MAM
Hamdard Laboratories appoint mSix&Partners as the integrated media agency
Mumbai: mSix&Partners, the youngest outcome-based agency of GroupM, has won the integrated media and social duties for Hamdard Laboratories, the oldest Unani medicine makers in the country. The agency won the account following a competitive multi-agency pitch and will be handling all aspects of media including TV, print, radio, digital, out-of-home, and cinema from its Gurgaon office.
The mandate will cover the medicine portfolio which includes brands like Safi, Cinkara, Roghan Badam, Shirin, Joshina, and more. Over the course of the years, Hamdard has built a reputation for integrity and high quality in the field of affordable Unani medicines, and it intends to continue this tradition in its partnership with mSix&Partners.
mSix&Partners is known for its data-driven approach and will use this expertise to target the right audience and engage them with meaningful messages. The combination of Hamdard Laboratories’ legacy and mSix&Partners’ creativity is expected to be a successful venture that will take both companies to new heights.
Hamdard Laboratories (medicine division) chairman Abdul Majeed said, “We found mSix&Partners’ strategic approach quite wholesome. We believe that together, we can achieve our goals.”
mSix&Partners India managing partner Subhamay Mukhopadhyay said, “We’re thrilled over our alliance with Hamdard Laboratories (medicine division) and our shared goal of boosting business success through our diverse teams at mSix&Partners. This partnership allows us to offer complete brand solutions, enhancing customer experiences. With Hamdard’s rich heritage and commitment to innovation, we aim to elevate their reputation and contribute to a healthier, thriving community.”
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
