DDB Mudra Group

DDB Mudra Group: Overview

DDB Mudra Group is India's leading integrated marketing communications agency, positioning itself as "The Emotional Advantage Agency" that creates emotionally charged creativity to move people, brands, markets, and culture. Originally founded in 1980 as Mudra Communications by A.G. Krishnamurthy in Ahmedabad, the agency was acquired by global advertising giant Omnicom Group in 2011 and merged with DDB Worldwide to become DDB Mudra Group.

What began as a modest operation with 15 employees in a 500 sq ft office in Ahmedabad has evolved into a powerhouse agency with offices across India. The agency made history as India's first integrated marketing communications agency headquartered outside a metro city, and over four decades has built a reputation for breakthrough campaigns that combine emotional resonance with strategic effectiveness.

DDB Mudra Group is part of the DDB Worldwide network, which became Network of the Year at Cannes Lions in both 2023 and 2025. The agency has consistently dominated India's advertising landscape, earning recognition as the #1 agency in India for four consecutive years (2022-2025). The agency also achieved a historic milestone in 2022 as the first Indian agency to win APAC Agency of the Year at Spikes Asia.

The agency's effectiveness credentials are equally impressive—ranked No. 1 in Asia and No. 12 worldwide on the WARC Effectiveness 100 list in 2021, and winning at Cannes Lions for five consecutive years (2018-2023). This combination of creative excellence and measurable business results has made DDB Mudra Group a go-to partner for both Indian and multinational brands looking to connect with audiences through emotionally powerful campaigns.

What Services Does DDB Mudra Group Provide?

DDB Mudra Group offers comprehensive integrated marketing communications services spanning traditional and digital channels:

Advertising & Brand Strategy

• Integrated advertising campaigns
• Brand positioning and development
• Creative concept development
• Influence and behavioral change communications

Media Services

• Media planning and buying
• Media strategy and optimization
• Cross-platform media execution

Digital Marketing

• Digital strategy and planning
• Social media marketing
• Data-driven marketing
• Digital content creation

Experiential & Activation

• Experiential marketing
• Brand activations and events
• Experience and engagement programs

Out-of-Home & Retail

• OOH advertising planning and execution
• Retail design and visual merchandising
• Point-of-sale marketing
• Wayfinding solutions

Direct & Relationship Marketing

• Direct marketing campaigns
• Customer relationship management
• Database marketing

Design & Branding

• Strategic design consultancy
• Brand identity development
• Packaging design

What Industries Does DDB Mudra Group Serve?

DDB Mudra Group has developed expertise across a wide spectrum of industries:

Consumer Goods & Retail

• Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG)
• Personal care and hygiene products
• Fashion and apparel
• Retail and e-commerce

Food & Beverage

• Quick service restaurants
• Food brands
• Confectionery

Financial Services

• Banking
• Insurance
• FinTech

Automotive

• Passenger vehicles
• Commercial vehicles

Technology & Telecommunications

• Telecom services
• Consumer electronics
• Technology brands

Healthcare & Pharmaceutical

• Healthcare brands
• Pharmaceutical products

The agency has particular strength in FMCG and consumer brands, having helped build iconic campaigns that have become part of Indian popular culture.

What Brands Has DDB Mudra Group Helped?

DDB Mudra Group maintains partnerships with leading Indian and multinational brands across industries:

Food & Beverage

• McDonald's
• Snickers
• Nestle
• PepsiCo

Consumer Goods & Personal Care

• Hindustan Unilever
• Johnson & Johnson (Stayfree)
• Gillette India
• Godrej

Financial Services

• HDFC Bank
• Federal Bank

Automotive

• Volkswagen

Other Notable Clients

• ITC
• UNICEF
• Reliance

Notable Campaign Highlights:

• Stayfree - Shopping Lists into Period Lessons: Transformed everyday shopping lists into educational moments about menstruation, addressing period education in culturally sensitive ways
• Snickers Peanut Brownie - Hunger-Driven Chaos to Calm: Campaign positioning Snickers as the solution when mindless eating hits and only true satisfaction matters
• McDonald's Shake Shake Fries (Shakashaka): Created a cultural and musical phenomenon around McDonald's fries, demonstrating the agency's ability to turn product features into cultural moments

Key Differentiators

• Emotional Advantage Philosophy: Focus on emotionally charged creativity that drives cultural impact, not just advertising
• Historic Awards Dominance: First Indian agency to win APAC Agency of the Year (2022); #1 in India for 4 consecutive years (2022-2025)
• Effectiveness Track Record: Ranked No. 1 in Asia and No. 12 worldwide on WARC Effectiveness 100 (2021)
• Global Network Integration: Part of DDB Worldwide (Cannes Lions Network of the Year 2023 & 2025) with access to international resources while maintaining deep Indian market expertise
• Legacy & Heritage: Over 40 years of building iconic Indian brands, starting as the country's first integrated marketing agency outside metro cities
• Cultural Impact: Known for campaigns that become part of popular culture and spark national conversations

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