MAM
Cars24’s new campaign reveals MS Dhoni-proven formula to buy best cars
Mumbai: Cars24, the homegrown e-commerce platform for pre-owned vehicles has launched its latest campaign ‘MRL Pass Toh Gaadi First Class’ featuring Indian cricketer MS Dhoni. The campaign brings focus to Cars24’s recently launched Mega Refurbishment Labs (MRLs) in India and highlights the brand’s commitment and leadership to provide quality cars to its customers.
Based on the recently conducted Cars24-IPSOS study, quality is the most important factor in a buyer’s purchasing journey. In line, the campaign brings focus to the solutions by Cars24 that make the buying process seamless while ensuring top notch quality cars, said the statement. The campaign will go live on television and across all the social media handles of Cars24, it added.
Conceptualised by Ogilvy (North), MS Dhoni alongwith the massive MRLs emerge as the heroes in the film. MS Dhoni is seen in this unique avatar of a rapper for the first time. Dhoni raps to explain the MRL throughout the film with visuals of various checks done on a car at the MRLs. Themed around ‘quality,’ the film is for the young buyers, with Dhoni making this point in a light hearted and fun manner. The rap-like treatment to the film and the continuous use of the word ‘check’ makes one want to play the film on loop- it has the potential to become an earworm.
“Through this campaign, we want to reinforce the messaging of our consistent efforts to bring a whole new world of quality cars to even more consumers,” said Cars24 India CMO Sudhir Shukla. “At Cars24 we have invested in India’s largest refurbishment facilities, the MRLs, which use the best-in-class systems, processes and technology to deliver quality cars that, together with our warranty and customer friendly return policies, will ensure an outstanding customer experience. And it was only fitting to use the best of cricket and a known car fanatic – MS Dhoni- to endorse the best in the pre-owned car industry; as he is definitely one of India’s most celebrated icons of performance, trust and dependability.”
“Since its early days, Cars24 has envisioned transforming the used-car industry. It has been a pioneer in shaping the industry while enabling customers to make the transition to buy cars online,” said MS Dhoni. “The company is revolutionising the category beyond Indian waters and has showcased its merit globally as they continue to expand further. I am delighted to be associated with a company that is here to make a difference with a consumer centric approach, ensuring they offer the best to their customers.”
Cars24 has recently launched seven company-owned MRLs in key metro markets of Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune. These MRLs, India’s largest vehicle refurbishment facilities, have been set up across 35 acres of land with the aim of providing buyers with access to high quality used cars coupled with warranty through a trusted channel, said the brand.
“When we first saw the new Cars24 facility The MRLs we knew that this had to be the centerpiece of our communication. We needed to show the rigour and the know-how that goes behind making each car top-notch. And who better than MS Dhoni to help us tell that story,” stated Ogilvy (North) chief creative officer Ritu Sharda. “We have presented MRL in all its glory and as a futuristic refurbishment facility synonymous with trust and quality.”
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.
