DDB Mudra pips TBWA for Adidas India account

MUMBAI: Adidas India has appointed DDB Mudra as its creative agency following a multi-agency pitch, replacing TBWA\India after nearly a decade. The account will be handled by the agency’s Delhi office, executives familiar with the matter said.
Now, after a hiatus of nearly three years, Adidas India will launch its so-called above-the-line campaign by end of March created by DDB Mudra that will primarily consist of print and digital ads.

"The agency has pulled in a lot of resources from its offices around the country to handle the account. Adidas will launch one campaign this year, which will also be used during the IPL (Indian Premier League)," said one of the executives, requesting anonymity.

Queries emailed to both Adidas India and DDB Mudra did not elicit any response till press time on Wednesday. An ad agency executive who participated in the pitch process, however, said that the Indian unit of the German sports goods maker started scouting for a new agency towards the end of last year.

"While the pitch process took place in November, they signed an annual contract with DDB Mudra in December," said the executive, requesting not to be identified.

The executive said that Adidas gave a "sketchy" brief to agencies during the pitch process. "The brief was how to use the brand ambassador Virat Kohli more effectively and marry him with the brand. The strategy is to create more edgy work," he said.

TBWA lost the Adidas account globally three years ago, after which it first went to agency 180 and then to another agency 72andSunny in 2015.

TBWA\India created just one campaign for the country while it handled the account. The rest were created abroad.