MAM
Mumbaikars unlocked their inner-power at the Duracell Durathon 2018!
Mumbai, November 25th, 2018: Today, Duracell, the iconic consumer battery company and the leading manufacturer of high-performance alkaline batteries worldwide launched the second edition of Duracell Durathon 2018 in Mumbai. The actress, anchor and fitness enthusiast, Mandira Bedi, flagged-off the family run and took part in the run along with her son, Vir. The event saw more than 200 families come together to run stronger for longer on a Sunday morning. The Durathon gave parents an opportunity to run for 2 KM and 5 KM marathon with their kids at Jio Garden, BKC.
Getting the perfect start to a beautiful Sunday morning, the families warmed up with an energetic Zumba session and lined up at the starting point of the Duracell Durathon. The upbeat and enthusiastic kids and parents ran alongside the famous running Duracell Bunny as they unlocked their inner power when finishing the run together. To keep the energy of the families going, the event saw various photobooths and stalls to engage with the parents and their kids.
Over the course of the last few months, Duracell drove targeted communication to their core audiences using a combination of programmatic and social platforms. Mini runs at schools, programme for jogger’s, flash mob at R-City Mall and retail activations at Shoppers Stop & Hypercity outlets in Mumbai were a few of the on-ground touchpoints done by Duracell to build awareness about the Durathon. Along with this, they also tied up with Radio city and PVR cinemas to reach out to as many families as possible.
David Abraham, Duracell Marketing Director for Middle East and India said, “Just like the promise of longevity that Duracell represents, the Durathon also provided a great opportunity for families to unlock their inner-power and bond even more closely while running. We are also thankful to Mandira Bedi for participating again to run the Durathon with her son along with all the families who participated in the event. Our running Duracell Bunny who is featured in our advertising across the globe always outlasts its opponents and always wins graciously. That’s why running comes natural to us, as it has been a common theme all throughout our brand communication. We intend to roll this property out to other countries too, based on our success in India.”
Mandira Bedi, actress, anchor and fitness enthusiast initiated the run with her son, Vir. She said, “This will be the third time that I associate with the Durathon and it’s my second run for the Mumbai Durathon. It is such a wonderful feeling, spending that one Sunday with my son and seeing so many families out and about, running, bonding and having a purpose, that is staying healthy together. The beautiful thing about the Durathon is that it invites families to a healthy pursuit. I am so happy to see such an amazing turnout this year and hope next year would be even bigger”.
The Durathon saw 15 Mumbai-based families across different age groups take away big prizes.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
