iWorld
Facebook’s global media account worth $750 million up for review
NEW DELHI: Social networking colossus Facebook's global media account worth $750 million is up for review. The pitch is being managed by ID Comms and several holding companies have been invited to participate in the review process; Mindshare and Dentsu are the incumbents in the fray.
The pitch includes media planning and buying across Facebook’s family of apps — Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Messenger.
According to data available in the public domain, Facebook spent an estimated $650 million on media globally last year, all of which was handled by GroupM’s Mindshare.
Considered the biggest social media platform in the world, Facebook is also a massive advertiser. A recent report published in AdAge had suggested that Facebook increased its ad spends by 43 per cent in 2020. Recently, the Mark Zuckerberg-owned company has directed this budget to a campaign urging support for targeted advertising, as it could help small businesses to reach their customers.
Meanwhile, in the course of time, Facebook has split its business between different agencies for the company's various apps. It includes Ogilvy (Instagram), Wieden + Kennedy (Facebook), Leo Burnett (Messenger), BBDO (WhatsApp), and Droga5 (corporate brand).
Apart from these agencies, Facebook's internal agency Creative X is also working across brands.
By pitching the global media account for review, Facebook aims to reconsider its agency models in the aftermath of the Covid2019 pandemic.
In an attempt to streamline its agency roster, Coca-Cola had put its $4 billion creative and media account up for review. Unilever had also thrown open its global media agency roster, and it is expected to be one of the largest pitches of the year.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, major account shifts have happened in the business, and more biggies are expected to reconsider their agency models in the coming weeks as the world slowly gets back on the recovery track.
iWorld
Uber spotlights Rs 25 bike rides with music led IPL campaign
Uber uses 15 second music films with Divine and Roll Rida to push Rs 25 rides
MUMBAI: In a season where ads usually swing for sixes with celebrity spectacle, Uber has chosen to play a clever single sharp, fast, and straight to the point. Uber has rolled out a distinctly stripped-down IPL campaign, putting its product Uber Bike rides starting at Rs 25 for up to 3 km front and centre, rather than leaning on big-budget storytelling. The campaign features hip-hop artist Divine in Mumbai and Roll Rida in southern markets, using music as the primary vehicle for recall.
IPL advertising has long been dominated by high-production narratives packed with cricketers and film stars. Uber’s approach flips that playbook. Instead of elaborate storytelling, the brand opts for 15-second music-led films quick, rhythmic bursts designed to mirror the pace of urban mobility itself.
The message is deliberately simple, affordable, fast rides that cut through city traffic. No layered plots, no extended build-up just a functional promise delivered with cultural flair.
In the Mumbai-led film, Divine zips through traffic on an Uber Bike, turning the Rs 25 price point into a hook with his signature wordplay around “pachisi”. The campaign cleverly reframes affordability as a moment of delight, the kind that leaves commuters with a “32-teeth smile” after beating traffic at minimal cost.
Meanwhile, Roll Rida’s version leans into southern sensibilities, blending Telugu and Tamil influences with high-energy visuals. Set to the beat of tape drums, the film celebrates how low-cost rides can unlock a more connected and vibrant city experience. Together, the films reflect a conscious push towards regional authenticity, rather than a one-size-fits-all national narrative.
The campaign also signals Uber’s sharper focus on India’s growing bike taxi segment. While the company offers multi-modal services spanning cars, autos, metro integrations and intercity travel, this push zeroes in on two-wheelers as a key growth lever in dense urban markets.
By anchoring the campaign around a Rs 25 entry price for short distances, Uber is targeting everyday commuters, particularly younger users navigating congested cities where speed and cost matter more than comfort.
With IPL advertising clutter at its peak, even the most straightforward message risks getting lost. Uber’s answer is to embed the proposition within culture using music, regional nuance and repeat-friendly short formats to drive recall. The creative team has also layered subtle visual cues including multiple references to “25” within frames encouraging repeat viewing and reinforcing the core message without over-explaining it.
The campaign reflects a broader shift in advertising priorities. As attention spans shrink and media environments get noisier, brands are increasingly favouring clarity over complexity and speed over scale.
Uber’s IPL play may not shout the loudest, but it lands where it matters in the everyday commute. Because sometimes, in a marketplace full of grand narratives, a Rs 25 ride is story enough.
