MAM
Omnicom elevates Jyoti Bansal, Shavon Barua
MUMBAI: Omnicom Media Group has strengthened the leadership of its media agency, PHD India, having promoted Jyoti Bansal to the role of CEO and Shavon Barua to chief client officer.
The promotions follow the exceptional growth and performance of the agency over the past few years under these leaders’ tenures.
An engineering and MBA graduate, Bansal joined Omnicom Media Group in 2009 to lead its new business initiatives and when PHD India was established, she was appointed to lead the new agency. Under her leadership, the agency has continued to climb from strength to strength, winning global, regional and local accolades for its innovative approach to communications planning. As CEO, Bansal will focus on expanding PHD’s footprint in India through continued digital transformation and innovation in the media space.
Barua joined PHD in 2015 as managing partner to work on the Hindustan Unilever business from the agency’s Mumbai office. Over the past three years, she has played an instrumental role in growing the business, gaining invaluable experience that she will now leverage in her new role. As CCO, Barua will now work closely with Bansal to further develop PHD’s market-leading and award-winning client offering.
Speaking on the promotions, Omnicom Media Group India CEO Harish Shriyan said, “With a unique leadership mix of Jyoti’s media prowess and Shavon’s creative background, PHD India has soared to incredible heights over the past few years, becoming one of India’s most acclaimed media agencies. These well-deserved promotions will ensure PHD India continues to scale new heights, as they continue to find a better way for their team, clients and partners.”
“Over the years, we have built a highly differentiated offering in the market, rooted in a culture of smart strategic thinking and creative innovation,” said Bansal. “From a young challenger brand in the market to winning Media Agency of the Year, the last five years have been an exhilarating journey. I look forward to continuing forging a future-ready agency, helping clients’ future-proof their businesses and working with the team to produce more industry-leading work.”
Barua added: “At PHD, our mission has always been about ‘finding a better way’ to produce innovative communications solutions work for our clients. In my new capacity, I look forward to combining gamification techniques with hard-core strategic principles to spark further innovation and deliver stronger business results for our clients.’’
The promotions are effective immediately.
MAM
Safal launches coconut water campaign with Tara Sutaria
Month-long push promotes 100 per cent tender coconut water, no added sugar.
MUMBAI: When life gets heated, Safal wants you to keep your cool, the coconut way. Safal, the horticulture arm of Mother Dairy, has rolled out a new campaign for its packaged Coconut Water, featuring Tara Sutaria, as it sharpens its pitch in the fast-growing ready-to-drink segment. The campaign, anchored in the idea of #TheSafalWayToRecharge, positions the product as a quick, natural and convenient hydration option for multiple everyday moments.
Conceptualised by Ogilvy, the month-long campaign is led by a digital video commercial (DVC) and is being amplified across Safal’s digital platforms to drive visibility and engagement. The communication shifts coconut water from a situational drink to an all-day companion spanning everything from post-workout recovery to on-the-go refreshment.
The film opens on a familiar note: fatigue after a shopping spree. Tara Sutaria’s character pauses for a break before being handed a pack of Safal Coconut Water, setting up a simple but effective narrative around instant, natural recharge. The moment pivots from exhaustion to energy, underlining the brand’s promise of effortless refreshment.
The campaign builds on changing consumer preferences, where convenience meets a growing demand for better-for-you beverages. Safal’s offering taps into this shift with 100 per cent tender coconut water, no added sugar, and sourcing from Tamil Nadu aimed at delivering consistency in taste and quality.
Having introduced packaged coconut water in 2025, Safal is now doubling down on positioning moving beyond functional hydration to embed itself in daily lifestyle routines. The messaging is clear, recharge does not need to be complicated, it just needs to be natural and within reach.
With this campaign, Safal is not just selling a drink, it is staking a claim in the evolving refreshment narrative, one sip, one moment at a time.
