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JWT consolidates its 11 digital agencies under Mirum
MUMBAI: J. Walter Thompson Company has consolidated its digital agencies under a new global network brand called Mirum.
Mirum will unite JWT’s 11 digital agencies spanning 17 countries and 40 offices. Former Digitaria CEO Dan Khabie will take the helm as Mirum Global and North America CEO. In this role, Khabie will have oversight of Mirum’s overall growth strategy, including P&L responsibility, managing key client relationships and aligning resources to service clients globally. He will report to J. Walter Thompson Company global CEO Gustavo Martinez, and be based between the West Coast and the East Coast.
Mirum is a new company created with a pioneering spirit, built by bringing together successful regional companies that have a deep understanding of local market needs. Mirum’s principles are rooted in innovation, design, data, marketing and technology to drive business transformation in a world of constantly evolving behaviors and expectations.
Mirum companies include Digitaria (U.S.), XM (Asia Pacific), CASA (Brazil), ActivearkJWT (Finland, Sweden, India and U.K.) and Twist Image (Canada). Lunchbox (U.S.), i-Cherry (Brazil), HeathWallace (U.K.), Quirk (South Africa and U.K.), Clarus (Mexico) and X-Prime (France) will also join Mirum.
“The launch of Mirum is an integral part of our strategy to continue building on J. Walter Thompson Company’s many assets and capabilities in order to drive business transformation,” said Martinez. “Mirum is poised to deliver both the technology and creative solutions that global brands demand.”
“Dan’s natural entrepreneurial instincts and passion will foster Mirum’s startup mentality as he drives growth forward across our global network,” said J. Walter Thompson head of digital worldwide and Mirum chairman Stefano Zunino.
Mirum’s capabilities are organized around strategy & consulting services, creative & content, user experience & platforms, analytics & insight and product development & mobile. Additionally, Mirum has deep vertical service offerings in Digital Retail, Behavioral Media and Financial Services.
Current clients include CBRE, Cyrela, Daum Kakao, Finnair, HSBC, Magazine Luiza, Mazda, Microsoft, Nokia, Petco, Singapore Tourism Board, TD Bank, Walmart and XL, among others.
“I am extremely honored to have been given this exciting yet humbling role in leading some of the most talented thinkers and makers in the world,” said Khabie. “Over the last year we have worked hard as a leadership team to integrate all of these agencies together under one common vision and operational structure while keeping the entrepreneurial spirit in each region. We have become a borderless agency with a collaborative, passionate culture, and it has already led us to win global clients that will be announced on a later date.”
Daiga Atvara will be chief design officer; Matt Webb, chief technology officer; Dave Wallace, chief operations officer; Nick Read, chief financial officer; Sarah Kotlova, global head of agency services; and John Baker, chief marketing officer. Khabie plans on naming a chief creative officer, chief strategy officer and global head of data & analytics over the next six months.
Khabie has also named his global leadership team, which includes Robin Bade and Markus Hakala, Europe; Rob Stokes, MEA; Guilherme Gomide, LATAM; Nanda Ivens, APAC; Mark Goodman, NA; Alex Kavinski, Behavioral Media; and Kevin Weisberg, Digital Retail Marketing.
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.
