MAM
Mudra to start Tantr, a new production set up
MUMBAI: Mudra Communications will soon start a separate production set up called Tantr, which will produce ad films and corporate films. Later this year, the agency also plans to get into production of serials for the ad sales wing.
In June 2003, indiantelevision.com had reported that Mudra Videotec planned to expand its presence in the domain space of TV software and ad-film production.
One of the earliest entrants, Mudra Videotec is into the business of buying/selling slots on the national broadcaster Doordarshan (DD) and its regional channels; co-producing “commissioned” software on cable and satellite (C&S) channels; producing ad films and audio-visual productions to fulfill the needs of in-house clients.
Mudra Videotec has a team of 15 people spread across the country with offices in Mumbai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Hyderabad. The division has two business unit heads: Mudra Videotec national marketing head (ad sales) Sunil Shetty and manager (audio-visual and films) Umang Pahwa.
According to Pahwa, “We have done quality work for clients such as McDonald’s, Reliance Infocomm, Godrej Group, HP Lubricants among others. In fact, the McDonald’s campaign has won seven awards last year – including three Abby awards and four AAAI awards. We are hoping to convert other large clients within the Mudra fold, such as Yamaha and Dainik Bhaskar.”
Incidentally, Mudra Videotec had worked to create the Reliance Infocomm audio-visuals, which were aired at the Reliance Technology Centre in Navi Mumbai earlier this year. “We managed to deliver despite constraints of hectic schedules and almost impossible deadlines. We were creating three to four films every week,” says Pahwa.
Pahwa adds, “We have recently done a series of three ad films for Hindustan Petroleum for one of their products called ‘Cruise’. These are three simple films of 15-second duration. They are scheduled to be aired on TV channels starting 24 and 25 September.”
As far as ad-films and audio-visual production is concerned, the agency executives are aggressively pitching for in-house business from within the Mudra network. They are hoping to leverage their expertise in software/content production and offer value-added services to existing and new clients.
MAM
De Beers launches ‘A Diamond Is Forever’ centenary book
Visual retrospective traces 100 years of iconic slogan and cultural impact.
MUMBAI: De Beers just dropped a century’s worth of sparkle between two covers because when a four-word line becomes forever, even the book needs a forever title. De Beers Group has released A Diamond Is Forever: The Making of a Cultural Icon 1926–2026, a landmark visual retrospective celebrating 100 years of shaping the modern perception of natural diamonds. The book traces how the brand transformed diamonds from elite heirlooms into universal symbols of love, commitment and personal achievement, with rare archival material, campaign highlights and cultural commentary.
At its core is the legendary 1947 slogan “A Diamond Is Forever,” penned by N.W. Ayer copywriter Frances Gerety. The four words redefined diamonds as eternal promises, earning the title of the 20th century’s greatest advertising slogan from Advertising Age in 1999. The book explores how this idea and others like the “Two Months’ Salary” guideline and the “Right Hand Ring” influenced social rituals, female independence and consumer behaviour worldwide, including in India, where diamonds shifted from gold-centric traditions to emotionally resonant milestones.
Beyond marketing, it showcases collaborations with artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Raoul Dufy, alongside icons such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Later campaigns, including the 1990s “Shadows” series set to Karl Jenkins’ Palladio, reinforced diamonds as timeless and unique. The narrative also addresses today’s focus on provenance, sustainability and ethical stewardship, positioning natural diamonds as symbols of both enduring love and responsible luxury.
The book arrives as De Beers marks a century of innovation in luxury marketing, from the Great Depression to the era of conscious consumption, offering a rare window into one of advertising’s most enduring brand stories.
In a world where trends fade fast, De Beers didn’t just sell diamonds, it sold forever, and now it’s bound the proof in pages that will outlast even the hardest carat.
