MAM
Wunderman Thompson South Asia wins creative mandate for Asia India
MUMBAI: Following a hotly contested multi-agency pitch in 2019, Wunderman Thompson South Asia has won the creative mandate for AirAsia. The agency will be supporting brand strategy and shaping the communications narrative in India for the world’s best low-cost airline, taking care of above the line (ATL) and digital creative mandates.
AirAsia India chief marketing officer Siddhartha Butalia says, “It’s a pleasure to have Wunderman Thompson on board at this pivotal juncture. As a distinctive brand with a differentiated proposition in a category fraught with commoditization, AirAsia is well poised to make the most of the phenomenal potential in the sector. Wunderman Thompson approached the opportunity with strong strategic insights and compelling creative ideas that bring the emotion and inspiration back to travel. We’re looking forward to partnering with them to drive consideration and relevance across the customer journey, take off to even greater heights and explore new territories.”
Wunderman Thompson, Bengaluru senior vice president and managing partner Kundan Joshee says, “AirAsia has a unique value proposition and a distinct challenger brand spirit that makes it such a powerful brand. With the airline and travel industry all set for rejig, there couldn’t be a better time to leverage the strengths of the brand. Our job is to partner with AirAsia and bring alive its philosophy of service, efficiency and innovation. In today’s times it’s essential for a brand to have multiple conversations with people across touchpoints and this gives us the opportunity to do new age work and drive interesting conversations around the brand.”
Wunderman Thompson, Bengaluru national creative director Priya Shivakumar says, “The aviation industry is at the cusp of reinventing itself. Communication can play a big role in creating the first among equals advantage for a brand and we are eager to partner AirAsia in a take-off that builds on its impressive lineage. It is a huge opportunity to push the envelope on ideas in a category that is as exciting as it is challenging.”
AirAsia India is a joint venture between Tata Sons Private Limited & AirAsia Investment Limited. AirAsia India commenced operations on 12 June 2014 with Bengaluru as its primary hub. Their agenda is to drive salience across markets with customised content and clutter-breaking communication that inspires diverse audiences with their brand promise and aspirational journey ahead.
Wunderman Thompson understood AirAsia India’s strategic and brand objectives and will be working on developing the brand’s strong and sustainable positioning that will cut across geographies, demographics and mindsets and deliver differentiated content with incisive insights.
Brands
Aman Gupta’s OFF/BEAT secures Rs 100 crore seed funding round
Bessemer backs new venture betting on AI and India’s digital shift
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta has raised Rs 100 crore in seed funding for his new venture OFF/BEAT, with Bessemer Venture Partners leading the round as it bets on a new wave of AI-led, consumer-first businesses in India.
The funding marks an early but significant push for OFF/BEAT, which is positioned to tap into a rapidly evolving market shaped by a digitally native generation and advances in artificial intelligence. The venture aims to build at the intersection of culture and technology, where brand identity and innovation increasingly go hand in hand.
Gupta, best known for co-founding boAt and scaling it into a Rs 3,000 crore-plus business, is now looking to apply those learnings to a new playbook. His focus this time is not just on building a consumer brand, but on leveraging AI and global networks to accelerate growth.
OFF/BEAT founder Aman Gupta said, “Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that is where the future lies. Bessemer’s track record with companies like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn says it all.”
The choice of investor reflects that ambition. Bessemer Venture Partners has backed global technology players such as Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn, bringing not just capital but strategic support and global reach.
Bessemer Venture Partners partner Anant Vidur Puri said, “We back founders who see around corners. Aman saw how a new India would come to think about aspiration, identity and quality, and built boAt as proof. He is now applying that same instinct to a market being reshaped by AI and by a generation with entirely new expectations.”
The investment comes at a time when India’s startup ecosystem is being reshaped by both consumer behaviour and technological disruption. Founders are increasingly expected to understand not just products, but the cultural shifts that drive adoption.
For OFF/BEAT, the journey is just beginning, but the signal is clear. In a market where attention is fleeting and expectations are rising, building something truly distinctive may be the only way to stay on beat.
