MAM
Goafest: FCB Ulka designs ‘Gods Of Advertising’
MUMBAI: The gates are open to the biggest festival in the religion of Advertising! The campaign marking the onset of the 12th edition of Goafest, has been unveiled, under the theme- “Gods of Advertising”. The campaign has been conceptualized and designed by FCB Ulka in line with grandeur of the festival, where the Gods come together, celebrating the Gods within us.
Under the campaign, the Gods of Advertising have been depicted like the Greek Gods, to give the entire campaign a unique identity. The campaign is built on clever canvas paintings of Greek Gods with a subtle integration of the elements of their times. The art purely showcases ancient Church art style that can also be seen in the design and the font. Everything together shows the grandeur and antiquity of the festival, lending strength to the theme.
Commenting on the occasion, Goafest 2017 chairman and AAAI vice president Ashish Bhasin said, “Goafest 2017 is going to be at a level it has never been before and the campaign announcing that, Gods of Advertising, designed by FCB Ulka, has captured the feel very well. Goafest is about the Industry coming together and celebrating Creativity, sharing bonhomie within the industry participants and learning from experts, not just from our industry but from other fields as well, at a global scale. This year we have introduced several new initiatives, which will add to a lot of excitement and I thank and congratulate FCB Ulka for kicking off South Asia’s largest festival of advertising with a beautifully crafted campaign”.
Shedding light on the premise of the campaign, FCB Ulka NCD south Mahendra Bhagat said, “‘Gods of Advertising’ as a phrase is something we hear often in the advertising industry. Goafest is a fun event, that’s given. But we wanted to talk about it being an enriching event too. Which is why, we directed our communication to the youngsters, telling them that the who’s who of advertising will surely be there – imparting knowledge and sharing ideas and an event that you surely can’t afford to miss.”
“What I particularly like about this campaign is the treatment that’s given by our young creative team. Instead of repeating the typical imagery that’s associated with Goa, they thought of recreating these old frescos you see in some of the churches. Very distinct and very relevant. So, even though, it’s western in its content, it’s a little Indian in its outlook and execution,” he added.
FCB Ulka is creating promotional posters, mailers and Press communication for Goafest 2017. The first leg the campaign kicks off with a series of promotional content highlighting the God of various divisions of advertising. Each of the Gods have been given a name and their specific characteristics and inviting people to not miss it, because even the Gods won’t give it a miss.
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
