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Category: MAM

  • Mindshare names Sidharth Parashar as chief investment officer of APAC

    Mindshare names Sidharth Parashar as chief investment officer of APAC

    MUMBAI: Mindshare, the media services company that is part of WPP, has appointed Sidharth Parashar as the chief investment officer of Mindshare APAC. Formerly the president of investments & pricing at GroupM India, Sidharth will be based in Singapore and will be part of the Mindshare APAC leadership team.

    Reporting to Mindshare APAC chief executive officer Helen McRae, Sidharth will focus on enhancing Mindshare’s investment strategy across local markets as well as driving Intentional Investment and the opportunity for Good Growth in the region.

    Helen McRae said, “I am very pleased that Sidharth will be joining our regional team. He brings a tremendous depth of expertise and will be a great champion of Good Growth for our clients.”

    Commenting on his move from GroupM to Mindshare, GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar said, “Sidharth has had a phenomenal career journey where the organisation has witnessed his evolution from a practice expert to a leader in the last 18 years with GroupM. He has successfully led the investment mandates across all media and has elevated the practice through innovative products and delivering exceptional value for our clients. I would like to wish him the very best and will continue to work closely with him as he drives the regional investment strategy for Mindshare.”

    Parashar said, “It has been an amazing journey at GroupM, and I am delighted to now take over this new Mindshare APAC investments role. I look forward to this opportunity in new markets to build value for our client’s business.”

  • GUEST ARTICLE: Metaverse- A marketing trick or future of the internet

    GUEST ARTICLE: Metaverse- A marketing trick or future of the internet

    Mumbai: The metaverse is a concept of a persistent, online, 3D universe that combines multiple different virtual spaces. It is the intersection of virtual reality, augmented reality, and the world wide web. The 3D virtual reality ecosystem allows you to play games, create, explore, communicate, work, and socialise.

    From the advent of the internet in the 1990s to the web 3.0 wave, one of the most remarkable social developments is the confluence of real and digital worlds. The pandemic prompted brands to reach audiences worldwide using engaging ways that appeal to people while maintaining their authenticity, compelling the industry to resort to technology and tap into the metaverse.

    According to KPMG, by 2030, we may spend far more time in the metaverse than in the physical realm. People would use the metaverse’s virtual abilities to seek employment, generate an income, socialise with friends, shop, or even get married.

    Not just games but digital worlds

    The metaverse is so much more than solely a gaming environment; it’s a sci-fi vision come true. It is also not confined to tech giants; it’s open to creators from across industries. Established businesses are preparing for the virtual world. For instance, McDonald’s has applied for a trademark for a virtual fast-food restaurant and virtual goods and services. It will provide consumers another alternative to ordering food online and getting it delivered to their homes. Surely, creativity will drive the economy as experts from diverse professions integrate their expertise.

    The progression of the metaverse economic system will have a direct financial impact on the real-world balance sheets of entities. Which is why brands have started to employ creative marketing tactics to penetrate the metaverse and cash in on that early mover advantage. The metaverse is likely to transform the brand marketing paradigm as marketers will be able to engage consumers in immersive new ways while simultaneously working on developments and innovations to propel them forward with a seamless user experience.

    Additionally, metaverse allows employees’ digital avatars to enter and exit virtual workplaces and conference spaces in real-time. They can use their avatar to deliver live presentations, unwind with colleagues in a networking area, and perform any task with the ease of sitting at their desk.

    Marketing in metaverse

    With the rise of the internet, social media marketing has become essential to driving traffic and revenue for small and large businesses. Brands are shifting their digital marketing approach towards the metaverse to remain relevant, particularly to millennial and Gen Z audiences. They are the most fervent adopters of the metaverse. More importantly, metaverse platforms offer far more immersive and engaging experiences in comparison to traditional social media platforms. Some brands have even experimented with real-time monitoring of their brand visibility and engagement across many virtual platforms. It enables marketers to analyse data such as how long users hold digital products, how long they have users’ attention, and where users gaze while viewing advertisements.

    High-end fashion brands such as Gucci, Nike, and others are vying to “get there first,” putting their advertisements in front of a massive audience in innovative and engaging ways.

    Future of metaverse

    The future of the metaverse could be similar to our present world in many ways and may even replace some real-world activities, or it could almost overshadow our present world in a Ready Player One-esque future. The future trends are looking at the world through AR/VR devices and using immersive technology. Early adopters will have a huge advantage, making it essential for businesses to begin researching and experimenting as the pace of change accelerates.

    The metaverse is still at a nascent stage, and everyone is experimenting to see if they can see success stories as they explore, interact, and try out new marketing tactics. There are a few measures that brands may take to gain an edge by creating virtual experiences, offering in-world purchases, organising virtual events, exploring NFTs, streamlining social media marketing, developing a metaverse marketing strategy, and so on. More brands view the metaverse as a probability to interact with audiences in ways that are beyond their imagination and deliver new and unique brand experiences.

    The author of this article is Blink Digital director of technology Amer Ahmad.

  • Social Donut acquires publisher first network Traffic Venue

    Social Donut acquires publisher first network Traffic Venue

    Mumbai: A performance-driven network, Traffic Venue, has been acquired by Social Donut for an undisclosed amount. Traffic Venue will become part of Social Donut, a global digital marketing and performance agency. From now on, the network will be known as Traffic Venue, a Social Donut Company.

    With marketers demanding increased accountability for their marketing spend and building brands through performance marketing channels, Social Donut’s continued growth strategy will be supported by the acquisition of Traffic Venue. In addition, it extends Social Donut’s suite of performance marketing solutions for marketers.

    With a vision that creativity and marketing should combine in an era of digital transformation, Social Donut was established in 2018. Besides emphasising creativity, the firm develops data-driven concepts targeted at new-age clients, as well as outreach skills to influencers and talent. This acquisition will provide Social Donuts clients with better access to new data-driven solutions, and the existing clientele of Traffic Venue will benefit from the overall creative emphasis in marketing.

    “Creating brands online through smart targeting, engaging creative, and seamless experiences is what advertisers care about, and Traffic Venue is the leading solution provider in this hyper-growth category. The combination of their expertise in this segment and our experience working with large portfolio enterprises and global performance marketers has enabled us to offer clients at all stages of their growth a full suite of performance marketing solutions,” said Social Donut co-founder and head of performance marketing Himanshu Pandey.

    Traffic Venue was founded by Anurag Kalra and combines expertise in digital performance and ad platforms.

    “We truly share the same DNA. Together with Social Donut, Traffic Venue serves the leading brands on a global scale, extending our capabilities and offerings to provide solutions beyond traditional solutions,” said Kalra.

  • Prioritising ‘Purpose’ is the heart of top-notch communication, say industry experts at PRCA 2022

    Prioritising ‘Purpose’ is the heart of top-notch communication, say industry experts at PRCA 2022

    Mumbai: Traditional PR today has come a far way from being a one-way tunnel to thrust information out to the public. It has evolved into a fundamental component of marketing and is no longer considered a stand-alone area of expertise. It is a function that works in tandem with a company’s advertising, social media strategy, new business efforts, internal communication, and more.

    The second edition of PR & Communication Aces, organised by IndianTelevision.com on 24 August at Gurgaon’s Crowne Plaza, aims to throw light on these emerging and diverse aspects of the PR and communications industry, even as it brings notice to the industry’s rising stars, celebrating their achievements and rewarding their contributions.

    The day-long conference saw keynote addresses and panel discussions focused on PR and communications. Apart from this, the summit also had representation from industry stakeholders, brands & agencies, advertising & marketing professionals & technology service providers.

    The event’s first panel was on the topic, “PR and the 360 Degree Communication: Trends, Challenges & Opportunities” where thought leaders from the industry shared their insights on the current trends, challenges, strategies and opportunities in the highly evolving space. The ensuing discussion saw industry experts map the PR trends in the next five years, even as they took a deep dive into the challenges to manage perception and image in today’s times.

    The speakers comprised Fortis Healthcare (group vice president) & Fortis HealthCare group head corporate communication & PR Ajey Maharaj, Policy-bazar head of communications & content Apeksha Mishra, PepsiCo India associate director corporate communications Amit Nanchahal, EnKash head of communications Amandeep Arora, Hero Electric Vehicles head of marketing & corporate communications Manu Kumar and BPCL chief general manager PR & brand Syed Abbas Akhtar. The discussion was moderated by Hill+Knowlton Strategies CEO Abhishek Gulyani.

    The panel debated how communications agencies and the PR profession have evolved in the recent past, and what more could be done while strategizing for a win-win situation. The discussion also delves into the next generation of consumers (the Gen Z) who are primarily exposed to the internet, where digital PR and digital marketing dominate.

    With the rise of everything digital, post pandemic, becoming digital-savvy is vital to continue in the PR and communication domain, noted Fortis Healthcare’s Ajey Maharaj. People have become very conscious about health issues, including mental health issues post-covid, hence emotional attachment is another aspect that a brand needs to be mindful about and take cognisance of while communicating with the audience for effective communication, he added.

    Panellists deliberated on the exponential transformation in the PR and communications space in the last few years, especially post-pandemic when a lot of things as we knew them underwent changes. It is important to adapt to this change in consumer mindset, while communicating to the audience, the industry experts agreed.

    The evolution of the role of PR into actually a communication function from merely a PR function happened during the pandemic, stated Policy Bazaar’s Apeksha Mishra. Purpose-driven communication is at the heart of our strategies and objectives, she added. “How we are bringing trust, compassion, and empathy while interacting with the customers has come out of this pandemic times.”

    The significance of purpose-driven and authentic communication, which has manifested especially during the pandemic, was also stressed by the experts. In today’s environment, the corporate sector needs a good communication strategy that can be identified by the audience as genuine and not just a fad, noted Hill+Knowlton Strategies’ Abhishek Gulyani at the PR and Communication Summit 2022.

    Gone are the days where brands can run a campaign without a purpose. Today we need an outcome, agrees PepsiCo India’s Amit Nanchahal. In the last two years, a lot of brands have pivoted towards purpose-driven campaigns. They have also realised that they need to be solving a problem rather than selling, which they always do. “We need to live the purpose by ensuring that brands keep up their promise to customers and communities,” he added. Walking the talk is crucial when it comes to communication.

    With paid media, online press, bloggers/vloggers, podcasts, social media influencers, content marketing, etc., the consumer reach outlets have multiplied manifold today, making 360-degree integrated communication a necessity rather than an option, the industry insiders noted.

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  • D:CODE 2022 by The Advertising Club: Industry experts to share insights on rapid transformation of digital industry

    D:CODE 2022 by The Advertising Club: Industry experts to share insights on rapid transformation of digital industry

    Mumbai: The pandemic era which we passed through has seen an interesting shift in consumer behaviour towards small businesses and homegrown brands. This has fueled the need and importance of digital marketing as a platform to connect and reach out to more consumers. Owing to this accelerated business and rapid consumer shift towards digital, The Advertising Club is once again back with its third edition of D:CODE 2022, India’s Annual Digital Review.

    The Advertising Club’s third edition of D:CODE 2022, presented by Meta, will take place on 26 August 2022, at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Following the phenomenal success of the first two editions, the upcoming edition will see the best minds in digital, media, and marketing come together to address the evolving digital ecosystem.

    D:CODE 2022 will see the following 10 industry leaders, including Dentsu Creative chief executive officer Amit Wadhwa; Google director-marketing partners Satya Raghavan; Hotstar executive VP and CMO Sidharth Shakdher; Jio Ads CEO Gulshan Verma; Luxury & Lifestyle Influencer and I-banking professional turned KOL Rizwan Bachav; Meta marketing director Avinash Pant; ONDC chief business officer Shireesh Joshi; S4 Capital chief executive officer-APAC Michel de Rijk; Starcom CEO Rathi Gangappa and Talented founder P G Aditiya. They will cover three areas in 10 minutes each: their own work they are proud of; the work of other brands that inspired them; and tips to crack the digital code in the year ahead.

    Speaking about the third edition of the review, The Advertising Club president Partha Sinha, said, “The Advertising Club has been at the leading edge in driving several pioneering initiatives that truly define the current state of the media and advertising industry. With sustained efforts year on year, D:CODE has emerged as an engaging knowledge platform, providing a reason to “Inspire and be inspired”. We are excited to present our third edition of the show with leading industry stalwarts from India and APAC whose insights and learnings will continue to celebrate the rapidly changing dynamics of the digital industry. With D:CODE 2022, The Advertising Club looks forward to creating yet another benchmark in the Indian media and advertising landscape and paving the way to unleashing the true potential of digital.”

    D-CODE chairperson Punitha Arumugam added, “We are excited to continue with the 10 minute per speaker format at D-CODE 2022. Our 10 speakers will showcase, in total, 20 digital case studies done in the past year and provide 30 tips to crack the digital code in the year ahead—all this in just one evening! We hope it will be a truly educative and immersive experience for the audience.”

    “The D-CODE 2022 line up of speakers covers award winners from Cannes this year (Dentsu Creative, PG Aditiya), best of global digital publishers (Google, Meta, Disney+Hotstar, Jio Ads), new age orgs defining the future of digital agencies and e-commerce (S4 Capital, ONDC), digital forward media agencies (Starcom) and social influencers (niche KOL like Rizwan).  With these 10 speakers, D-CODE 2022 covers a relevant spectrum of all things digital; not to mention the laughs the audience will have with our compere Anshu Mor, a tech professional turned stand-up comic,” said D-CODE co-chairperson Avinash Pant.

    D-CODE 2022 is presented by Meta, co-powered by Times Network and Disney+Hotstar in association with MiQ & YOptima.

  • boAt and Digitas India announces K-Pop concert ‘FloAtverse’ in the Metaverse

    boAt and Digitas India announces K-Pop concert ‘FloAtverse’ in the Metaverse

    Mumbai: In association with Digitas India, boAt announced the launch of India’s first K-Pop concert in the metaverse—”FloAtverse.”

    FloAtverse tapped into Gen Z’s obsessive passion for K-culture in India, which also boasts one of the world’s largest fanbases. The concert was headlined by upcoming K-Pop idol, Priyanka Mazumdar, and included a performance of “Rock with boAt”—a song created exclusively for boAtheads. The metaverse experience was opened by actor Rashmika Mandanna and hosted by internet sensation and K-Pop fanatic Radhika Bangia. Users were also given an opportunity to participate in several experiences to win exclusive discounts as well as a chance to fly to Seoul, South Korea.

    boAt’s FloAtverse K-Pop craze painted the town purple, from Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube to prime OOH venues and tickets on BookMyShow.

    Speaking on the initiative, boAt CMO and co-founder Aman Gupta commented, “boAt has always pioneered live experiences for a younger generation and we have continued to do so by organising India’s first K-Pop concert in the metaverse. Contrary to popular belief, the metaverse can be experienced with just a smartphone and an internet connection, rather than a VR headset. Through “FloAtverse,” we created an experience that combines the cultural trend of K-pop with the latest marketing technology. I learned that K-Pop has a massive following in India through this initiative.”

    Talking about boAt’s foray into the virtual world, Digitas India CCO Abraham Varughese added, “We didn’t want to just dip our toes into something new because everyone was doing it. “FloAtverse” was designed to be uncompromisingly relevant and give fans a compelling reason to interact with their favourite artists and their content in an alternate world. Ultimately, it delivered more than fleeting curiosity.”

  • Xaxis launches programmatic media commerce solution Discovery Commerce

    Xaxis launches programmatic media commerce solution Discovery Commerce

    Mumbai: GroupM’s outcome media specialist, Xaxis, has launched a new programmatic media commerce solution in India called Discovery Commerce. This helps brands and advertisers navigate the evolving programmatic media commerce ecosystem and drives stronger outcomes from their media investments.

    Discovery Commerce enables advertisers to utilise data signals specifically around product adoptions, search patterns, and purchase patterns, then integrate additional advertising strategies that help drive sales, build brands, and engage customers on e-commerce platforms or brand-owned sites.

    Powered by Xaxis’ programmatic excellence, strong global partnerships, proprietary technology, and tailored data touchpoints, the solution creates a holistic approach to e-commerce performance, driving consumers towards purchase across various platforms and points of sale. Subsequently, the data and insights gathered from the various touchpoints will be used as benchmarks to inform future campaigns and audience planning.

    Xaxis has already onboarded multiple partners into Discovery Commerce, with specialised capabilities around data, inventory, technology, and creativity, including key partnerships with Shopalyst and Flipkart.

    Flipkart VP monetisation Sankalp Mehrotra said, “Commerce advertising today continues to grow faster than any digital channel. Over the years, Flipkart Ads has created solutions that are disruptive, unique, and scalable. Our partnership with Xaxis will unlock the next stage of exponential growth for brands of all sizes. Consumers will benefit from seeing communication that has higher relevance and a more seamless purchase journey.”

    In addition to driving stronger e-commerce performance and building benchmarks for future campaigns, Discovery Commerce helps brands better understand consumer behaviours and create more accurate target audiences by connecting online and offline data points. It can reach multiple online environments, premium publishers, leading marketplaces, and shoppable media ad formats, offering a simplified and consolidated service that unites previously siloed consumer data points.

    Shopalyst co-founder Girish Ramachandra said, “We are happy to partner with Xaxis. With Xaxis’ Discovery Commerce solution, brands can make their ads instantly shoppable and help drive impressions to conversions in one seamless journey for consumers.”

    One way Discovery Commerce uses that data to elevate brand outcomes is through the use of Shoppable Media, a solution powered by Xaxis’ in-house creative and execution shop, Xaxis Creative Studios (XCS). XCS leverages AI to understand real-time consumer behaviours on retailer websites and applies dynamic creative optimisation with data-driven product recommendations based on validated customer preferences. It provides a more convenient way for shoppers to add branded products to their preferred retailer’s basket, removing the need to remember the brand when they are online or in-store. It also significantly shortens the shopping journey for consumers, enabling them to browse, compare, and complete the order without leaving the ad.

    GroupM India president – data, performance and digital products Atique Kazi said, “We believe there could not be a more exciting time to launch this solution as there are so many opportunities for brands and advertisers to capitalise on e-commerce platform growth. From consistent datasets to campaign measurement and optimisation knowhow, there’s various key ingredients when it comes to doing e-commerce advertising right. We are delighted to be working with the likes of Shopalyst and Flipkart – further combined with the behavioural data segments from other partners, we can give our clients a deep understanding of how to leverage data to secure better outcomes.”

  • Media Mantra launches Digital Innovation Hub

    Media Mantra launches Digital Innovation Hub

    Mumbai: PR and communications firm Media Mantra has announced the launch of its Digital Innovation Hub. The firm’s latest offering will cater to its ever-growing portfolio of clients for their digital communication requirements. The Digital Innovation Hub will offer services under four core pillars-creative hub, social media and publishing strategy, digital expansion and studio – to support clients for their specific requirements.

    The division will be headed by Hemant Varma, who has joined Media Mantra as the head of strategic campaigns, as the organisation takes yet another pivotal step in strengthening its presence as a complete integrated communications agency.

    Media Mantra founding director Udit Pathak said, “We are currently undergoing a very exciting phase of growth. Our latest offering—Digital Innovation Hub—is a testimony to our persistent efforts to consistently expand our service offerings in our bid to become India’s leading integrated communications firm. The digital practise will leverage the expertise of our strong and hardworking team of digital marketing strategists, SEO specialists, social media experts, and creative designers to create amazing client experiences and transform the way C-suite decision-makers approach business in the ever-competitive digital era.”

    While Creative Hub will ensure a strategic approach to connecting with targeted groups at multiple touchpoints, clients will be able to amplify their reach and initiate engaging conversations through social media and publishing strategies. With digital expansion, Media Mantra will now offer exclusive services including website development, SEO, app development, paid campaigns, PPC, and lead generation, among others. At the behest of its studio, the new digital practice will aid clients in innovative storytelling via engaging static and motion graphics.

    Media Mantra CEO Rahul Mehta said, “In recent years, Media Mantra has laid a strong foundation to enter the next phase of its strong growth journey. We have a proven track record of executing award-winning campaigns for clients, and the launch of our digital practise will only help us serve our clients in a more robust and diversified manner. With Digital Innovation Hub at the forefront, Media Mantra will now offer a spectrum of highly customisable services including digital marketing strategy and consulting, social media marketing (SMM), search engine optimization (SEO), video and animations, user experience and interface design, branding and much more.”

    Varma said, “Having worked on multiple award-winning campaigns throughout my career, I would like to use my expertise to create some data-driven, meaningful campaigns with purpose at the core of them. With the launch of the Digital Innovation Hub at Media Mantra, we intend to provide integrated communications strategies to our esteemed clients. From SEO to branding strategy, creating websites, apps, paid campaigns, influencer partnerships, publishing strategy, and digital campaigns, our team is well-equipped and super excited to start this new journey.”

  • Hotstuff and Genesis to handle digital mandate of Goeld Frozen Foods

    Hotstuff and Genesis to handle digital mandate of Goeld Frozen Foods

    Mumbai: Hotstuff Medialabs and Genesis Film Production have joined hands to work on the brand and social media mandate for Goeld Frozen Foods.

    Goeld is an entirely vegetarian frozen food brand that uses cutting-edge freezing technology to preserve all the nutrients, flavour, and texture of the food. ‘Mac and Cheese Pops,’ ‘Dilliwalli Dal Aloo Tikki,’ ‘Oozy Cheese Corn’ bites, are just a few of the interesting alternatives available in the product line-up. Goeld also makes other Indian breads like Lachha Paratha, a premium Malabar Paratha, and other Indian breads.

    With such a broad variety, Hotstuff and Genesis intend to take the brand digitally across platforms, focusing on product awareness and brand promotion that would eventually promote the offtake, both online and offline.

    Speaking on the collaboration, Genesis founder and director Prahlad Kakkar said, “I have been associated with the Goel family for a couple of years now and it gives me great pleasure to be entrusted with the branding of their latest venture, GOELD frozen Foods. What makes this brand stand out from the others in the category is its unique attributes to India’s diverse food cultures, offering the basics in staples to the exotic in snacking. We do have a lot in store for the brand, which will be rolled out strategically through the year, with the ad film being the big highlight to watch out for… so stay tuned.”

    About the association, Goeld Frozen Foods director Archit Goel added, “We as a brand and organisation, are looking for a huge game, and after meeting the teams at Genesis and Hotstuff, I knew that these are the individuals who can make my goal of a clean-label frozen food brand a reality while also making it simple for consumers to understand. Team Genesis and Hotstuff, as collaborators, have solutions to all our marketing and promotional needs. And yes, they’re very practical and have thoughts of the common man (not easy to find these days). I am sure that with the talent on board, we are going to work together for a longer period of time to create something like Garma-garam.”

    Working with the individuals behind the brand, Hotstuff business head associate partner Rohit Sadavarte said, “It is more interesting than working with the brand itself. Archit Goel, the team’s spearhead, is frequently portrayed as having a contagious excitement and sense of optimism.”

    “Because of this, we are free to consider and try out novel concepts and branding strategies. With Goeld as a new entrant to the Hotstuff family of clients, we are aggressively looking at spreading our wings in new directions; the future will soon see Hotsuff across categories like beverages, EV two wheelers, motor SUVs, fintech and many more,” he added.

    Goeld is a brand that emphasises its unique qualities through India’s many culinary cultures With the purpose of digitally disseminating its specialties among customers, it seeks to offer a variety of items to its clientele while also taking part in many industries. With this mandate, Hotstuff is looking to cement their place as a leading media agency that has the experience and expertise to work across verticals.

  • GroupM India names Ashwin Padmanabhan as president – investments, trading and partnerships

    GroupM India names Ashwin Padmanabhan as president – investments, trading and partnerships

    Mumbai: GroupM India announced on Wednesday that Ashwin Padmanabhan will be promoted to president-investments, trading, and partnerships. Padmanabhan, who earlier led ‘Trading’ and ‘Partnerships’ will now also be taking on the ‘Investments’ portfolio from Sidharth Parashar. Parashar will be joining the APAC Mindshare leadership team as chief investment officer, Mindshare APAC, and will now be based out of Singapore.

    Padmanabhan will continue to report to GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar and be based out of the Gurgaon campus. Over the next three months, Parashar and Padmanabhan will work closely to ensure a seamless transition into their respective new roles along with their key leadership team.

    GroupM South Asia CEO Prasanth Kumar said, “Sidharth has had a phenomenal career journey where the organisation has witnessed his evolution from a practise expert to a leader over the last 18 years with GroupM. He has successfully led investment mandates across all media, elevating the practise through innovative products and exceptional value for our clients. I would like to wish him the very best and will continue to work closely with him as he drives the regional investment strategy for Mindshare.”

    “I am also excited to see Ashwin taking over this additional role. He has a deep understanding of the business, and we continue to benefit from his knowledge of the media ecosystem. Focusing on cutting-edge innovation backed by his solid process orientation is a value-add for clients. His ‘start-up’ mindset has helped GroupM venture into new practices, deploying creativity to our products and solutions, keeping client delight at the helm,” he added.

    Parashar will report to Mindshare APAC chief executive officer Helen McRae, and work on enhancing Mindshare’s local market investment strategy and driving thinking on the opportunity of good growth and intentional investment for the region.

    Helen McRae said, “I am very pleased that Sid will be joining our regional team. He brings a tremendous depth of expertise and will be a great champion of good growth for our clients.”

    Sidharth Parashar said, “It has been an amazing journey at GroupM, and I am delighted to now take over this new Mindshare APAC investment role. I look forward to this opportunity in new markets to build value for our client’s business.”

    Ashwin Padmanabhan said, “GroupM has been a fertile ground for innovation and creating value in a highly entrepreneurial environment. This expanded remit motivates me to renew my focus on the GroupM value proposition for our clients, media partners, and technology partners. We want to keep the momentum up with these relentless efforts toward improving today for a better tomorrow.”