulf region, including the UAE.
Earlier in her career, she led sales strategy and planning for India while serving as marketing leader for brands such as Olay and Old Spice. During this stint, she focused on reshaping go-to-market channels and building awareness through digital, social and influencer-led campaigns to drive growth.
Her journey at P&G also included roles such as director sales strategy and planning leader India, associate director modern retail and ecommerce, regional manager for Delhi and Rajasthan, and several key account and trade marketing roles across the country. She also spent time in the United States working on the P&G Walmart international team, collaborating on global retail initiatives.
Venkateswaran holds an MBA in marketing from SP Jain Institute of Management and Research and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from RV College of Engineering.
With her mix of sales acumen, brand-building experience and global exposure, Venkateswaran’s appointment signals a sharpened focus on growth and market leadership for Gillette India.
