MAM
Volkswagen drives into a new PR lane with Ruder Finn India
MUMBAI: Volkswagen India is switching gears on the communications front, awarding its press communication mandate to Ruder Finn India, one of the world’s heavyweight integrated communications and creative agencies.
Effective 1 May, Ruder Finn will roll out a full-throttle strategy covering corporate storytelling, media relations, strategic counsel, and brand campaigns — all aimed at turbocharging Volkswagen’s innovation narrative and sharpening its profile in the fiercely competitive Indian market.
Volkswagen India lead – marketing communications and press Gagan Mangal said the company is revving up its brand positioning for a fast-evolving automotive and media landscape. “We are excited to onboard Ruder Finn as our communications partner. Their strategic thinking, integrated approach, and deep brand storytelling expertise made them the right fit for the road ahead,” he said.
Ruder Finn India CEO and head, Middle East Atul Sharma added: “Winning this mandate reflects our growing strength in integrated communications and corporate positioning. Volkswagen is an iconic brand that has defined the global and Indian automobile industry — we are thrilled to partner with them at such a pivotal moment. Our goal is to create compelling storytelling that mirrors Volkswagen’s legacy and future ambitions.”
As part of the mandate, Ruder Finn will embed itself closely with Volkswagen’s internal communications team, ensuring consistent, insight-led messaging across earned and owned channels.
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.
