Why Cello thinks of us fondly, 2 million times a day.
Our relationship with Cello started from 1986. By 1995, the House of Cello had successfully won the thermoware crown from Milton, the former market leader.

Cello diversified into moulded furniture with a state-of-the-art manufacturing set-up and in no time became the second largest player in the category through strong distribution network, high-quality product offering and strategic advertising.

Riding on the American dream.
My DollarStore, the US based retail chain, extended its operation to India in 2003. We handled the launch of the retail chain, the first authentic DollarStore in India. The challenge was to differentiate it from the existing '9 to 99' stores selling bargain Chinese goods. Its USA pedigree, and people's aspiration for anything 'American' -- there lay the chain's edge, which we exploited to the hilt, visually and verbally.

Putting the giant back on the roll.
After the much talked-about takeover of Dunlop India by the Ruia Group, Dunlop India faced the uphill task of bringing the brand back to its former unquestioned leadership. Its decade-long closure and the present competition make it a daunting task indeed.

Fair And Handsome.
When the competition cried: 'Unfair!'
In 2005, Emami asked us to help launch a new fairness cream. They had settled on Naturally Fair as a brand name. We knew it would take more than another me-too product to make a dent in HLL's awesome Fair & Lovely market share. It would take more than smart advertising. There had to be a strong differential. That differential lay in something our research had revealed: that 25% of fairness cream users were men.

Giving a severe headache to competition.
We took up this established but stagnant brand, and spurred it into revived growth. A large part of the success lay in memorable creative work built around the 'Ravan' property, which symbolized the high-intensity headaches which Mentho Plus could cure.

From bulk commodity to brand
2002, Everest's range of 'basic spices' (i.e. unblended) were not performing well. The entire category was dominated by 'loose' commodity sales; the challenge was to create a winning brand differential in a totally undifferentiated market. The key lay in re-naming the various grades of chilli powder as Tikhalaal, Kutilaal and Kashmirilaal. A simple hook that gave the consumer a way to ask for something worth asking for. Following our success with their basic spices, Everest asked us to also manage their blended masala category.

Department of Tourism Ministry of Information and Cultural Affairs We are engaged in promoting West Bengal as a tourist destination, and also raising awareness of the State's developmental activities in various spheres.

Purity of the Himalayas in a bottle.
Himalayan Natural Mineral Water, one of the most prestigious brands, marketed itself through high profile outlets. We worked out a complete identity and retail package for the brand.

More than a shade of difference.
Exploiting the success of the flagship brand, HRI went on to launch other brands like Aamla Powder Hair Dye, Brahmol Hair Oil and Silkiss Shampoo. In 2005, HRI extended its brand portfolio to include Hair Colour, entering a vast and rapidly-growing market which included formidable players like L'Oreal, Garnier and Godrej. We named the brand 'Streax', and positioned it as offering a combination of colouration and care for the hair ('Colour bhi, Care bhi'), addressing the popular concern that hair colour could be damaging for hair.

When everybody sells hair dyes, sell a 'care' dye instead.
In 2000, HRI's Super Vasmol was a minor player in the liquid hair dye segment when we took on the challenge of strengthening the brand. The strategy was not to position Super Vasmol as a dye but as Kesh Kala with 'hair tonic' benefits. Communication was built around the fear of 'hair fall', as an unwelcome side-effect of inferior chemical dyes. To reinforce credibility, we highlighted the presence of a special herbal formulation called 'Ayurprash'.

Yogiraaj was launched in 2006 with high potential in 'Thanda tel' category. Initial response of the product and packaging has been extremely encouraging. Plans are being drawn to make Yogiraaj a mass brand by using Sanjay Dutt as the brand ambassador.

From the backwaters of Kerala to the front pages of Kotler.
In 1989, Jyothy Laboratories Ltd. (JLL) was a Kerala-based regional player with Rs.90 lakhs turnover. Its sole product was a fabric whitener called Ujala. We were convinced Ujala could go national; it could take on the formidable near-monopoly enjoyed by the 'powder blue' leader, Robin. Ujala was an effective whitener, but not a powder blue: it could carve out its own rival turf, defined as 'Safedi ka naya rang'.

Cornering the market (from corner to corner).
Once a strong distribution network was in place for Ujala, it was time to create new brands in new categories. To leverage that market outreach and consumer equity. We had an idea for such a brand. A mosquito repellent with a unique proposition. Not the usual 'long lasting effect', but something of greater consumer concern. Our research revealed a psychological fear of mosquito bites if the coil was not placed in close proximity.

Creating a new category.
with Ujala, JLL had unshakeable authority in the post-wash fabric care market. The question was: what could we do with that leadership? JLL decided not to foray into an existing category, but to create a new one. Their product was a fabric stiffener which needed to be more than just a starch. Which would, in fact, be positioned without referring to 'starch' at all. The product was branded 'Stiff & Shine'. The 'stiff' took care of the starch expectations.

Not just a soap. A luxury bath.
Yardley of London is a quintessentially English product, founded in the 1770s has recently launched its line of boutique-inspired soaps in India, offering a two-century old legacy of luxury.
Yardley has been in the service of Her Majesty the Queen, making the finest range of bath and body products. Yardley soaps are an indulgence for the senses, which have earned the royal stamp and emblem of quality. Their lavender soap awakens images of country manors, delicate blooms and, of course, the Royal family. Now you can bring the opulent and affluent spa experience in your own home.

We recently took up the communication task of Frontline, Macroman and other national brands of undergarments and casuals under the Rupa umbrella. A detailed route-map is in progress, but meanwhile here's some early work.

Trust us to build trust.
As is well-known, the Tata Group is building an iron and steel plant, hotel chain, software development centre and developing a port and an SEZ in Orissa. This is accompanied by community building and development, the hallmarks of Tata's presence anywhere. We help project Tata's numerous CSR activities, capturing their essence with Making steel, Building communities, and embodying them in the Tata Steel Parivar.