MAM
Cadbury Gems brings in kids from across the nation to celebrate its birthday
Mumbai: Cadbury Gems, one of India’s oldest and much-loved chocolate button brands, hosted a one-of-its-kind virtual birthday party, inviting parents with their kids, from across the country.
The celebration was powered through a mobile-friendly interactive microsite that enabled kids to consume entertaining content, while playing micro-games. Cadbury Gems is also partnering with some NGOs to have the event unfolded in a few orphanages and celebrate the day with cakes & goodies.
With the pandemic and all the restrictions that came with it, kids have missed going to school, meeting friends and most importantly dampened the birthday spirit amongst children, something kids really love and look forward to. Cadbury #GemsBigBirthdayParty gave a chance to celebrate a special day online, said the brand.
Speaking on the success of the birthday party with Cadbury Gems, Mondelez India senior director – marketing, Anil Viswanathan said, “As a brand that has always been known for bringing alive masti and joy, we wanted to find a unique way to gift kids this experience and not let the pandemic get the better of their excitement. Over the last one year, celebrations have taken newer shapes courtesy the infinite possibilities that digital mediums offer. At Mondelez India, we continue to find these newer avenues of engagement that allow us to create meaningful moments of joy with our consumers.”
The unique party format not only got the children and their parents to be a part of a world record where thousands of them popped open a pack of ‘More Chocolaty Gems’ at the start of the event, but also engage with favourite animated characters like Chhota Bheem and child YouTube kids’ sensation ‘Aayu and Pihu’.
Commenting on the campaign, Ogilvy India, executive creative director, Neville Shah said, “Cadbury Gems is a brand that has stood for masti. And as a brand, we couldn’t just sit back and let one more birthday party be reduced to a simple video call. Especially ours. That’s where the idea stemmed from. The advantage was it was going to be online. We decided this was going to be the biggest, funniest, most colorful birthday party yet. We leveraged technology, made influencers seek invitations and showcased content.”
Wavemaker India, chief client officer and head – West, Shekhar Banerjee added, “We are in a world where birthday wishes over video calls is becoming a norm, but it is nowhere close to a big birthday party with so many experiences. Our challenge was to make sure we create an experience that is unique for families and their kids, especially those who have missed out on the fun of celebrating birthday parties during the pandemic. The response was overwhelming, lakhs of consumers registered for the event and enjoyed the party. Big enough to be called the biggest virtual birthday in the world as per Guinness World Records.”
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.
