MAM
Rivals unite to shape Mumbai’s creative future
MUMBAI: In an industry known for cutthroat competition, Mumbai’s ad world hit pause on rivalry for one night of pure creative synergy. Portfolio Night 2025, hosted by BBDO, DDB Mudra Group and TBWA India, wasn’t just about portfolios; it was about passion, purpose, and a pinch of personality.
Organised by The One Club for Creativity, the global event gathered students, recent grads and young professionals for a high-energy evening of one-on-one portfolio reviews. In fast-paced 15-minute sessions, hopefuls met top creative directors, got real feedback, and maybe even their big break.
DDB Mudra CCO Rahul Mathew, called it a necessity, not just a vision. “Our only real asset is talent. Events like this help us find, mentor and protect it, and that benefits everyone.
Each participant faced multiple rounds of reviews, rated on ideas, execution, originality, variety, consistency, presentation, and yes, attitude. But it wasn’t all critique and scorecards; it was also about connection.
FCB Group India digital creative partner Kartikeya Tiwari, said he looks beyond the basics, “I look for courage and personality. Most portfolios are skilful, but what stands out is soul.”
For FCB Group India CCO Neville Shah, the future needs boldness, “Some portfolios were too perfect. We need work that surprises us, that makes us say, ‘What is this?’”
Meanwhile, Leo Burnett national creative director Vikram Pandey (Spiky), found hope in the next generation’s openness to technology. “The ones embracing AI are the ones shaping the future. AI won’t take jobs, people who use AI well will.”
Among the buzzing crowd was Shivani Unnikrishnan, a student at École Intuit Lab, who left the night inspired, “It was our first time, and we learned so much. Meeting creative directors gave us new perspectives and confidence.”
At the close of the evening, Kareena and Sumit were crowned Mumbai’s All-Stars. They will now represent the city in the global All-Star programme, competing with winners from around the world. A final win could take them to New York City for a week-long, in-person workshop.
In the end, though, every participant walked away richer, with sharper insights, stronger networks and a renewed sense of creative confidence. Because at Portfolio Night, even rivals agree on one thing: when creativity wins, everyone does.
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
