MAM
Cheil WW expands leadership team
MUMBAI: Cheil Worldwide SW Asia has strengthened its leadership with appointments in leadership positions across three verticals.
The agency has appointed Vikas Khanna to the post of head – activations, while Rajesh Bhatia joins as head interactive and Manish Shukla as head of retail.
Bhatia comes in from Euro RSCG 4D where he was president while Khanna‘s last stint was with G2Rams, a WPP group company aligned with Grey Worldwide where he was VP and branch head. Shukla joins the agency from Retailscape.
Bhatia is a digital evangelist with over 17 years of work experience and has been driving innovative digital and integrated marketing strategies for global brands including Nokia, IBM, Max Life Insurance, Airtel, Reckitt Bencksier (Dettol, Harpic, Vanish, Veet, Mortein) and Unilever.
Bhatia joined the world of digital and data led consumer marketing almost a decade ago and has been a part of the evolution of new age communication in India and has been helping brands transition from traditional marketing communication to effective marketing in the digital world. He has been instrumental in the creation of one of virtual community ? igenius for Max Life Insurance.
Prior to Euro RSCG 4D, Bhatia has held senior level positions with Solutions Digitas, IDC and Onida across various digital and consumer marketing domains.
Khanna has over 13 years of experience in the field of events, BTL and activation and has a longstanding portfolio of client relationships. Over the years he has managed brands including BlackBerry (RIM), Cisco, Audi, BMW, M3M, Genpact, Hyundai, GE, Canara HSBC, ITDC and HTC. Prior to G2Rams Khanna has worked with George P Johnson, 360 Degrees, Magnum Nexus Private Limited, Showtime Events India Pvt. Ltd. etc.
Shukla moves from Retailscape which he set up in 1996. Prior to this he has worked with Lintas, JWT, Gillette, Coca?Cola India. He is an honorary member of POPAI, an industry body and has chaired the organization in the past. He is also on the board of advisor to Point of Purchase Magazine and In?Store Asia.
Shukla brings with him a wide range of business expertise, experience and relationships in the area of retail marketing and management. Over the years he has consulted to a wide range of clients such as HUL?Wall‘s Ice cream ? Danone International, Evian, PepsiCo, Coca?Cola, Bacardi ? Martini, Bharat Shell, Braun, Parker, Airtel, Shaw Wallace, Samsung, LG – CDMA Phones and Barista Coffee Bars.
Cheil WW SW Asia COO Alok Agrawal said, “The story of our growth trajectory is already known. Nima‘s joining has tripled our creative strength. Now with Vikas, Rajesh and Manish on board, our leadership team has become even stronger. This enables us to further capitalise on the demands of the marketplace and take brand Cheil to even greater heights.”
MAM
Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
