Tracing the legacy of Publicis India and its transition into BBH India

In advertising, structural mergers usually follow a predictable script. But India rewrote the ending. While Publicis Worldwide merged with Leo Burnett globally to form ‘Leo’ in 2025, India swapped the lion for the black sheep.

Earlier this month, Publicis India was folded into BBH India, a strategic reversal that acknowledged what global headquarters sometimes overlooks: local market realities trump worldwide uniformity.

The irony is sharp. An agency that built campaigns around unbreakable cement walls and umbrellas large enough to cover entire houses has itself undergone a final structural transformation, disappearing into another brand's identity.

History of acquisitions

Publicis India was never a single founding story. It was a tapestry woven from several independent agencies acquired during India's post-liberalisation advertising boom.

In 2002, Publicis acquired a majority stake in Ambience D'Arcy, led by Ashok Kurien and Elsie Nanji, rebranding it as Publicis Ambience. The agency retained high-profile accounts like Vicks and operated as a standalone creative force within the global network.

In 2007, Publicis strengthened its North India presence by acquiring Delhi-based Capital Advertising.

By 2013, Mumbai's Beehive Communications joined the fold, adding brands including Bisleri and General Motors. It was rebranded as Publicis Beehive.

Over time, these entities consolidated into Publicis India, servicing multinational and local clients while maintaining the strategic rigour and creative reputation built by its predecessor agencies.

Notable campaigns

Publicis India and its legacy shops created advertising that became cultural shorthand in Indian households.

Nerolac Paints

The Nerolac umbrella

Publicis Ambience's Nerolac Excel campaign featured 60-foot umbrellas transported across India, from Jodhpur's deserts to Kerala's backwaters, to cover entire houses from rain and sun. The visual metaphor made paint protection memorable without technical jargon, featuring Shah Rukh Khan.

Dr. Ghanshyam's izzat

For Nerolac Suraksha, the agency tapped into a social truth: your house reflects your status. The ‘Postman’ ad showed a homeowner disrespectfully addressed as ‘Ghanshu’ because his house looked worn. After painting with Nerolac Suraksha, the postman's tone shifted to a respectful ‘Dr. Ghanshyam,' with the tagline, "Ghar ki suraksha yaani izzat ki suraksha" (Protection of the house is protection of respect).

Ambuja Cement

The wall that wouldn't break

Publicis India's Ambuja Cement work asked a simple question: "Ye deewar tootta kyu nahi hai?" (Why doesn't this wall break?). The campaign used physical comedy to show construction workers frustrated by the cement's strength, turning a mundane building material into a symbol of durability.

Misery of The Great Khali

Vicks ‘Khich Khich’

While the original 1982 ‘Gale mein khich khich’ spot was created by OBM (now Ogilvy), Publicis Ambience handled the brand for over a decade. The agency evolved the positioning, including the Vicks Jumbo campaign and the animated creature stuck in the throat that became synonymous with sore throat relief in India.

India exception

While Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun announced the global ‘Leo’ merger in 2025, Publicis India is now integrated into BBH India rather than the Leo banner.

The rationale seems to be practical. BBH India had built a reputation for planning-led, strategy-first work. Indian clients tend to value leadership stability and relationship continuity over structural elegance. By folding Publicis India's legacy accounts into BBH, the group aimed to scale a strategy powerhouse while preserving client trust.

Publicis India was led by Oindrila Roy as Managing Director and Aman Mannan as National Creative Director. On the other hand, BBH operates under Paritosh Srivastava, who serves as CEO of both BBH India and Saatchi & Saatchi India. Himanshu Saxena was appointed Managing Director of BBH India with an expanded mandate for the North and East regions. Snehasis Bose serves as Group Chief Strategy Officer to maintain BBH's planning culture.

Anupriya Acharya, as South Asia CEO, oversees the structure where Publicis remains the holding group brand while Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, and the expanded BBH operate as distinct creative pillars. As of now, updates on the leadership restructuring are yet to be announced. 

The lion-to-black-sheep transition proved that in India's relationship-heavy market, flexibility beats uniformity. Publicis India's legacy now lives under BBH's "When the world zigs, zag’ philosophy, a reminder that sometimes the best strategy is knowing when to break from the global script.