MAM
APG comes to India
MUMBAI: Having made its mark as an acclaimed community of planners and strategists across the globe, the highly celebrated Account Planning Group (APG) is set to formally begin operations in India. Helmed by Sudeep Gohil of Publicis India with support from planners across top agencies, APG will begin its India chapter in the second week of December with an inaugural session that will see acclaimed adman and founder and chairman of Whyness Worldwide, Ravi Deshpande, present a session on culture and creativity.
APG is a membership organisation that promotes smarter thinking. It is headquartered in London and has a presence in multiple markets across the globe. The India chapter will see the coming together of the planning community across leading agencies who together will leverage the power of strategy to solve business problems and transform brands. A core belief of the APG is the importance of equipping planners and strategists with the training and inspiration they need to be bold and rigorous thinkers – to this end, future events will focus on this function.
Publicis India chief strategy officer and managing partner Sudeep Gohil says, “Globally, the APG is a well-established body with a number of countries including UK, Australia, Canada and Germany – successfully running their operations with partner agencies in individual markets. It was surprising that India, despite being the hub where so many great ideas take birth, didn’t have APG to bring together and celebrate achievements of the planning community. That will now be a thing of the past as we have set up a core committee for APG India that will work closely in formulating the core objectives and will also create a platform for people to engage, deliberate and debate. We are thankful to Ravi Deshpande for gracing the inaugural function, and we look forward to hosting similar events on a regular basis across the country.”
The APG is a not-for-profit organisation run for and by its members, primarily account planners in advertising agencies but increasingly the wider community of communications strategists, including media planners, channel planners, digital planners and DM planners.
Ravi Deshpande is a prominent creative leader who currently spearheads Whyness Worldwide, an integrated agency, and Ecole Intuit lab, a French design school, on the same campus. Prior to that, he was at the helm of Contract India, a WPP company as chairman and chief creative officer, leading the agency to over 600 national and international awards as it became India’s premier creative force.
The session will be held at the newly opened MTV@FLYP, Kamala Mills, Lower Parel on 13 December 2017, 6.30 pm onwards.
Brands
Malaika Arora launches Maejoy accessories brand with Myntra partnership
New label debuts with 250 plus handbags and lab grown diamond jewellery.
MUMBAI: When style meets sparkle, a new brand is ready to take centre stage. Actor and entrepreneur Malaika Arora has launched a lifestyle accessories label called Maejoy, developed in collaboration with Exceed Entertainment and Myntra Jabong India Private Limited (MJIPL), the B2B wholesale arm of Myntra. The brand enters the market with a debut collection of more than 250 styles spanning handbags and lab grown diamond jewellery, two categories that continue to define everyday personal style for modern consumers.
The handbag lineup includes crossbody bags, structured shoulder bags, bucket bags, totes, backpacks, clutches and workwear inspired designs. The pieces are crafted using materials such as synthetic leather, raffia, braids, satin, rhinestones and metallic finishes.
Alongside the bags, Maejoy has introduced a jewellery range featuring lab grown diamond rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets and tennis bracelets. The pieces are set in 925 sterling silver bases with gold, silver and rose gold tones, and include diamonds certified by IGI and GCI.
Positioned as a premium yet accessible accessories label, Maejoy is built around the philosophy “The Joy of Being Me”, aiming to blend aspirational fashion with everyday usability. The brand’s positioning centres on three pillars: authenticity, empowerment and accessibility.
Arora described the venture as a natural extension of her long association with fashion and personal style.
“Maejoy is a labour of love. Throughout my career, whether on screen, in business or through personal style, I have always believed fashion should feel empowering yet effortless. The Joy of Being Me celebrates individuality while making global fashion trends more accessible,” she said.
MJIPL, CXO and head of house of brands Suman Saha said the brand brings together Arora’s style perspective with a strong opportunity in the accessible premium accessories segment.
“Maejoy combines Malaika Arora’s distinctive style sensibility with fashion forward designs that we believe will resonate strongly with consumers looking for elevated yet wearable accessories,” he said.
Exceed Entertainment CEO Afsar Zaidi added that building celebrity led brands requires balancing authenticity with market viability.
“Malaika commands respect both as a fashion icon and a businesswoman. Bringing her creative vision together with Myntra’s brand building expertise creates a strong foundation for Maejoy,” he said.
The collection is available exclusively on Myntra through its website and mobile app, making the brand accessible to millions of shoppers across India as it steps into the competitive lifestyle accessories space.
