MAM
IPG Mediabrands appoints Sandeep Bastikar as head of performance marketing
MUMBAI: IPG Mediabrands has appointed Sandeep Bastikar as the head of performance marketing for APAC.
In this position, Bastikar will oversee IPG Mediabrands’ programmatic offering – Cadreon, while integrating search, paid social and data strategy to deliver business results for global clients across APAC, as well as accelerate performance marketing for World Markets Asia local clients.
Bastikar has worked in the digital space for over 20 years. Previously, as the managing director of Singapore-based Brandneu Consulting, he ran the digital marketing and e-commerce consulting agency across the region, servicing global and regional brands. Prior to this, Bastikar set up Leo Burnett’s digital interactive arm in Singapore, responsible for business development and project delivery of its local and regional servicing clients such as P&G, Prudential Asia, Singapore Tourism Board in the region.
Bastikar said, “I am inspired by Mediabrands’ vision to be the ‘Agency of the Future.’ The investments it is making in digital performance and the integration of its digital domains, namely Cadreon, Reprise and Ingenuity in its overall framework, is bound to drive up marketing ROI, while bringing true integrated solution for consumers. I have not seen any other agency understand and invest into the digital domain with such foresight. I am very excited to take on this role and help grow the business in the region.”
IPG Mediabrands, World Markets Asia president Prashant Kumar added, “Sandeep’s entrepreneurial background, his keen understanding of the full spectrum of performance marketing – cross-funnel, whole brain, and consumer-centric, will help us accelerate the marketing futures for our clients. He will be a key ingredient to the ‘Agency of the Future’ we are trying to build in the region. We are very excited.”
Bastikar reports into Kumar in this role and will be based in Singapore.
MAM
Atomberg rolls out Jackie Shroff-led campaign for smart purifier
Humour-led film highlights adaptive tech, no-AMC model and app features
MUMBAI: Boil it, filter it… or just let Jackie fix it, Atomberg Technologies is tapping nostalgia and wit to make water purification a little less… dry.
In its latest campaign, the brand ropes in Jackie Shroff to reimagine the tone of old-school public service messaging, borrowing cues from the actor’s iconic polio awareness appearances. The result is a humorous, culturally familiar spin that swaps health warnings for smart water habits, turning a typically functional category into something far more watchable and shareable.
The campaign’s hook lies in simplification. Instead of drowning audiences in technical jargon, it uses comedy to break down how Atomberg’s water purifier works, positioning it as an intuitive, everyday solution rather than a complex appliance. The storytelling leans heavily on recall, using nostalgia as an entry point while subtly educating consumers about product benefits.
At the centre of the narrative is the purifier’s adaptive technology. Designed to automatically switch between RO, UV and UF modes based on TDS levels, the system aims to ensure safe drinking water while retaining essential minerals and avoiding unnecessary RO usage. Features such as Taste Tune for customised water output and Vacation Mode for low-maintenance use further underline its focus on convenience.
Beyond the product, Atomberg is also taking aim at the category’s long-standing pain point: opaque service costs. The purifier operates on a no-AMC, pay-per-need model, replacing traditional annual maintenance contracts with a more transparent structure. Backed by a two-year no-cost warranty and continued coverage on replaced parts, the offering is positioned as both cost-efficient and consumer-friendly.
The campaign, therefore, does more than advertise a product, it reframes how it is understood. By blending humour, cultural familiarity and clear product messaging, Atomberg is attempting to stand out in a cluttered market where most communication tends to be either overly technical or easily ignored.
In a space where clarity is often filtered out, this campaign keeps things simple: safe water, smarter tech, and a familiar face delivering the message with a wink.
