MAM
Srinivasan Swamy, Ramesh Narayan declared IAA Champions at IAA Inspire Awards
MUMBAI: The International Advertising Association has announced its 2015 IAA Inspire Awards winners and will be making presentations at the inaugural 2015 IAA Awards Gala Dinner, immediately following the Leadership Forum on 18 May at the InterContinental Hotel, Park Lane, London.
The IAA Inspire Awards were created to celebrate IAA members who have:
•Achieved leadership excellence and contributed their vision, ideas, efforts and services to the advancement of the International Advertising Association.
•Contributed their professional expertise and inspired the marketing communications industry locally, regionally and globally.
•And pays tribute to the lifetime achievements and services of leaders in the IAA and their contributions to the global marketing communications industry
The two Champions who have been recognized from India and will be honored in London are Srinivasan Swamy Chairman R K SWAMY BBDO and President, India Chapter IAA, and Ramesh Narayan, an industry veteran and Hall of Fame awardee at the IAA Leadership Award in 2014.
Heather Leembruggen, Chairman of the IAA Inspire Awards commented, “This year the IAA is proud to initiate the IAA Inspire Awards to salute the leadership and vision of our members and their achievements on the world stage. Our global footprint in over 40 countries worldwide gives IAA members the scope and scale to make a significant contribution towards stimulating, enhancing and building the marketing communications industry worldwide.”
Faris Abouhamad, IAA Chairman and World President stated, “Our IAA Champion Inspire Awards recognize those with longer, distinguished service to the association and the industry as demonstrated by those receiving the awards.”
Srinivasan Swamy said, “These awards are a validation of the active and meaningful role the India Chapter of the IAA has been playing as the leading industry association of its kind in the country. Ramesh and I will accept these awards on behalf of the entire team at the India Chapter.”
MAM
Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
