MAM
Havas Media India makes senior digital appointments
MUMBAI: Havas Media India which has added a slew of wins to the kitty in 2013 has strengthened its ‘digital’ segment with two key senior appointments.
In tune with the group’s integrated structure, Havas Media India’s full services digital portfolio includes digital media planning and buying, display advertising, digital direct response, search engine marketing, SEO, pay-per-click, social media, as well as ‘Mobext’ for mobile solutions and performance marketing using data and analytics.
To establish itself further in India, the company has appointed Sumit Kumar as General Manager; while S.V. Sunilkumar has joined as Business Head Digital-Mumbai, whose key responsibility will be to service the existing digital clientele in Mumbai as well as new business development.
Speaking on the appointments, Havas Media Group, India & South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar said, “Digital is a focal point for us and these appointments will further consolidate our attempt to offer the latest digital services to our clients. Both Sumit and Sunil are talented and committed digital players – we are glad to have them on board.”
“Sunil and Sumit are mandated to entrenching and expanding the Havas Digital footprint in Mumbai and India”, added Havas Media India MD-Digital Anurag Bhatnagar.
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Havas Media Group, India & South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar
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Havas Media India MD digital Anurag Bhatnagar
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“Mobext not only provides mobile solutions to engage the customer but can also help brands make their sales force more effective with our enterprise solutions – a unique proposition in itself. The profile is a huge challenge and opportunity to create unique experiences and expand the Mobext offering in India”, explained Sumit Kumar, General Manager, Mobext India
Business Head Digital-Mumbai S.V. Sunilkumar commented, “As a digital enthusiast, it is always exciting to work with an agency whose mantra is ‘Digital at its core’. Havas Media has been on an aggressive growth path and again it is good to be where the action is. I look forward to creating some of this action”.
Sumit Kumar, with over eight years of leadership experience in business development, strategic partnerships, product management and corporate sales, was earlier leading the performance and app advertising business for InMobi India. Clients worked with include – Tata DOCOMO, Vodafone, Sony Entertainment, Disney, OLX, Viacom 18, Tencent, AOL, Cleartip , Hungama, Nazara, Opera and Times Group.
Sunilkumar with 18 years of media experience was working with Infosys as a Principal Consultant and a part of the core product development team at BrandEdge (the global cloud based digital marketing platform). Also, as digital media head at DDB Mudra, he has serviced clients including LIC, Star TV, McDonalds, IDBI Bank, India First Life Insurance, etc.
MAM
PNB Metlife bowls ‘Always Ready for Life’ with Smriti Mandhana
New positioning tackles 91 per cent protection gap plus ageing India’s 230 million seniors by 2036.
MUMBAI: When life throws a googly, PNB Metlife wants you padded up and ready not scrambling for cover. The insurer has unveiled its fresh brand positioning, ‘Always Ready for Life’, fronted by cricket superstar Smriti Mandhana, to spark real conversations about insurance and financial planning at every stage of the journey.
India’s life protection gap remains a stark 91 per cent meaning for every Rs 100 needed to secure families financially, only Rs 9 is covered. At the same time, the elderly population (60 plus) is projected to swell to around 230 million by 2036, roughly 15 per cent of the total population. The campaign underlines PNB Metlife’s holistic take on security, urging Indians to build clarity and confidence around retirement, child education and long-term goals.
PNB Metlife chief marketing & communications officer Sourabh Lohtia said, “There is a unique sense of freedom that comes when careful financial preparation meets present-day opportunities. With this campaign, we want to show that being prepared helps people focus on what truly matters. Financial growth and security are achievable and PNB MetLife wants to support Indians by helping to simplify financial planning, turning every future milestone into something to look forward to.”
The brand ambassador Smriti Mandhana drew a neat parallel, “As a cricketer, we study the pitch, understand opposition, and assess the situation before every match. Life works similarly, staying prepared for every goal or situation is essential, and financial readiness plays a key role in that. Life insurance helps build that strong foundation at every life stage whether we are achieving big dreams, starting a family, buying a home, or planning for a comfortable retirement.”
The push targets millennials and younger audiences through Mandhana’s appeal, rolling out across television, Youtube, Meta platforms, OTT, Google Display and high-visibility outdoor sites. In a country where life can change as quickly as a T20 over, PNB Metlife is betting that preparation not panic is the real winning shot.
