Latest news with #HarshKapadia
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
How Grey India's culture-first idea helped Axis Bank boost consumer trust
With digital scams on the rise, Axis Bank wanted to fundamentally rethink how India creates and remembers its PINs. Most people rely on predictable patterns while generating their banking PINs - birthdays, anniversaries, or repeated digits. Axis Bank and its agency partner Grey India cracked a code to combat scams stemming from poor-strength PINs. That's how the Devanagari PIN campaign was conceptualised. It's an innovation born out of India's most widely used script. The agency and brand built a proprietary tool that uses familiar words to generate unfamiliar, hard-to-crack PINs by revealing digits embedded in the ancient script's design. It became a culturally rooted campaign that turned typography into technology and secured millions in the process. According to Harsh Kapadia, Chief Creative Officer, Grey India, "Brands need to anchor themselves in an obsession, one that not only drives business growth but also delivers meaningful value to consumers." When that obsession serves both the brand and its audience, it creates a powerful feedback loop: focus for the brand, and utility or reassurance for the consumer, he believes. That's one of the many lessons brands can pick up from Axis Bank's Devanagari PIN campaign. In an interview with ET Brand Equity, Kapadia walks us through the insight, the innovation, and the impact behind one of India's most talked-about fintech campaigns of recent times. What was the brief given to Grey India? The brief was to build on this positioning of trust and safety, while creating something that meaningfully celebrates the spirit of India's Republic Day. What is the origin of the idea? What was the inspiration? Across banking and UPI (Unified Payment Interface) platforms, the average Indian user manages 8 to 9 unique PINs. To simplify this cognitive load, many fall back on familiar numeric patterns such as birthdays, anniversaries, or repetitive sequences making their accounts more vulnerable to breaches. Our objective was to disrupt this risky behavior by encouraging a shift from predictable, personally linked PINs to secure, non-obvious combinations that are significantly harder to decode. At Grey India, the breakthrough came from a simple insight: people remember words more intuitively than random numbers. While exploring this, the team made a fascinating discovery—India's ancient Devanagari script visually has digits from 0 to 9 embedded in them when viewed through the right lens. But for the idea to be truly effective, every numeral had to be authentically found within the script, without modifying any existing typeface. The solution had to feel native, anchored in culture, legible in design, and seamlessly woven into the typography we see around us every day. Could you share the key strategies and insights that went behind the making of Devanagari PIN campaign? The tool was designed with simplicity and accessibility at its core. It needed to seamlessly convert any user input word into a secure, four to six-digit PIN. To maximize impact and drive broader behavior change, we made it available to all banking users, not just Axis Bank customers, reinforcing the brand's leadership in safe and secure banking for everyone. Given the sensitivity of the subject, data privacy was paramount. The platform was built to be fully secure, with no storage of user inputs or generated PINs. To amplify reach and engagement, the tool was supported by a fully integrated digital campaign leveraging social, search, and influencer touchpoints to spark national conversation and encourage millions of Indians to rethink and regenerate safer PINs. What were the KPIs you were tracking to measure the success of these campaigns? Could you share some key highlights in terms of results? KPIs tracked: Shift in consumer sentiment toward a more positive perception of Axis Bank Increase in organic talkability and brand association with "secure and safe banking" Results: Most shared and engaged campaign in Axis Bank's history, driving unprecedented digital traction Achieved 98% positive sentiment, reinforcing trust and brand affinity Axis Bank ranked #1 in safety perception among 128 competing banks, with 35% attribution directly linked to the security-focused messaging. Reached 137 million Indians, with 1 in 4 users actively discovering and generating stronger, more secure PINs. What can other brands pick up from this piece of work? Brands need to anchor themselves in an obsession, one that not only drives business growth but also delivers meaningful value to consumers. When that obsession serves both the brand and its audience, it creates a powerful feedback loop: focus for the brand, and utility or reassurance for the consumer. In a category where most offerings feel interchangeable, Axis Bank's commitment to safe and secure banking became a clear and ownable differentiator, one that set it apart in a sea of sameness. What's your hot tip to brands that are looking to solve simple business problems through creative solutions? In today's attention economy, sameness is suicide. Yet brands keep chasing celebrity glitter, hoping it will distract from average ideas. The truth? Familiar faces can't rescue forgettable thinking. When every other brand is using the same endorsers, real impact comes from bold, original creativity. The kind that stops people mid-scroll, sparks conversation, and actually builds brand memory. Don't rent fame, create it. Axis Bank and its agency partner Grey India won 'Disruptive Brand of the Year' at the ET Shark Awards 2025 for their 'Devanagari PIN' campaign.
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
The hand that guides to buy
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity recognises a wide spectrum of creative work, extending beyond Grand Prix winners to include notable campaigns that earn silvers and bronzes. In " BE Extraordinary ," a series collaborating with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India , we highlight work that warrants discussion for its execution and results. This segment delves into the Creative Commerce category, exploring campaigns that demonstrate innovative approaches to consumer transactions and business models, driving tangible impact for brands within the commercial sphere. Preserved Promos - Ziploc, VML Ziploc, a brand recognised for its core promise of preserving freshness and extending the life of various items, expanded this fundamental product benefit to the realm of consumer promotions. In collaboration with VML, Ziploc addressed a common consumer frustration: the expiration of discount coupons and grocery vouchers before they could be utilised. The brand introduced an initiative named "Preserved Promos," which allowed for the extended validity of these coupons. The mechanism was straightforward: if a customer included Ziploc products in their shopping cart, the digital or physical coupons they possessed would automatically gain an extended lifespan, preventing their premature expiry. This innovative approach directly aligned Ziploc's established brand equity in preservation with a tangible, practical financial benefit for its consumers, thereby demonstrating a clear and immediate connection between the utility of its product and a prevalent shopping challenge. Recipe for Growth - iFood, DM9 São Paulo "Recipe for Growth" was an initiative from iFood, developed in collaboration with DM9 São Paulo, that addressed a significant challenge faced by new restaurant businesses in Sao Paulo: a high failure rate within their first two years, often due to a lack of business management knowledge despite culinary skill. iFood, as a prominent food delivery service, leveraged its extensive internal data, which included detailed insights into food trends, consumer behavior, and spending habits across various areas. Utilising this proprietary data, iFood created a digital tool designed to function as an evolving restaurant management guide. This tool provided actionable insights that helped restaurant owners make informed decisions regarding their menus, marketing and operations. By directly supporting the success and sustainability of these small businesses, iFood simultaneously reinforced its own growth model, as the prosperity of its restaurant partners directly translated into increased order volumes on its delivery platform. Makeup Payment - MasterCard, MRM Brazil / São Paulo MasterCard introduced "Makeup Payment" in Brazil during Carnival, addressing concerns about security and convenience in crowded environments. The initiative, developed in collaboration with MRM Brazil / São Paulo, involved creating connected jewelry that incorporated NFC payment technology. These wearable devices were designed to blend seamlessly with festive makeup and attire, appearing as forehead ornaments, neck pieces, or other decorative elements. This allowed individuals to make payments without needing to carry wallets or visible payment cards. The integration of payment functionality into personal accessories aimed to provide a secure and unobtrusive method for transactions amidst the chaos and large crowds of the Carnival celebrations. (At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Hearing the gap: A Cannes Lions Innovation Special
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity celebrates a broad range of creative achievements, from Grand Prix winners to significant silver and bronze honorees. As part of ' BE Extraordinary ,' a series with Harsh Kapadía, CCO, Grey India , we examine work meriting attention for its execution and outcomes. This segment specifically highlights the Innovation category, showcasing campaigns that present groundbreaking solutions, new methodologies, or advanced applications to deliver substantial and transformative effects for businesses and brands. Beer Retirement Account - Poker Beer (AB InBev), Monks / Bogotá In Bogotá, Colombia, Poker Beer, a brand under AB InBev, recognised a significant social and economic challenge faced by many informal beer sellers: a lack of adequate provisions for retirement. To address this, Poker, which already operated a loyalty program for its beer vendors, introduced an innovative initiative called "Beer Retirement Account." Developed in collaboration with Monks / Bogotá, this program fundamentally modified the existing loyalty structure. Under the new system, beer sellers were no longer limited to simply earning points for their beer purchases from distributors. Instead, their accumulated loyalty points could now be converted directly into contributions towards a personal retirement fund. This strategic B2B solution transformed a standard customer loyalty program into a powerful mechanism for fostering long-term financial security within the vendor community. By linking everyday business transactions to a vital social benefit, Poker Beer effectively addressed a critical need, demonstrating a creative approach to brand loyalty that extended into social impact. Baby Minder - Eurofarma, Ogilvy Health, New York "Baby Minder," an innovation in pediatric care, was developed by Eurofarma in collaboration with Ogilvy Health, New York. This product consists of a mobile device specifically designed to be positioned above an infant's crib. The device is equipped with a high-resolution camera and advanced sensors, and it leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and image recognition technology to continuously monitor a baby's movements throughout the night. The system's core functionality lies in its ability to recognise subtle, specific patterns of movement—such as repetitive scratching, unusual tremors, or other distinctive physical behaviors—that could serve as early indicators of underlying medical conditions or signs of distress. The primary objective of "Baby Minder" is to provide parents and caregivers with early recognition of potential health issues in infants. This proactive approach to infant health monitoring aims to facilitate timely intervention without generating undue anxiety for parents, thereby supporting a more preventative and informed care strategy. (At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)
Time of India
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
The transformed touch points
The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity celebrates outstanding creative work across various disciplines, honoring not just Grand Prix winners but also impactful silvers and bronzes. In our " BE Extraordinary " series, a collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India , we spotlight campaigns that truly warrant discussion for their strategic depth and exceptional execution. This installment focuses specifically on Brand Experience and Activations , showcasing how brands craft immersive, interactive encounters to forge direct connections with audiences, build lasting impressions, and drive tangible results in dynamic environments. Fictional Insurance - Bogotá, DDB Colombia / RCN Prime The "Fictional Insurance" campaign, a collaboration between an unspecified insurance entity in Bogotá, DDB Colombia, and RCN Prime, aimed to illustrate the relevance and benefit of insurance in an engaging and accessible manner. The initiative leveraged branded entertainment by integrating itself into a crime show broadcast on RCN Prime. Viewers were provided with the interactive opportunity to "insure" fictional characters within the ongoing narrative of the show. Participants could predict the manner in which a specific character might die during the series. If their prediction accurately aligned with the plot's outcome, they would receive a real payout. This novel approach served as an interactive activation, demonstrating the core concept of insurance payouts within an entertaining and relatable context, allowing audiences to experience the tangible benefit of coverage without overt promotional messaging. Ads Cover Rent - Brahma Beer, Africa Creative DDB/São Paulo Brahma, a prominent Brazilian beer brand with strong historical ties to the country's Carnival celebrations, launched the "Ads Cover Rent" initiative in collaboration with Africa Creative DDB, São Paulo. This campaign addressed the challenge of escalating accommodation costs in Brazil during the Carnival period, which often deters tourists. The core of the initiative involved offering tourists who booked apartments through Airbnb a reduced rental fee. In exchange for this financial incentive, the renters agreed to display Brahma-branded banners on their balconies. These banners were not generic; they were custom-designed to fit the specific size and aesthetic of each individual balcony. This provided a direct financial benefit to the vacationers while simultaneously securing prime advertising visibility for Brahma. The strategically placed banners along parade routes effectively transformed private rented spaces into prominent, high-traffic advertising locations for the brand during one of Brazil's largest and most photographed cultural events, maximising brand exposure without the cost of official sponsorship. The Kimberly Price - Plaza Vea, Fahrenheit DDB, Lima Plaza Vea, a supermarket in Peru, launched "The Kimberly Price" campaign, developed with Fahrenheit DDB Lima, to stimulate viewership for Peruvian speed walker Kimberly Garcia's races during the Paris Olympics. A key challenge was that these races were scheduled for late-night hours in Peru, making widespread viewership difficult. To incentivise audiences to tune in, Plaza Vea announced a unique promotion. The pricing of a selection of electronic gadgets, including televisions, refrigerators, and mobile phones, would be directly linked to Kimberly Garcia's bib number. This bib number was a dynamic element, only revealed moments before the start of her race. For instance, if her bib number was 146, certain promotional items would then be offered at a price of S/146 (Peruvian Soles). This mechanism generated significant curiosity and anticipation, directly motivating consumers to watch the live telecast at unconventional hours to discover the discounted prices. The campaign successfully connected the supermarket's brand to national athletic pride and a shared viewing experience, extending beyond traditional promotional methods. The Athlete's Code - Powerade (The Coca-Cola Company), Ogilvy New York "The Athlete's Code" by Powerade, a brand from The Coca-Cola Company, addressed a significant and long-standing issue within professional sports: the potential loss of sponsorships for athletes who take necessary breaks due to injury, mental health struggles, or severe stress. In collaboration with Ogilvy New York, Powerade, which positions itself around athletic recovery, made a public commitment to integrate a specific, protective clause into its sponsorship contracts. This clause guaranteed that Powerade would continue to fulfill its financial obligations to sponsored athletes even if they needed to step away from competition for health-related reasons. The initiative directly aligned with Powerade's core brand promise of supporting comprehensive recovery, extending beyond physical recuperation to include mental well-being. Furthermore, the campaign actively encouraged other brands within the industry to adopt similar protective clauses in their athlete agreements, aiming for systemic change. The campaign was brought to life through a compelling film directed by Babak Khoshnoud, which featured prominent athletes such as Alex Morgan, Tatjana Smith, Linda Motlhalo, and Douglas Matera. These athletes shared their personal experiences and stories related to mental health challenges in their careers, adding authenticity and emotional depth to Powerade's commitment. This narrative was amplified strategically across various digital platforms, social media channels, and notably, during the broadcast of the 2024 Summer Olympics. This multi-platform amplification fostered a global conversation about the critical importance of mental health within the demanding world of professional sports. (At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)
Time of India
19-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Beyond eye candy: A Cannes Lions Creative Data Special: BE Extraordinary
At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, a wide spectrum of creative work is recognised, extending beyond Grand Prix winners to include notable campaigns that earn silvers and bronzes. In " BE Extraordinary ," a series collaborating with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India , we highlight work that warrants discussion for its execution and results. This segment focuses on campaigns that effectively utilised data to drive their creative strategy and generate significant outcomes. Acko - Acko Tailor Test - Leo India Acko, a digital insurance company in India, utilised a unique insight into local health behaviors for its "Acko Tailor Test" campaign, developed in collaboration with Leo India. The core premise was based on the medical insight that the difference between a person's waistline and hipline can serve as an indicator of potential heart conditions. Recognising a prevalent cultural behavior in India, particularly among lower-income segments, where regular visits to tailors for clothing adjustments are common, but doctor visits might be avoided due to cost or access, Acko integrated a preventative health screening into this existing routine. The campaign involved training tailors across the country to use a specific chart to accurately measure clients' waist and hip ratios. Based on these measurements, tailors were empowered to advise individuals if their ratios suggested a potential heart condition, recommending a consultation with a doctor for further assessment. This grassroots approach effectively leveraged an accessible and trusted community point of contact to deliver crucial health information, demonstrating a data-driven strategy for promoting preventative health and early detection. Efficient Way To Pay - Consul Appliances, DM9 São Paulo In Brazil, a common challenge faced by many households is their reliance on outdated and inefficient electronic appliances. While often a result of financial constraints, these older models paradoxically lead to higher electricity bills, hindering their ability to save for newer, more efficient replacements. Consul Appliances, in collaboration with DM9 São Paulo, developed the "Efficient Way To Pay" program to address this economic cycle. The campaign leveraged data on energy consumption to directly demonstrate that replacing older electronics with new, energy-efficient Consul appliances would result in tangible savings on monthly electricity bills. Consul then designed an innovative payment plan: these verified electricity bill savings could be directly allocated to pay off the cost of the new appliances. This initiative effectively established a novel ecosystem for appliance purchasing. By creating a clear, data-driven economic model, Consul Appliances empowered consumers to upgrade their household electronics, turning their ongoing energy expenses into a means of financing more sustainable and cost-effective solutions. So Many Dicks - ELF Beauty, New York ELF Beauty, an American beauty brand, utilised compelling data to drive its "So Many Dicks" campaign, focusing on corporate diversity. The campaign stemmed from research that revealed a significant majority of corporate board members were white men. Strikingly, the data further highlighted that more men named "Dick" held board positions than entire groups of underrepresented people combined. As a company that itself boasts a board composed of 78 per cent women and 44 per cent diverse individuals, ELF Beauty leveraged this data to create a viral campaign that directly called attention to the lack of diversity in corporate boardrooms. The campaign's aim was to spark conversations and actively promote change. ELF directly linked diversity to profitability through a "not so white paper" they released, and collaborated with organisations like the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) to facilitate the successful placement of diverse candidates on corporate boards. This data-driven approach allowed ELF Beauty to advocate for tangible change in corporate governance, grounded in both ethical considerations and demonstrated business success. Ikea Hidden Tags - Ikea (Portugal), Uzina Ikea in Portugal, in collaboration with Uzina, embarked on a campaign titled "Ikea Hidden Tags" to address a common perception among consumers that its furniture is not built for durability. The brand ingeniously utilised an existing, yet often overlooked, piece of internal product data: a small, hidden tag on every Ikea furniture item that indicates its precise manufacturing date. To directly counter the misconception about product longevity, Ikea launched a country-wide "Tag Hunt." This initiative invited customers to actively participate by locating these hidden tags on their Ikea furniture to determine its age. A significant prize was offered for the oldest piece of Ikea furniture found in Portugal. This campaign effectively transformed a simple internal product detail into an engaging, interactive contest. By encouraging customers to physically examine their furniture and discover its actual age, Ikea leveraged existing customer ownership and direct interaction with the furniture's embedded data to demonstrate the unexpected durability and longevity of its products firsthand. (At BE Extraordinary, a series about the winners at Cannes Lions in collaboration with Harsh Kapadia, CCO, Grey India, we peer outside the Grand Prix, and look at clutter breaking work that picked the silvers and the bronzes, but don't often get discussed.)
