MAM
VML appoints Venkatagiri Rao as creative head
MUMBAI: Global digital marketing agency VML has announced the appointment of Venkatagiri Rao as Creative Head – India, as part of a significant step to solidify its creative capabilities. In his new role, Venkat will spearhead the office’s creative practice, which continues to form the foundation for the agency’s growth.
Based in Mumbai, Venkat will report directly to Tripti Lochan, CEO – VML Southeast & India.
“With the digital marketing landscape evolving rapidly over the years, we remain firmly committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and expanding our creative offering to serve brands with brilliant ideas,” said VML CEO southeast & India Tripti Lochan. “We are delighted to have Venkat on board, and are confident that his passion for innovation will drive the change brands need, and take our creative offerings a notch higher.”
Venkat brings with him over 16 years of industry experience across agencies, most recently at DDB Mudra Group, Mumbai, where he served as Executive Creative Director for a period of five years. There, he handled notable companies and brands including Emirates, Volkswagen, Economic Times, Femina, Kalpataru Developers, Lonely Planet, Top Gear and Arshiya Logistics.
Prior to DDB Mudra, Venkat held stints at Ogilvy, Ambience Publicis, Alok Nanda & Company and Fisheye Creative Solutions. He is best known for his work on Economic Times, Femina, Emirates, Victorinox, Tata Safari & Mid-day for which he has won various awards, including One Show, Effies, London- International & Abbys.
Venkat commented, “As VML continues to gain momentum in Southeast Asia and India, I am honoured to be given the opportunity to be part of an agency that is strongly invested in creating awe-inspiring customer experiences that drive proven business impact. I am definitely looking forward to working closely with the India team to push new creative boundaries.”
VML is a global marketing agency that delivers forward-thinking ideas and solutions for the world’s most influential brands, including: Castrol, Kellogg’s, ICICI Bank, Mahindra & Mahindra, INSEAD, Ford, Changi Airport and Mattel.
Founded in 1992 and globally headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., VML has more than 2,300 employees with principal offices in 26 locations across six continents. Regionally headquartered in Singapore, VML has offices in Jakarta, Mumbai and New Delhi. In 2001, VML joined the world’s largest communications services group WPP.
MAM
Sleepwell unveils nationwide sleep study on World Sleep Day
79 per cent use screens before bed, 36 per cent of 18–25-year-olds sleep ≤5 hours.
MUMBAI: Sleepwell just dropped the pillow truth bomb because when India’s sleeping less and scrolling more, even the mattress wants to stage an intervention. On World Sleep Day 2026, Sleepwell released its nationwide Sleep Study, painting a stark picture of India’s escalating sleep crisis. The findings show that 79% of Indians use screens right before bed, fuelling restless nights and drowsy days. Alarmingly, 36% of young adults aged 18–25 sleep five hours or less making them the country’s most sleep-deprived group.
The study also busts the myth of “catch-up sleep”, 65% of respondents actually sleep even later on weekends, pointing to increasingly irregular patterns that spill fatigue into the working week. Mattress discomfort emerged as a frequently overlooked culprit behind late-night wake-ups and constant leak-anxiety checks.
To drive the message home, Sleepwell’s CMO Puneet Gulati appeared on Zee Business, stressing that quality sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s foundational health. He highlighted how the right mattress can transform restless nights into restorative ones.
The brand doubled down with clever late-night activations, partnering with a quick-commerce platform to serve contextual ads between 11 pm and 3 am, gently nudging bleary-eyed scrollers to consider mattress discomfort as the reason they’re still awake and pointing them to the nearest Sleepwell store. Digital influencers and creators also shared relatable stories of how poor sleep fuels impulsive late-night behaviour.
In a nation that celebrates hustle but quietly pays for it in lost rest, Sleepwell isn’t just selling mattresses, it’s selling the radical idea that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is close your eyes and actually sleep well.
