MAM
Scarecrow creats Rupa’s new ad to promote voting
MUMBAI: Indifference towards voting has been an unresolved issue in India and the election statistics over the years prove the same. Taking forward the former tagline of Frontline – Sabse Aage (Ahead of everyone) – inner wear brand Rupa took the opportunity to bring in a new dimension in its positioning. Through its new campaign, the brand not only wants to strengthen its market positioning, but also hopes to throw light on a larger social cause.
Rupa has adopted a new tagline – ‘Raho duniya se ek kadam aage‘ (Stay a step ahead of the world) – in a bid to take the brand thought one step further while the TVC tackles ways to boost the voting percentage and promote the turnout in elections in the country.
The sound track of the TVC is crafted from the originally composed Bengali patriotic song ‘Ekla Cholo Re‘ written by Rabindranath Tagore. The soundtrack of the TVC has been recomposed by Rooshin Dalal and the film has been directed by Gajraj Rao from Code Red Films. The thought behind the song was to press the listener to continue one‘s journey alone, even if there is no one to support.
The new version is sung by the actor, music director, lyricist, singer and scriptwriter – Piyush Mishra.
Rupa director Mukesh Agarwal said, “Frontline is our flagship brand, and we were very keen to take its communication a step further. The story not only helps us reinforce the core brand thought but, for the first time, also helps us connect with the society and give out a meaningful message.
Scarecrow Communications founder director Manish Bhatt said, “Apathy towards voting has been a chronic problem. If you look at India‘s election statistics post independence, almost half of the country never turns out to vote. We saw a poignant issue, which Frontline as a brand could associate with and give a new dimension to its communication. “
Scarecrow Communications founder director Arunava (Joy) Sengupta said, “Previously, Sabse Aage, was the positioning of Frontline. While the previous films used humour as the plank, with this film we have tried to bring the positioning to life and give the Frontline man a definitive personality. The new tagline – ‘Raho duniya se ek kadam aage‘, sums it up perfectly.”
Scarecrow Communications executive creative director Kapil Tammal said, “We‘ve tried our best to keep the action very real. Exaggeration helps in humour, but not in courage. We did an intensive recce to choose the right locations and camera angles to stage the intense drama.”
Scarecrow Communications creative director Sarvesh Raikar said, “The sound was a critical and tough part of the film. Both the composer and singer, Piyush Mishra, have done a fantastic job of weaving together the grunge (necessary to the drama) and the quintessential melody of the song, seamlessly.”
Brands
YES Bank hands the keys to SBI veteran Vinay Tonse as it bets on a new era
Former SBI managing director appointed as YES Bank’s new MD and CEO
MUMBAI: YES Bank is done rebuilding. Now it wants to grow. The private sector lender has appointed Vinay Muralidhar Tonse as managing director and chief executive officer-designate, with RBI approval secured and a start date of April 6, 2026 confirmed. The three-year term signals the bank’s intent to shift gears from crisis recovery to full-throttle expansion.
Tonse, 60, is no stranger to scale. Most recently managing director at State Bank of India, he oversaw a retail book of roughly $800bn in deposits and advances, one of the largest in the country. Before that, he ran SBI Mutual Fund from August 2020 to December 2022, a stint that saw assets under management surge from Rs 4.32 lakh crore to Rs 7.32 lakh crore across market cycles. Add stints in Singapore and four years leading SBI’s overseas operations in Osaka, and the incoming chief arrives with a genuinely global CV.
His academic grounding is equally solid: a commerce degree from St Joseph’s College of Commerce, Bengaluru, and a master’s in commerce from Bangalore University.
The appointment follows an extensive search and evaluation process by the bank’s Nomination and Remuneration Committee. NRC chairperson Nandita Gurjar said the committee unanimously backed Tonse, citing his leadership track record, governance credentials and ability to drive the bank’s next phase of transformation.
Non-executive chairman Rama Subramaniam Gandhi was unequivocal. “I am certain that Vinay Tonse, with his vast experience as a senior banker, will propel YES Bank to its next phase of growth,” Gandhi said, adding that the bank remains focused on strengthening its retail and corporate banking franchises and expanding its branch network.
Rajeev Kannan, non-executive director and senior executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, the bank’s largest shareholder, said Tonse’s experience across retail, corporate banking, global markets and asset management positioned him well to lead the lender. SMBC said it looks forward to working with Tonse and the board as YES Bank pursues its ambition of becoming a top-tier private sector lender anchored in strong governance and sustainable growth.
Tonse succeeds Prashant Kumar, who took the helm in March 2020 when YES Bank was in freefall following a severe financial crisis, and spent six years painstakingly stabilising the institution, rebuilding governance and restoring operational scale. Gandhi was generous: “The bank remains indebted to Prashant Kumar, who is responsible for much of what a strong financial powerhouse YES Bank is today.”
Tonse, for his part, struck a purposeful note. “Together with the board and my colleagues, I remain deeply committed to creating long-term value for all our stakeholders,” he said, pledging to build on Kumar’s foundation guided by his personal motto: Make A Difference.
Beyond the balance sheet, Tonse played cricket at college and club level and represented Karnataka in archery at the national championships — sports he credits with teaching him teamwork, situational leadership, discipline and focus. In quieter moments, he reaches for retro Kannada music, classic Hindi songs, and the crooning of Engelbert Humperdinck, Mukesh and Kishore Kumar.
YES Bank has its steady-handed rebuilder in Kumar to thank for survival. Now it has a scale-obsessed growth banker at the wheel. The next chapter starts April 6.
