MAM
Manforce responds to Blinkit’s 9,940 condom order with creative billboard
Mumbai: Manforce Condoms has ingeniously engaged with its audience by responding to a South Delhi consumer who ordered 9,940 condoms from Blinkit in 2023. Taking a quirky approach, the brand capitalised on the moment created by Blinkit to broaden its communication with the masses. The conceptualisation and execution of the Manforce billboard were handled by Grapes, an integrated communication agency.
Brands
Warner Bros. Discovery names Shazia Fazal head affiliate sales, South Asia.
Nine-year journey comes full circle as she takes top distribution role
MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery has elevated Shazia Fazal to head of affiliate sales, south asia, marking a full circle moment in a career that began with her watching the company’s content as a young girl.
Fazal, who completes nine years with the media major this month, moves up from her role as senior director, DTH, telecom and digital alliances. In her new position as head of affiliate sales, south asia, she will lead affiliate distribution across one of the company’s most dynamic and competitive regions.
Reflecting on the promotion, Fazal described the milestone as something even a scriptwriter might struggle to improve upon. Raised by what she calls a “fiercely feminist” father who encouraged her to “be yourself ferociously”, she has risen to head distribution in a field long dominated by men.
The appointment also underscores a broader cultural shift within the organisation. Fazal noted that 80 per cent of the leadership team she works with are women, a statistic that stands out in an industry where representation figures often tell a different story. She credited the environment fostered by India leader Arjun Nohwar for enabling merit, ambition and authenticity to thrive, and acknowledged the mentorship of Vijay Rajput in her journey.
Her career path reflects steady momentum. Fazal joined the Discovery business in 2017 as associate director, DTH, later moving through director, DTH and telecom partnerships and senior director roles spanning dth, telecom and digital partnerships. Following the merger that formed Warner Bros. Discovery, she continued to expand her remit across south asia.
Before her tenure at Discovery, she spent over six years at Sony Pictures Networks India, where she held multiple business development roles including deputy associate director, business development and senior manager, business development. Earlier stints at West Coast Group and Marketing Solutions Private Limited laid the groundwork for her expertise in partnerships and client relationships.
Leading affiliate sales in India means navigating a market that is as complex as it is fast moving, with traditional distribution platforms intersecting with telecom operators and digital players. For Fazal, however, the challenge appears to be part of the appeal.
Nine years in, she describes the journey in three words: growth, gratitude and grit. If her story reads like a well-crafted screenplay, the latest chapter suggests there are many more scenes yet to unfold.
