MAM
BBLUNT encourages consumers to embrace their hair with #GrowOutChallenge
MUMBAI: The current situation has led consumers to try varied things and hone new skills, courtesy the Internet. One such trend that has been doing the rounds is consumers looking at DIY haircut tips while some of them are also trying to give themselves a cut at home. Witnessing a spike in haircuts going wrong, BBLUNT recently launched a nationwide campaign to help Indians groom their overgrown hair by undertaking the Grow Out Challenge. The initiative encourages consumers to refrain from cutting their hair at home while imparts knowledge on how to use the wide range of styling and care products to keep one’s mane looking neat.
With the Grow Out Challenge, BBLUNT aims to ensure consumers don’t have any hair mishaps at home and also reduce stress that usually comes along with cutting one’s own hair. This crusade is supported by hair maestros and Bollywood’s ace stylists, Adhuna Bhabani and Avan Contractor, who have shared tips on how to maintain the length. Managing overgrown hair especially in humid, hot and harsh weather is no easy feat, which is why the experts will be also teaching users how to successfully take care of their hair using BBLUNT products that are specially curated for Indian hair, weather and water. Growing ones hair out also provides a beautiful canvas for hairstylists to work on, once the lockdown ends and salons re-open safely. The extra length also empowers consumers to try new looks and styles, embracing a refreshing change.
Speaking on the campaign, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd head – innovation and BBLUNT Anirban Banerjee said, “Currently the country is going through unprecedented times and we at BBLUNT are in complete solidarity with our frontline forces who are tirelessly working to keep us safe. This campaign undertaken by the brand is a small effort to inspire consumers at home, helping them get creative with their hair. Owing to salons being shut, patrons look forward to expertise in guiding them on how to manage their hair at home and this is an endeavor of doing exactly that. Adhuna and Avan, together have really helped us effectively solve consumer concerns and provide them with easy at home haircare solutions.”
The campaign which is an extension of Jay Mahmood, a hairdresser in California’s initiative will also give a chance to consumers to interact with the Founders of the brand and get haircare and hair styling tips directly from the maestros.
Dwelling into the insight for this campaign, Schbang founder Harshil Karia stated, "The rise in search volumes around DIY Haircuts was an opportunity – and instead of the most obvious thing to do i.e. teach people how to cut their hair at home, we went against the grain and asked them to grow their hair out! It’s a terribly exciting campaign because the advertising is 'home made', our Salon Stylists are using BBLUNT products and creating homemade haircare routines which consumers can easily emulate and we're doing some exciting stuff on live QnA using Adhuna and Avan – consumers don't often get access to stalwarts such as themselves for their hair care consultations and this I think therefore becomes a great opportunity for consumers as well!"
Top celebrities like Dia Mirza, Mrunal Thakur, Tara Sharma Saluja have joined the challenge along with industry insiders, Nandini Shrikent, Ruchi Narain and Natasha Nischol who are all set to grow out their mane. The influencer community have also hopped on the bandwagon with leading bloggers like Shalini Samuel, Anushka Mulchandani and Shanaya Sardesai, taking over BBLUNT’s Instagram handle to share hair tips. In the initial stage, the campaign has been well received by consumers and the brand hopes to constantly keep innovating to make this a successful movement.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
