MAM
Cadbury Dairy Milk sets out initiative for MCA ground staff
Mumbai: As the country gears up for the much-awaited cricket season, chocolate brand Cadbury Dairy Milk has partnered with Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to celebrate and support the often-unnoticed heroes of the league, the ground staff.
This season, the brand has become the official sponsor for the ground staff, and as a part of this initiative, it introduced efforts focused on treating the ground staff at par with the cricketers. “This includes best-in-class travel, accommodation, taking care of their nutritional needs, and providing customised jerseys designed by renowned fashion designer Masaba Gupta, throughout the season,” according to the statement.
The brand has also extended its collaboration with Mumbai Indians as the official ‘goodness partner’ supporting the initiative.
Speaking about the initiative, Mondelez India VP of marketing Anil Viswanathan said they want to support and bring forth stories of these members who tirelessly work behind the scenes. “We hope our initiative acts as a springboard and spreads the message of acknowledging the unacknowledged,” he added.
“Building further on our generosity platform, this cricketing season we are proud to celebrate the team of ground staff. We are grateful to have them as our team,” stated Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak.
“The ground staff are the unsung heroes of cricket, so it was only fair that we now acknowledged the heroes behind this massive event,” commented Wavemaker India’s national director – sports and entertainment partnerships Jigar Rambhia. “The biggest challenge for us, however, was to ensure that they get their dues, while cricket & the players continue to be at the center of this event.”
“To do this we decided to acknowledge their efforts, where they sweat it out the most, their grounds. From recognising them off-screen to recognising them on screen, we aim to give the people of India a glimpse into the lives of the ground staff, so that when they watch cricket next, they celebrate, both: on-screen and off-screen heroes,’’ he added.
“Acknowledging the real heroes behind the scenes is a very generous gesture. Mumbai Cricket Association is delighted to be a part of this never done before heart-warming activity for the ground staff at Wankhede stadium,” the MCA spokesperson highlighted.
AD Agencies
WPP appoints Hephzibah Pathak CEO of WPP Creative India
Ogilvy India chair takes charge of unified creative model in key market
NEW DELHI: WPP has appointed Hephzibah Pathak as chief executive officer of WPP Creative India, putting a local leader at the helm of its newly created creative operating model in one of its most important growth markets.
The move brings clarity to how WPP’s global restructuring will play out in India, weeks after the group unveiled WPP Creative as part of its Elevate28 strategy. The unit sits alongside WPP Media, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions, and is designed to simplify what the company previously described as an overly complex structure.
Pathak, who continues as executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, will represent all agencies under the WPP Creative umbrella in India. Her role centres on driving integration across brands, expanding capabilities and ensuring clients can tap into the network’s full talent pool without friction.
WPP said Pathak will work closely with agency brand CEOs to “enhance integration, expand capabilities, and ensure seamless client access”, while maintaining the distinct identities of its agencies.
The portfolio under WPP Creative includes leading networks such as VML, Landor, AKQA and Grey, along with Burson and its affiliated firms. Leaders across these agencies will now report into Pathak, even as each brand continues to operate independently within a unified system.
The appointment also formalises a dual-track strategy in India, preserving agency identities while accelerating collaboration. Pathak is expected to work closely with media leadership to align creative and media capabilities, reflecting growing client demand for integrated, multi-market solutions.
WPP Creative global CEO Jon Cook has described the unit as “not an agency” but an operating system that helps creative, design and PR brands work together more effectively. The group has been clear that it is not merging or phasing out legacy agency brands, instead aiming to reduce complexity on the client side.
Pathak brings nearly three decades of experience within the network, having joined in 1997 and held roles ranging from Mumbai office head to chief client officer. She made history in 2024 as the first woman to lead Ogilvy India in its 95-year presence in the country.
Her expanded mandate positions India at the centre of WPP’s Asia-Pacific strategy, with a focus on strengthening brand presence, deepening client relationships and unlocking growth in a fast-evolving market.
The appointment signals WPP’s intent to move beyond the traditional holding company model towards a more integrated, AI-enabled structure. With Pathak now steering WPP Creative India, the group appears set to test whether simpler structures can indeed deliver sharper creative outcomes.
