MAM
Sole to soul wins as McCann India walks away with One Show Honours
MUMBAI: When purpose meets powerful storytelling, awards follow and McCann Worldgroup India’s recent haul at the One Show Awards 2025 proves just that. The agency took home seven accolades, including a Silver, a Bronze and five Merits, for campaigns that turned everyday struggles into stories of strength.
Leading the charge (and the applause) was ‘Fit My Feet’ for Buckaroo Footwear, a campaign that reimagined mobility for children born with clubfoot, a condition that affects tens of thousands across India annually. The initiative didn’t just earn a Silver in IP & Product Design and a Bronze in Health & Wellness, it also stepped up with four Merit awards.
Designed as a simple but significant intervention, the campaign introduced affordable corrective footwear distributed through a hyperlocal network of over 4,500 cobblers, resulting in 228,000 plus pairs making their way to children who needed them most.
Not far behind was another grassroots gem ‘Dabba Savings Account’ for ESAF Small Finance Bank. A clever rework of the humble steel kitchen container into a discreet piggy bank, the campaign helped promote financial literacy among rural women. The result? Over 120,000 new bank accounts opened without a single rupee spent on traditional media and a Merit Award in Direct Marketing to show for it.
McCann Worldgroup Chairman and McCann Worldgroup India Asia Pacific and CEO & CCO Prasoon Joshi said, “It’s deeply fulfilling to work on ideas grounded in empathy and everyday realities that resonate on a global stage. These campaigns are a reminder that creativity, when driven by purpose, can become a genuine force for change whether it’s improving mobility for those with clubfoot or enabling rural women through financial empowerment. I’m grateful to the jury for this recognition, which I accept on behalf of my entire team committed to making ideas matter.”
With trophies in hand and purpose in their stride, McCann Worldgroup India has shown that in advertising, walking the talk sometimes begins with simply helping someone walk.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
