MAM
Sociowash secures Tide Arabia’s digital mandate for a brand revamp
Mumbai: Sociowash, an integrated advertising agency, has secured the digital mandate for Tide Arabia, the leading laundry detergent brand in the UAE.
The agency will be responsible for elevating the brand’s digital presence through the formulation and execution of strategic creative approaches.
The account was won as Sociowash’s successful management of Tide India’s account stood as a testament to the agency’s capabilities. The quality of work delivered reflects the high standards and expertise that Sociowash consistently brings to its clients. The account will be managed by the agency’s Mumbai team. As part of this strategic partnership, Sociowash will be responsible for increasing the digital share of the voice of the brand by executing campaigns that will increase engagement and brand recall. The agency will amplify the brand’s digital presence while resonating with its target audience and help the brand achieve its business objectives
When asked about the win, Sociowash co-founder Raghav Bagai said, “Tide is the most prominent name when it comes to laundry detergents, globally. We are elated to have been chosen to manage the digital landscape for Tide Arabia. We are confident that our team’s extensive experience and expertise in FMCG brands will help redefine and elevate the brand’s digital positioning in the region. Together, we can create an impact that goes beyond what has been achieved before, reaching new locations, setting new benchmarks, and adding genuine value for the brand.”
Tide Arabia brand director Arushi Sethi said, “With Sociowash, Tide Arabia looks forward to leveraging new technologies and tactical digital strategies; to further cement our position as a leading laundry detergent brand. We are excited to collaborate and craft engaging campaigns, increasing audience engagement and elevating our overall digital presence.”
Brands
Reserve Bank of India cancels Paytm Payments Bank licence
Central bank cites compliance failures; curbs tighten as wind-up looms
MUMBAI: India’s banking watchdog delivered its sharpest blow yet to Paytm Payments Bank, cancelling its licence and effectively ending its ability to operate as a bank under the law.
The Reserve Bank of India said the entity can no longer conduct banking business under the Banking Regulation Act, citing concerns that its affairs were not being run in the interest of depositors or the public and that it had failed to meet licence conditions.
The move escalates a crackdown that has been building for months. The bank had already been barred from onboarding new customers since March 11, 2022, and later faced restrictions on deposits, credit and wallet top-ups. In January 2024, the central bank ordered it to stop accepting fresh deposits, pointing to persistent non-compliance, including lapses in customer due diligence, use of funds and technology systems.
Operationally, the bank is now on a tight leash. It may process withdrawals of existing deposits and facilitate loan referrals through banking correspondents, but it cannot take fresh deposits.
The central bank said it would apply to the high court to wind up the bank.
Paytm sought to ringfence the fallout. In a regulatory filing, it said the licence cancellation applies to Paytm Payments Bank Limited, a separate entity, and should not be attributed to One 97 Communications. It added that there is no exposure or material business arrangement with the bank and that it operates independently, without Paytm’s board or management involvement.
“As informed earlier, Paytm (One 97 Communications Limited) and its services, which have been operating without interruption, will continue to operate uninterrupted. These include the Paytm app, Paytm UPI, Paytm Gold and all other services offered by its subsidiaries and associated companies,” the company said.
The distinction may reassure users of the app ecosystem, but the regulator’s verdict is unequivocal. After years of warnings, caps and curbs, the payments bank experiment at Paytm is being shut down—decisively, and with little room left to manoeuvre.
