MAM
Iris enters Middle East due to growing client demand
MUMBAI: Global creative innovation network, Iris Worldwide, is entering the Middle East with the launch of its first office in Dubai this month.
The creative agency is launching operations in Middle East due to a growing number of clients requesting the agency‘s services in the MENA region.
Iris, whose Asia footprint spans offices in Singapore, Sydney, Shanghai, Delhi and Jakarta, has signed an agreement with Expression in the Middle East.
The partnership will see Iris introduce its agency model and creative offering to the MENA region for the first time, which has seen it win a number of regional briefs in recent months, such as Diageo and 3M.
Expression will formally join the iris network today, when Expression‘s office – based at Al Thuraya Tower in Dubai‘s Media City – will officially be branded as an Iris office.
Iris Middle East will be led by Scott Feasey as MD and David Brook as creative director. Its team will offer a full house of through-the-line creative services including advertising, branding, CRM, design, direct, interactive, promotional and strategy.
The office will launch with a client base including Expression‘s existing clients, which include Unilever, Lufthansa, Jumeirah International, Bridgestone, Gulf Food Industries, Ray-Ban, Carrefour Express, Dubai Chamber and Danone, as well as iris‘ regional clients, which include Sony Mobile, Shell and adidas.
Iris for regional CEO Asia Pacific Luke Nathans said, “We‘re thrilled to be entering the Middle East – it‘s another great step forward for us. We‘re always looking for people that share our values, and there is a real synergy between Expression and iris. Expression, like iris, is not bound by conventional media or discipline thinking and we‘ve admired each other‘s work for a long time so this makes a lot of sense.”
Feasey added, “We‘ve always been great fans of iris – they‘re leading the pack with their forward-thinking approach to creativity. Iris arriving in the Middle East will take consumer engagement and creativity in the region to a new level. We‘re looking forward to offering the MENA region the iris way of building and growing brands. Our clients are really excited.”
The deal will allow clients to tap into the scale and resources of the iris global network, which includes offices in the US, Europe and China as well as digital, planning, research, CRM, social and creative capabilities.
Expression, which launched in Dubai in 2002, is an independent communication agency.
The opening follows Iiris‘ latest launch in November 2011 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Iris is currently eyeing locations in the West Coast of the US and Brazil.
Brands
KKR sixes to power EV charger rollout under VIDA campaign
Cricket meets clean mobility as big hits spark India’s charging growth
NEW DELHI: VIDA, the electric mobility arm of Hero MotoCorp, has teamed up with Kolkata Knight Riders to launch a campaign that turns cricketing flair into real-world impact.
Titled ‘6 for 6’, the initiative promises to install a 6kW fast EV charger for every six hit by KKR during the ongoing Indian Premier League season. The idea is simple but powerful, as each big hit on the field contributes directly to expanding India’s fast-charging infrastructure.
The campaign builds on VIDA’s growing network, which already spans over 5,300 fast-charging points across more than 430 cities. With EV adoption gaining pace, the brand is using cricket’s mass appeal to accelerate both awareness and infrastructure growth.
Explaining the thinking behind the move, Hero MotoCorp emerging mobility business unit chief business officer Kausalya Nandakumar said, “Cricket has an incredible ability to unite and inspire millions across the country. With the ‘6 for 6’ campaign, we are turning every big hit on the field into a step towards a cleaner and a more accessible mobility future.”
She added that VIDA’s expanding fast-charging network and removable battery technology are designed to make EV ownership more convenient and practical for everyday users.
From the franchise’s side, the campaign is also about giving on-field moments a larger purpose. Kolkata Knight Riders chief executive officer Venky Mysore said, “The ‘6 for 6’ campaign exemplifies the potential of sport as a platform for meaningful, real-world impact. By linking every six to the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, this partnership transforms fan excitement into tangible progress.”
As part of the rollout, VIDA has introduced co-branded charging stations in KKR’s signature colours, with a flagship installation unveiled alongside team players. The chargers are designed for quick top-ups, powering VIDA scooters from zero to 80 percent in about an hour, while also being positioned along key highways to support longer journeys.
The initiative also taps into VIDA’s removable battery system, which allows users to charge using standard household plug points, adding flexibility to the charging ecosystem.
By blending the thrill of cricket with the urgency of clean mobility, VIDA and KKR have found a neat way to make every six count twice, once on the scoreboard and again on India’s road to an electric future.
