MAM
‘Rihhaee’ bets on outdoor-focused campaign to drive sampling
MUMBAI: Sony’s Rihhaee is hogging the city’s hoardings as continuing efforts to spruce sampling for the channel’s critically appreciated docu-drama began a second three-week campaign from 9 May.
The campaign weaves in the entry of two new characters into the show namely young journalist Janvi and new age software professional Raghav. Both these characters along with Madhavi, the lawyer as well Anupam Singh the ex-cop will come together to form a quasi judicial organization committed to fight against torture and oppression of women.
The objective of the campaign is to drive further sampling in Mumbai. Although the on-air promos are running across the nation, a special outdoor led campaign has been launched specifically in Mumbai. The campaign highlights the four characters in the serial as well as reiterates the cause of the show.
This weekly offering airing every Wednesday and Thursday at 10:30 pm garnered a 1.4 TVR in the Hindi speaking markets (HSM) C&S 4+ in week 18, followed by 1.5 TVR in week 19.
The creatives by Euro RSCG is set against skylight of Mumbai and all the main protagonists are dressed in white symbolizing freedom and purity which is relevant to the theme of the show. The tag line being – ‘Hamari Pratigya, har aurat ki zulm se rihhaee.’
The outdoor campaign focuses on:
§ Billboards (Across all western and central lines)
§ Bus Backs (over 200)
§ Train Transfers (ads across locals)
§ Bus Shelters
The campaign is slated to continue for three weeks. The TG being SEC ABC 15 + HSM.
Elaborates Sony marketing head Tushar Shah, “This is essentially a communication investment into Rihhaee and not a short term gimmick to spike ratings. The campaign is one attempt to increase visibility as well as sampling for the show.”
Shah adds that the campaign is to the point and captures the essence of the show in both its off-air as well as on-air effort.
Rihhaee, described by its makers as a ‘socially aware high drama show’, has transitioned to become a full fledged investigative show where every week one case involving women’s assault and harassment is looked into. No doubt, this is a move initiated by the channel in order to boost the eyeballs of the show.
Crime based shows have been working well on Sony if one looks at CID and Crime Patrol. Keeping the crime element intact, and yet the foray into another genre, one has to wait and watch as to how the show picks up momentum in the weeks to come.
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.
