Mudra on the hunt for new CD as Pandrang Row moves on

After barely five months at the agency, Pandrang Row, creative director, Mudra Communications, has decided to move on. His resignation will be effective January 1, 2003. The agency is reportedly "wooing a senior creative professional based in Mumbai" to fill up the position to be left vacant after Row's departure.

Confirming the news of his impending move, Row told agencyfaqs!, "This arrangement was simply not working out. At some point I decided that rather than hanging on and hurting myself, it would be better if I just moved on." On his part, Hemant Misra, executive vice-president, Mudra, said, "It was a mutual decision; we realised this relationship was not benefiting either of us."

Forty-year-old Row - who has been in the advertising business for close to 18 years and has put in longish stints at McCann-Erickson, JWT, Saatchi & Saatchi, O&M and Enterprise-Nexus - hasn't, however, decided on his next destination yet.

Simultaneously, Mudra had a bit of good news to share. The Delhi branch of the agency has picked up the advertising business of Indian Consumer Products Ltd, which is planning to launch a chain of utility stores across India. Branded MUST, these stores will sell everything from vegetable to utensils, to toiletries and plumbing products. "These would be one-stop-shops for all household utility items," explained Misra. The first MUST store will be opened in Delhi "soon".

While there was no pitch for the business, Misra informs the company plans to spend close to Rs 2 crore on communication in the first year of launch. © 2002 agencyfaqs!