AD Agencies
First Create Behaviour, FCB Ulka’s mantra debuts with Merino mandate
MUMBAI: Merino Group has awarded its brand strategy & creative mandate to FCB Ulka Delhi, following a multi-agency pitch. The mandate involves work for Merino Laminates, Merino Furniture, and their FMCG food brand Vegit. The mandate includes ATL, BTL & digital.
Merino Laminates is a popular brand in the laminate segment and leading manufacturer and exporter of decorative laminates for interiors. Vegit, a subsidiary, features in the Ready-to-Cook category. Merino spokesperson said, “Merino will endeavour to bring resident knowledge of the trade obtained over years, & its application into all facets of Business Activity.”
FCB India group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said, “FCB’s new creative mantra – First Create Behaviour, and our new planning protocol – Brand Bedrock, debuted at this pitch. The other debut was that of our new regional leadership team, Debarpita Banerjee (president north & east), Surjo Dutt (national creative director) and John Thangaraj (executive planning director).”
FCB Ulka president north & east Debarpita Banerjee added, “This is an exciting, even though a bit nascent side of the decorative market. This space throws up immense potential and allows fresh thinking, giving us a chance at category creation.”
AD Agencies
ABBY Awards 2026 names Rajdeepak Das, Khazanchi, Ramaswamy jury chairs
Top creative leaders to steer judging across film and direct categories
MUMBAI: The Ad Club has announced the appointment of three of India’s most prominent creative leaders as jury chairs for the ABBY Awards 2026, powered by The One Club.
Rajdeepak Das, chief creative officer, South Asia, Publicis Groupe and chairman, South Asia, Leo Burnett, will chair the AV Film (TV) category. Ashish Khazanchi, managing partner at Enormous, will lead the AV Film (Digital and OTT) jury, while Anupama Ramaswamy, managing director and chief creative officer at Havas Creative India, takes charge of the Direct category.
The trio brings a mix of creative firepower and industry experience to the judging table. Das is known for blending creativity with technology to solve real-world problems, with landmark campaigns such as Whisper’s “Touch the Pickle” and “Missing Chapter” helping reshape conversations around menstrual health. His work has earned top honours at global platforms including Cannes Lions and The One Show.
Khazanchi, meanwhile, has built Enormous into one of India’s leading independent agencies. Best known for creating Tata Sky’s “Jingalala” campaign, he has played a key role in shaping brand narratives for both legacy companies and startups, picking up hundreds of awards along the way.
Ramaswamy’s appointment rounds off the leadership trio with a strong focus on culturally resonant creativity. Her campaign “Ink of Democracy” became one of the most awarded works globally in 2025, earning multiple honours across Cannes Lions, Clio and Spikes Asia. Over the years, she has built a reputation for work that not only wins awards but also shapes public discourse.
The appointments come as the ABBY Awards continue to sharpen their global positioning, with backing from The One Club adding international heft to the platform.
The awards will be held during Goafest 2026 from May 20 to 22 at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, bringing together the industry’s top creative minds for what promises to be a closely watched showcase of ideas.
With heavyweight jury chairs in place, the stage is set for a high-stakes celebration of creativity where craft, culture and commerce collide.
