MAM
adam&eveDDB creates new John Lewis Christmas campaign
MUMBAI: This Christmas, adam&eveDDB will pay tribute to the most memorable childhood Christmas celebration. The agency has created a new John Lewis Christmas campaign that takes the form of an animated woodland tale.
In the campaign ‘The Bear & The Hare’ tells a classic story of friendship at Christmas – building on the longstanding John Lewis theme of finding the perfect gift for those you care about. It features the strap line ‘Give someone a Christmas they’ll never forget.’
The beautifully handcrafted ad was written by adam&eveDDB creative directors Aidan McClure and Laurent Simon and directed by Blinkink’s Elliot Dear and Yves Geleyn. It has been created using hand-drawn animation combined with 3D sets – the first time this technique has been used in an advert in the UK.
Continuing the brand’s support of home-grown music talent, the ad is set to a cover of Keane’s 2004 hit ‘Somewhere Only We Know’ sung by Lily Allen.
Following a series of teasers on ITV that use the #sleeping bear, the ad was aired on 9 November in a special two minute spot during the X Factor. The campaign is John Lewis’s most integrated yet with the TV ad supported by a host of multichannel activity including a book, Christmas card maker, social media, in-store and windows, a digital outdoor projection and soundtrack single.
adam&eveDDB founding partner and chief executive James Murphy said: “It’s a privilege to create the advertising for the nation’s best loved department store at Christmas and this year is no exception. Not only have we been able to push the campaign into new territory creatively, we’ve also been able to deliver a truly multi faceted campaign that offers an in-depth take on thoughtful gifting that we hope will appeal to the child in all of us.”
AD Agencies
Havas Media Network India names Archana Aggarwal chief growth officer
The appointment comes as the network accelerates its integrated, data-led push across one of its top ten global markets.
MUMBAI: Havas Media Network India is moving fast, and it wants someone who can move faster.
The network has appointed Archana Aggarwal as chief growth officer, tasking her with driving the new business agenda and deepening client partnerships across Havas Media, PivotRoots, Havas Play and Arena Media. Based in Gurugram, she will report to Mohit Joshi, chief executive of Havas Media Network India.
Aggarwal arrives with more than two decades of media and marketing experience, most recently as vice-president of media at Airtel, where she led integrated media strategies tied to shifting consumer behaviour and business outcomes. Before that, she worked across some of the world’s most demanding marketing accounts, including P&G, Unilever, L’Oréal, Coca-Cola, the Diamond Trading Corporation and Airtel, spanning FMCG, telecom and the broader marketing ecosystem. She is noted for her command of emerging platforms, including connected TV, AI and the metaverse.
Rana Barua, group chief executive of Havas India, South-East Asia and North Asia, framed the hire as timely. “India continues to be a critical market for Havas globally and is among our top ten markets worldwide,” he said, noting strong momentum across the network’s integrated model and growing client partnerships. “Archana’s appointment comes at a pivotal time as we continue to scale our capabilities and accelerate growth.”
Joshi was equally direct. “Her deep understanding of consumer behaviour and proven ability to translate insights into business outcomes will be instrumental as we continue to scale our integrated, data-led capabilities across agencies,” he said.
Havas Media Network India currently serves more than 100 clients and employs over 1,000 professionals across Gurugram, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The network’s growth engine runs on Converged.AI, its proprietary operating system that brings together data, technology and human insight under the global vision of “Growth Powered by Desire.”
Aggarwal, for her part, called the opportunity compelling. “The chance to drive growth across a diverse and integrated ecosystem is exciting,” she said. “I look forward to working with the teams to deliver meaningful impact for clients.”
In a market where media fragmentation is accelerating and clients are demanding cleaner proof of return, Havas has hired someone who has sat on both sides of the table. That, in itself, is a statement of intent.
