MAM
Industry hails eased lockdown restrictions, wants more from economic stimulus
NEW DELHI: We are close to completing two months of the ongoing nationwide lockdown, instigated by the fatal global pandemic COVID2019, living through extraordinary times, adjusting to newer ways of working, and dealing with newer ways of living. Many businesses have faced unimaginable loss, with giants like Ola, Uber, Swiggy, amongst others, laying off employees in mass numbers, and brands like Cream Bell shutting down. Small-scale businesses, be it brands running the shop on Instagram, or independent agencies, everyone has faced dire consequences.
Amidst all this, the Indian government announced the fourth phase of the lockdown a few days back, with a lot of relaxations (depending on a state-to-state basis), and also introduced an economic stimulus package to help the businesses, especially the MSMEs, getting back on their feet, laying a foundation for ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).
The advertising industry’s reaction to these announcements has been lukewarm. While most of them seem to be content with the new lockdown guidelines, they had higher expectations with the economic stimulus than served.
Reacting to the new lockdown guidelines, Havas Group CEO Rana Barua noted that it is very early to comment “as there are way too many mixed reactions from the industry. So, we will have to wait for a few more weeks to understand the implications.”
FCB India group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said, “India is a densely populated country and it is wiser to remove the lockdown in a phased manner. The government, I feel, is doing a great job at it.”
Madison Media chief analytics officer Nagaraj Krishnamurthy also lauded the government intervention in the matter. “The new lockdown guidelines try to balance life and livelihood. State governments have been given more power to decide on implementation. This is a welcome step as local government will be a lot more informed on the ground reality. Ideally, we may have wanted all restrictions removed so that crowd immunity gets developed. However, such a broad stroke easing of restrictions may not be practically possible.”
Dentsu One president Harjot Singh Narang feels that the current situation is much like watching a cricket match as things are happening in real-time and everyone is reacting according to the evolving situations in ways they think is the best.
He said, “(The steps) are being subjected to a billion viewers with multibillion views on what is being done and what more could be done differently. I strongly feel that at times of crisis like this, we need to let the frontline response team do its work and do our best to help them in any way possible. There will always be views (personal and public) on what more could be done for the economy, the migrant, the underprivileged, etc…. but for now I feel we are clearly looking to open up slowly and cautiously. Is it “too cautious” or “too early”, that only time will tell.”
The new economic stimulus, while great for the businesses, doesn’t hold much ground when it comes to helping to deal with the demand-side problems that India has been facing.
While Barua preferred to reserve his comments on the economic package for the time being, Krishnamurthy noted, “There have been very good announcements with regard to reforms. The government has used a crisis to unleash difficult reforms in holy cow sectors like agriculture and defence. Rural demand which was subdued will now improve. This will lead to lagged uplift in demand. However, in the strict meaning of stimulus which is a capital infusion, it is a tad disappointing. There is no sector-specific monetary stimulus for very badly hit sectors like retail, media, hospitality etc.”
He added that it is very much possible that the government will come up with one more round of monetary stimulus once the lockdown ends and people get back to work. “A true picture of demand will then emerge and the government can intervene to ease the pain faced by badly impacted sectors.”
Narang agreed to Krishnamurthy that the stimulus will help the business but there is a 50:50 chance of demands improving early. “If I try to put myself in the decision maker’s shoes – as of now the thinking behind the stimulus package seems to be – over-index and create more liquidity for businesses so they can pass it on to people as wages, profits etc, and that should increase demand overall. Additionally, push in big-ticket reforms to oil the business machinery and enable it to run faster and better thereby attracting large foreign businesses to set up production facilities in our country and keep the wheels of growth turning.”
“Sounds good in theory but the problem is that any thinking on supply-led growth is bound to take a long time as the economic multiplier kicks in and gets demand grows. Given the suffering around us and the sentiment that has fallen sharply ever since 2019 and now the complete nosedive of 2020, this time span could be even longer. This situation could jeopardise the whole theoretical possibility of it working. However, if the reforms kick in quickly and we do get to become a producer-led economy for large business investments, then even though we will go through a painful period for some time the recovery could be more robust and sustainable than a simple consumption-led growth model that we seem to have until 2018.” he added.
Both Narang and Ohri said that it would have been better if the government had put money directly in consumer’s hands.
Ohri suggested relief in taxes to support the dwindling spending power. Narang said, “I would look to put money in people’s hands directly as much as possible through tax reductions and direct transfers to the underprivileged but am not sure on how much the current coffers of the government could support this and how much of it could become just a short-term measure to alleviate pain without a mid- to long-term strategy to kick in long-term restructuring and growth that truly reduces inequality all around.”
MAM
Effie turns 25 and still means business
Nestle, Leo India and McCann lead a landmark night in Mumbai.
MUMBAI: If ideas are currency, the Effies are where they are audited and this year, the balance sheet looked impressive. The Advertising Club India marked the 25th edition of the Effie India Awards 2025 with a glittering ceremony at Taj Lands’ End, Mumbai, bringing together more than 1,000 professionals from advertising, marketing, media, research, PR and communications. Presented by News18 India and News18 Marathi, and powered by CNN News18 and CNBC TV18, the milestone edition was as much a celebration of legacy as it was a reminder of where Indian marketing stands today sharper, more accountable and relentlessly focused on results.
At the centre of the night’s honours was Nestle India Ltd, which was adjudged Effie Client of the Year, recognising sustained commitment to impactful, effectiveness-led marketing. Leo India was named Effie Agency of the Year, reflecting consistent performance across categories and a strong portfolio of results-driven campaigns.
Speaking at the Effie, McCann India CEO and The Advertising Club president Dheeraj Sinha said, “As we celebrate 25 glorious years of the Effie India Awards, we are not just marking a milestone, we are honouring a legacy of effectiveness that has shaped Indian marketing. Over the past quarter century, Effie has become the gold standard for results-driven creativity, championing ideas that deliver real business impact. This landmark edition reflects the extraordinary evolution of our industry and the power of creativity. Congratulations to all the winners. Here’s to the next chapter of impactful storytelling and transformative growth.”
The coveted Grand Effie went to McCann, Gurugram, for Nestle India Ltd’s campaign “Maggi, Why save the best for the last?”. The campaign stood out for turning a familiar consumer insight into a commercially powerful narrative, demonstrating how cultural relevance, when aligned with business objectives, can deliver both emotional connection and measurable growth.
“The Effie India Awards have evolved into one of the most credible and respected platforms for marketing effectiveness in the country. What truly stands out this year is the scale and diversity of participation – from leading networks to independent agencies and new-age specialists, all demonstrating a shared commitment to effectiveness. It is encouraging to see stakeholders attach deeper strategic value to the Effies, viewing it as a benchmark of real business impact”, added Effie India Awards chairperson and The Advertising Club founder and The Horologists president Mitrajit Bhattacharya.
Marking its silver jubilee, the 25th edition witnessed participation from 89 agencies, spanning large network agencies, independent shops and new-age specialists. The breadth of entries reflected a marketing ecosystem that is no longer siloed where data, creativity, media strategy and business outcomes are increasingly interlinked.
Elaborating on the awards Eros Media World group CEO and Effie India Awards, The Advertising Club co-chairperson Pradeep Dwivedi said, “We are delighted to witness such enthusiastic participation from across the industry, reflecting the trust and prestige the platform commands. The campaigns showcased this year set a remarkable standard, combining bold creativity with strategic rigor and tangible results. It is inspiring to see the industry consistently push boundaries while remaining firmly focused on impact.”
What distinguishes the Effies from many other award platforms is its judging framework. Campaigns are not only assessed by advertising professionals but also by clients and academic experts, ensuring a holistic evaluation of strategy, execution and real-world impact. In an industry often accused of rewarding style over substance, the Effies have steadily positioned themselves as champions of effectiveness over spectacle.
“The core of our creative culture is ‘Impact a Billion’ creating work that genuinely moves people and delivers real business outcomes. When that kind of impact is achieved, recognition follows. Being honoured at the Effie Awards reaffirms our belief that effectiveness and creativity are deeply intertwined. This win belongs to our teams who push for ideas that matter, and to our clients who share the ambition to create work that goes beyond visibility to deliver meaningful impact at scale.” Leo chairman for South Asia and Publicis Groupe CCO for South Asia Rajdeepak Das.
The event was also supported by category sponsors including Adani Group for Integrated Advertising Campaign, Eco Media Solutions for Brand Experience and Tata Communications for B2B, reflecting strong corporate backing for platforms that celebrate measurable marketing excellence.
At Leo, effectiveness isn’t merely a metric, it’s core to the kind of creativity that can effect change for people, communities, businesses and the planet.
We are stoked to have won across some of our biggest brands tonight. To be consistently recognized as the best – globally, and now at our home-ground – is both rewarding and inspiring. We’re grateful to our client partners for placing their trust in our ideas, and to our teams for relentlessly pushing the boundaries of excellence.” Leo, Publicis Health & Publicis Business CEO for South Asia Amitesh Rao.
Beyond the trophies and applause, the 25th edition carried symbolic weight. Over a quarter century, the Effie India Awards have chronicled the transformation of Indian marketing from traditional mass campaigns to data-led, multi-platform ecosystems where accountability is non-negotiable. As brands grapple with fragmented audiences, evolving media habits and heightened expectations around ROI, effectiveness has moved from being desirable to being essential.
The silver jubilee celebration underscored that shift. In a landscape crowded with creative awards, the Effies continue to stand apart by asking a simple, uncompromising question, did it work?
After 25 years, the answer for many on that Mumbai stage was a resounding yes.
