MAM
AVON continues it’s crusade to prevent and fight Breast Cancer with the launch of Take A #BreastBreak’ campaign
MUMBAI: Women’s beauty brand AVON continues its crusade to prevent and fight Breast Cancer with the launch of Take A #BreastBreak’ campaign for Indian women as well as their families. A global initiative by AVON, Take A #BreastBreak is to help support early detection of breast cancer around the world. To spread its campaign across a larger number of people in India, AVON has collaborated with the India Runway Week to host an exclusive fashion show with designer Anupama Dayal with the ‘Pink’ theme — which has today come to represent breast cancer awareness.
There were 2 million new cases of breast cancer reported globally last year1 and the Indian Council for Medical Research reports 1.5 lakh new breast cancer cases in India, of which 70,000 succumb every year2. According to a AVON survey conducted in 2017, women often spend little time on their own preventative health, and traditional gender norms expect women to care and prioritize the needs of family members often at the expense of their own health. Hence, AVON has launched the campaign and has activated its 5 million rep, equipping them with information and advice to ensure they are encouraging women around the world to take a ‘Breast Break’. This includes opening dialogue about regular self-checks, being aware of any changes in breast appearance, or making time to speak with a medical professional.
According to the World Health Organisation early detection is the most important component of breast cancer control3. Most doctors also believe mammography to be the best way for detecting breast cancer at its nascent stage but is not widely adopted in India4. With this campaign, AVON India aims to raise awareness about the prevalence of breast cancer among Indian women urging them to self- examine, detect the problem and come forward well in time.
“AVON is at the forefront in the fight against breast cancer for 27 years now, with AVON India being globally recognised for its dedication towards making breast cancer awareness central to our mission. An early awareness and detection of the disease is half the battle won and our continued approach this year is to initiate a nation-wide drive to educate people on self-examination and break some myths about breast cancer,” said Dronacharya Chakraborty, Managing Director, AVON India.
At the India Runway Week, all attendees at the fashion week will be given a pink lipstick and asked to change their lip colour to show their support to the campaign. AVON will also conduct a panel discussion with breast-cancer survivors who will speak about the importance of conducting self-examinations, the prevalence of breast cancer in India and the importance of early diagnosis. Further, the brand will also host an on-the-ground event and engage with different bloggers.
“Statistics show that for every 2 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer, one woman dies of it in India5. We have been running the breast cancer awareness drive for three consecutive years now and our intention has not only been raising awareness but also equipping women with the knowledge of self-breast examination. Our previous campaign – Pay Attention created a huge buzz and AVON India reached 1.09 billion people through offline activities. We continue our endeavors with our current campaign where educating people about breast cancer and how dangerous it can be if not detected early forms the crux. We are set to drive this for massive social impact beginning with the fashion show and hope to make some noise and create awareness about breast cancer,” said Swati Jain, Marketing Director, AVON India.
The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which launched in 1992, has placed Avon and the Avon Foundation at the forefront of the fight against breast cancer. The second edition of AVON’s Pay Attention campaign last year travelled across10 Indian cities teaching women to act well in time reaching millions of people.
Brands
Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to step down after 18 years in role
Board begins CEO search as Narayen prepares to move to chair role
SAN JOSE: After nearly two decades at the helm, Adobe’s long-serving chief executive Shantanu Narayen is preparing to pass the baton.
The company announced that Narayen will transition from his role as chief executive officer once a successor is appointed, ending an 18-year run that reshaped Adobe from a boxed software seller into a global cloud and AI powerhouse. He will remain chair of the board following the leadership transition.
Adobe’s board has formed a special committee to oversee the succession process, led by lead independent director Frank Calderoni. The committee will evaluate both internal and external candidates.
“Shantanu’s leadership has been instrumental in Adobe’s transformation and in positioning the company for the AI-driven era,” Calderoni said in a statement. “As we begin the next phase of succession planning, our focus is on identifying the right leader for the company’s next chapter while ensuring a smooth transition.”
In a note to employees, Narayen described the moment not as a farewell but as a pause for reflection after a long journey with the company.
“I love Adobe and the privilege of leading it has been the greatest honour of my career,” he wrote, adding that he will continue to work closely with the board over the coming months to ensure a seamless leadership change.
Tributes from the technology industry quickly followed the announcement. Microsoft chairman and chief executive officer Satya Nadella congratulated Narayen on what he described as a “legendary run” at Adobe.
“Congrats Shantanu, on a legendary run at Adobe! You’ve built one of the most important software companies in the world, and expanded what’s possible for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands everywhere,” Nadella wrote on LinkedIn.
“What has always stood out to me is the empathy you’ve brought to the creative process and the example you’ve set as a leader. Grateful for your friendship, mentorship, and for all you’ve done for Adobe and for our industry.”
Narayen’s career at Adobe spans nearly three decades. He joined the company in 1998 as vice president and rose steadily through the ranks before becoming chief executive officer in December 2007.
During that time, he orchestrated one of the most significant reinventions in the software industry. In 2013, Adobe made the bold decision to abandon traditional boxed software sales and move its flagship creative tools such as Photoshop to a subscription-based Creative Cloud model. The shift initially rattled investors but ultimately transformed Adobe into a predictable recurring revenue business and a case study in digital reinvention.
Narayen also pushed Adobe beyond creative tools into the world of marketing technology and data-driven customer experience, spearheading acquisitions such as Omniture and Marketo. Those moves helped build Adobe’s digital experience division and broaden its reach far beyond designers and photographers.
The numbers tell the story of that transformation. When Narayen took over in 2007, Adobe generated roughly $3 billion in annual revenue. Today the company reports more than $25 billion. Over the same period, its workforce expanded from around 3,000 employees to more than 30,000.
In recent years, Narayen has steered Adobe into the generative AI era with the launch of Adobe Firefly, aiming to keep the company ahead in a rapidly evolving creative technology landscape.
Born in Hyderabad in 1963, Narayen studied electronics and communication engineering at Osmania University before moving to the United States for a master’s degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University. He later earned an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
Widely regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s most steady and effective leaders, Narayen has earned multiple honours during his career, including India’s Padma Shri in 2019.
For Adobe, the upcoming leadership change marks the end of a defining chapter. For Narayen, however, the story is far from finished. As he told employees, the company’s next era of creativity, powered by AI and new digital workflows, is only just beginning.
