MAM
BBDO creates BlackBerry’s new ‘Action’ campaign
MUMBAI: BlackBerry has launched a new advertising campaign in Asia Pacific focusing on the spirit that drives the Asian youth – action.
Created by BBDO India, the campaign capitalises on the truth that BlackBerry has always been about making things happen, the company said.
BBDO India chairman and chief creative officer Josy Paul said, “It all started when Sunil Dutt, the new head of India operations for RIM asked us the all important question ‘What does BlackBerry stand for?‘ We developed the idea that every BlackBerry is born for action. There‘s an inherent urgency for action built into it. Look at the red splat that appears every time you get a message. The sign refuses to go away until you take action. The first thing we do when we wake up in the morning is check for the red splat. That‘s how we created the launch ad ‘Action now has a symbol‘ and the brand line ‘Action starts here‘. That‘s what differentiates BlackBerry from other mobile phones.”
Bringing the red splat to the forefront leverages one of the brand‘s properties that consumers connect to.
“It‘s what we call a useful idea. We all have things we talk about doing. We hope the idea will inspire people to stop sitting on the things they‘ve been wanting to do,” BBDO India CEO Ajai Jhala added.
The new red splat that resides in every Blackberry phone will now be the symbol of action. The symbol is an integral part of the ‘action‘ campaign that will run across all touch points including TV, print, OOH and digital.
MAM
Edelman elevates Siddharth Panicker to head of Mumbai office
Financial services veteran steps up after nearly 15 years at the firm
MUMBAI: Edelman has elevated Siddharth Panicker to head of its Mumbai office, promoting a long-serving leader who has spent nearly 15 years building the firm’s financial services franchise in India.
Panicker has held a series of senior roles at Edelman, including associate vice president, head – financial services, and VP & head – financial services. In these positions, he led the development of the firm’s financial services practice, advising C-suite clients across investment banking, private equity, NBFCs, fintech, disputes, litigation and life insurance.
The promotion reflects his track record in corporate and financial communications, strategic counsel and leadership, as Mumbai remains a central hub for India’s financial and professional services sectors.
Earlier in his career, Panicker gained industry exposure through internships at Nalco Water, part of Ecolab, and MSL India.
His elevation underlines Edelman’s focus on leadership continuity and deep sector expertise as clients navigate increasingly complex regulatory, reputational and market environments.
