MAM
Pratap Bose’s ‘conglomerate of agencies’ to launch in 25 days
MUMBAI: Over the last one month, a spurt of new agencies have been added to the Indian media, advertising and digital sectors. Adding to the new launches will be ad man Pratap Bose’s new ‘conglomerate of agencies’, which is just 25 days away from launch.
Putting all speculations to rest, Bose, the former DDB Mudra Group chief operating officer, confirms the development to Indiantelevision.com saying, “We are 25 days away from the launch and there is a lot of work happening on the back end. We are yet to decide the agency’s name and logo. Everything is slated for announcement in time to come. We want to build the organisation into a one stop shop for the brands’ needs.”
According to Bose, his new venture will be a “media communications conglomerate” and will have multiple equity stake holders.
The new venture will drive core competencies across different divisions in the media, be it creative, communications, branded content, outdoor, media planning and buying, retail and digital amongst others.
“Apart from this, the conglomerate will consist of five-six companies, each focusing on their expertise. Initially the agency will not cater to advertising and communications, but we do intend to expand those verticals later,” Bose informs.
Bose also reveals that the agency is on the look-out for various investment options. While he refused to disclose any figures, reports doing the round say that the agency is looking for an initial investment of around $10 million.
Bose, who has more than two decades of experience in advertising, has been working on the new venture for the last four-five months and is in the process of building a formidable team. Joining him is Mandeep Malhotra, who recently quit DDB MudraMax, where he was president and head of its OOH, experiential business and retail cluster.
Last year Bose quit DDB Mudra Group as COO, where he worked for six years. Prior to that,he has worked with Ogilvy & Mather for 15 years in various positions. He is also the president of The Ad Club.
MAM
BLS International launches #VisaReady campaign to guide applicants
Initiative targets visa myths, delays and rejections with practical guidance
MUMBAI: Visa woes may soon meet their match because paperwork, it seems, is finally getting a user manual. BLS International has rolled out a new awareness drive, #VisaReadyWithBLSInternational, aimed at simplifying the often confusing visa application process and reducing delays caused by misinformation and incomplete documentation. The campaign, led across social media platforms, zeroes in on a long-standing pain point for travellers: lack of clarity around procedures, timelines and requirements. By offering step-by-step guidance, documentation checklists and clear Dos and Don’ts, the initiative attempts to turn what is typically a stressful process into a more predictable one.
At its core, the campaign also seeks to bust common myths that frequently derail applications issues that often lead to avoidable rejections or last-minute complications. The idea is to equip applicants with practical, actionable insights so they can plan better and submit stronger applications within expected timelines.
The push will not remain limited to digital channels. BLS International plans to extend the initiative across its Visa Application Centres globally, reinforcing awareness at key touchpoints where applicants engage with the process.
BLS International joint managing director Shikhar Aggarwal framed the campaign as more than a communication exercise, emphasising the company’s attempt to embed guidance and preparedness into every stage of the applicant journey.
Operating in over 70 countries and working with more than 46 client governments including embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions, the company has built a sizeable footprint in visa and consular services. With this campaign, it is now leaning into education as much as execution, signalling that in the world of visas, clarity might just be the new currency.
