MAM
MPG launches mobile marketing arm MOBEXT
MUMBAI: Havas Media’s flagship brand, MPG India, has launched its mobile marketing brand Mobext in Asia with India being chosen one of the first markets for the roll out.
As part of the launch the agency has also made three senior appointments: Arnav Neel Ghosh joins as general manager for South Asia, while Ashutosh S Srivastava is appointed as the business director and Rahul Shinde as senior business executive. The team in India is also expected to expand in the next few months.
Ghosh moves in from Digital at Iris Nation, where he was executive vice-president and has previously worked in senior roles at Publicis Modem and Active Media Technology, a UK based mobile marketing company. Ashutosh was most recently the associate director of mobile marketing at ACL Wireless and has had stints at Mobile2Win and ConnectTurf.
Mobext, a network brand of Havas Media specialising in Mobile Marketing, is currently present in eight markets globally. The new brand is expected to strengthen the digital offerings of Havas Media, which currently has a digital media agency brand in Media Contacts.
Within this year, the brand is slated to be launched in China, Indonesia and Philippines and the company will look at both greenfield as well as partnership entry strategies.
Mobext will offer messaging services such as sms and download; mobile internet services like WAP consulting and development, mobile display, mobile search and proximity based services including LBS and mapping. It will also offer integration through reporting and analytics by Havas Digital’s campaign management platform.
The network agency currently handles a host of blue chip clients in different parts of the world including Nike, Coca Cola, McDonalds, Fanta, Kia, Volvo, BMW, Peugeot, Citroen, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, BBC, Dell and Sears.
Mobext Havas Media CEO Asia Pacific Vishnu Mohan said: “Asia presents an enormous potential in the mobile space with high levels of penetration, installed base and growth rates. All our clients have needs in this space and we want to ensure that as a media agency we are not neglecting such an important medium and one that will gain even more prominence in the future.
Mohan also said that mobile allows advertisers to reach their audience on a more engaged basis and Mobext will be helpful in this process.
“Mobext has been doing very well in other markets and we have been waiting for the right time and the right people to launch it in Asia. What better market to launch than India, which has whopping 790 million mobile users currently and is also a key market for the group in Asia Pacific region”, Mohan added.
Further enhancing the importance of Indian market, Mohan clarified that with 790 million mobile users, there was no better market in Asia to launch this product.
“Mobile offers advertisers an interesting media to reach their audience on a more engaged basis and the launch of Mobext will fulfil this need. We are looking launch the brand in China, Indonesia and Philippines within the year and will look at both greenfield as well as partnership entry strategies”, Mohan concluded.
Havas Media MPG CEO South Asia Anita Nayyar said: “Mobile marketing is gathering steam and it is the right time for us to offer specialised mobile marketing expertise to help our clients leverage this platform. In Arnav and Ashutosh we have identified the right candidates to take charge of Mobext. Arnav’s experience in successfully launching and managing agencies will be invaluable for us while Ashutosh’s hands on experience with cutting edge mobile campaigns will be a real asset for our clients.”
MAM
Catch launches TVC for iodised pink rock salt push
DS Group expands beyond spices with campaign going live April 20
MUMBAI: A pinch of salt just got a personality and a prime-time slot to match. Catch Salt & Spices, part of the Dharampal Satyapal Group, has rolled out its first television campaign for Catch Premium Iodised Pink Rock Salt, signalling a clear step beyond its core spices and sprinklers play. Conceptualised by Dentsu Creative Webchutney, the campaign leans into a product-led narrative, aiming to build awareness in the relatively less-explored salt segment. The film goes live from April 20 across television and digital platforms, including social media and OTT, as the brand seeks scale and visibility.
Set in a neighbourhood play area, the TVC swaps hard selling for a slice-of-life moment. Two mothers chat while their children hover nearby until a young girl takes centre stage, confidently breaking down the origins and benefits of pink rock salt. The message lands softly but clearly: even everyday ingredients now come with a story.
The creative pivot reflects a broader shift in consumer behaviour. Salt, long treated as a commodity, is being reframed as a conscious choice part health cue, part lifestyle signal. By placing a child at the centre of the narrative, the film plays on the idea that awareness is no longer confined to adults; it’s trickling down, reshaping household decisions.
For DS Group, the campaign marks more than a product launch, it’s a category expansion. With Catch already established in spices, the move into salt positions the brand to tap into adjacent kitchen essentials, while reinforcing its long-standing thought that food is more than just fuel.
In a market where differentiation is often hard to sprinkle in, Catch is betting that storytelling and a dash of everyday relatability can do the heavy lifting.
