ITV

Category: Media and Advertising

  • FCB India opens ‘Urban Jungle’ office in Gurugram, designed by Brawn Globus

    FCB India opens ‘Urban Jungle’ office in Gurugram, designed by Brawn Globus

    MUMBAI: Jungle fever has hit Gurugram — not in the streets, but inside FCB India’s brand-new office.

    The creative agency has swung into its freshly minted 28,000 sq. ft. space, designed and built by Brawn Globus, and it’s anything but a corporate cage. Themed “The Urban Jungle”, the workspace is a leafy, raw-edged playground where bold ideas are meant to grow as freely as the potted palms.

    Gone are the grey cubicles and hushed hallways. In their place stand open zones, nature-inspired corners and collaborative layouts that blur the line between imagination and reality. From biophilic design details symbolising growth to textures that invite conversation, every inch of the office feels less like a workplace and more like a living concept.

    “We are proud to have partnered with FCB India in creating a space that is as bold and inventive as the brand itself,” said Brawn Globus, managing director, Sandeep Singh. “The Urban Jungle office demonstrates our philosophy of blending design innovation with flawless delivery. Advertising thrives on imagination without boundaries. We wanted the workplace to be as inspiring as the ideas the FCB team creates every day”.

    For Brawn Globus, a heavyweight in design-and-build, the project is another feather in its architectural cap. For FCB, it’s a physical reminder of its ethos: fearless, inventive and always ready to colour outside the lines.

     

  • Indian digital ad market to grow 15 per cent yearly: Bain & Co report

    Indian digital ad market to grow 15 per cent yearly: Bain & Co report

    MUMBAI: Clickonomics at work. Advertising is no longer just a sideshow to the economy; it is fast becoming one of its main acts. Global ad spend, worth about one trillion dollars in 2024, is set to swell to nearly one per cent of global GDP by 2029, says Bain & Company. The digital slice of the pie, already dominant, will account for 80-85 per cent of all spend within five years.

    India is emerging as one of the liveliest markets in this story. Valued at 16-18 billion dollars in 2024, its ad market is growing at 10-15 per cent annually and is expected to hit 17-19 billion dollars by 2029. That will lift advertising’s share of GDP from 0.4-0.5 per cent. More than half of the country’s ad rupees already go online, a share that will only rise as smartphones, OTT platforms and fast data spread deeper into towns and villages.

    Small firms and direct-to-consumer brands are doing much of the heavy lifting. Their share of India’s digital ad wallet has crept up to 37 per cent in 2024 and could hit 42 per cent by 2029. They are pouring money into mobile-first campaigns, e-commerce tie-ins and performance marketing, all with a sharp eye on returns.

    Globally, mobile screens are soaking up around 70 per cent of digital budgets, with India leaning even harder on handsets. Newer channels like connected TV are gaining ground, too. India already has 45 million CTV households, up from 20 million in 2022, and brands are chasing their premium eyeballs with contextual ads and cricket-season splurges.

    “India’s digital advertising market is at an inflection point,” said Prabhav Kashyap, partner at Bain & Company. “The convergence of mobile-led consumption, the rapid rise of video formats, and the integration of AI into every stage of the advertising process is reshaping how brands connect with consumers. As audiences spread their attention across more devices and platforms, the leaders will be those who diversify beyond mega platforms, design content for each channel from the ground up, and harness AI and first-party data to deliver personalised, high-impact campaigns. Over the next five years, the ability to combine creativity, data, and technology will be the defining factor in who captures the most value.”

    AI is changing the business from top to bottom. No longer just a tool for faster ad copy, it is now steering media plans, testing creative variations, allocating spend and measuring incremental returns. Global players such as InMobi, The Trade Desk and AppLovin are racing to embed machine learning into every step of the process.

    Publishers are also sprucing up their platforms with less intrusive formats, smarter data and loyalty-driven engagement. Adtech firms, meanwhile, are bulking up into full-stack operations, stitching together demand- and supply-side platforms with exchanges. The industry is consolidating around those who can offer sharper targeting and better ROI.

    Bain & Company, associate partner, Devika Mittal said, “To unlock stronger ROI, brands and publishers need to work in closer sync. Compared to just a few years ago, we are seeing the emergence of scaled adtech players (like InMobi and The Trade Desk) who are playing a pivotal role in driving more precise targeting and performance, maturing the ecosystem significantly and enabling brands to continuously sharpen their digital advertising strategies.”

    Advertising has always followed the eyeballs. Now, with eyeballs glued to mobile screens, streaming apps and AI-powered feeds, the money is moving faster than ever. By 2029, ads will not just be selling soap, they will be helping steer the world’s economy.

     

  • Client Associates banks on Mayank Sharma to steer asset allocation

    Client Associates banks on Mayank Sharma to steer asset allocation

    MUMBAI : When it comes to wealth, allocation is everything and Client Associates has made a big one of its own. The multi-family office and private wealth management pioneer, founded in 2002, has appointed Mayank Sharma as director & head of asset allocation and products.

    In his new role, Sharma will chart the firm’s asset allocation strategy while bolstering its product portfolio for India’s affluent set, spanning HNI and UHNI families. His mandate: to deliver forward-looking investment opportunities across traditional assets, alternatives, and global solutions ensuring that portfolios evolve as fast as the markets do.

    With over 15 years of leadership experience, Sharma is no stranger to wealth management’s high-stakes game. His CV features senior stints at Standard Chartered Bank, Nuvama Private and DBS Bank, where he specialised in alternative investments, product innovation, and risk management consistently building strategies with measurable outcomes.

    “Joining Client Associates is an opportunity to bring sharper focus on asset allocation and expand the product suite in line with the evolving needs of Indian HNIs, UHNIs and Family Offices,” Sharma said, adding that his goal is to deliver “long-term, consistent outcomes through a disciplined investment approach.”

    Client Associates co-founder Himanshu Kohli called the move “a significant step forward” in strengthening its ability to deliver sophisticated solutions. “His deep understanding of market dynamics and proven track record in asset allocation will be instrumental in advancing our product capabilities and serving our clients’ diverse investment needs,” Kohli added.

    An alumnus of IIM Calcutta, Sharma brings an analytical rigour honed over years of navigating complex market cycles. His appointment reflects Client Associates’ intent to make asset allocation the bedrock of wealth creation, a philosophy that’s helped it remain a trusted advisor to some of India’s most prominent families for over two decades.

  • Shantanu Sapre takes charge as chief business officer at MullenLowe Lintas Group

    Shantanu Sapre takes charge as chief business officer at MullenLowe Lintas Group

    MUMBAI: Shantanu Sapre, a seasoned advertising leader with more than 25 years in the business, has been appointed chief business officer at MullenLowe Lintas Group. He stepped into the role in July after a three-year entrepreneurial run, where he was involved in tech start-ups building mobile apps in ticketing, quizzing and fantasy sports.
    Sapre is no stranger to the agency. Over a 15-year stint at MullenLowe, he rose from executive vice president to president, steering some of its biggest business units and contributing nearly a quarter of its India revenues at his peak. He was instrumental in driving the agency’s “hyperbundling” solutions, pushing digital transformation, and broadening its client roster beyond FMCG to online, fashion, sport and media brands.
    Earlier in his career, Sapre held leadership roles at Leo Burnett, TBWA, Euro RSCG and MTV Networks India, where he helped launch Viacom Brand Solutions. His portfolio includes campaigns for Bajaj Auto, Surf, Axis Bank, Johnson’s Baby, Burger King, FirstCry and Mumbai Indians. In 2015, Campaign Asia named him Account Person of the Year.
    Back at MullenLowe, Sapre is expected to lean on his blend of big-agency heft and start-up agility to sharpen the group’s growth strategy, deepen client relationships and accelerate digital-led innovation.

     

  • Schbang elevates Neel Gawde to chief business officer

    Schbang elevates Neel Gawde to chief business officer

    MUMBAI: Digital agency Schbang has promoted Neel Gawde to chief business officer, marking his rise from national head of business development. Gawde, who joined the firm in 2018, has been instrumental in driving client acquisition and expanding Schbang’s solutions, media and events portfolio.

    A marketing specialist with a track record of more than 700 pitches and 300 closures, Gawde earlier worked at Togglehead and Activ Eight Dimensions. He began his career in social media management before moving into business development.

    At Schbang, he credits founder Harshil Karia’s mentorship and his team’s “relentless pursuit of excellence” for the agency’s momentum. In his new role, Gawde is tasked with accelerating growth and shaping the next phase of Schbang’s expansion in India’s fiercely competitive digital market.

  • Raghu Ramanujam takes charge as vp of product at Nielsen’s Gracenote

    Raghu Ramanujam takes charge as vp of product at Nielsen’s Gracenote

    MUMBAI: Raghu Ramanujam, a seasoned product executive with stints at Flipkart, InMobi and Zoho, has joined Nielsen-owned Gracenote as vice president of product management.

    At Flipkart, Ramanujam steered the payments and fintech strategy, shaping products that sought to democratise access to credit and scale digital transactions for India’s 1.4bn people. He previously founded PoolCircle, once Bengaluru’s largest carpool network, with the mission of taking a million cars off the road.

    At InMobi, he oversaw SmartPay, expanding its reach across nine countries, and built products that propelled the firm from 200m to 100bn ads served per month. Earlier, at Zoho, his NetFlow Analyzer became the company’s fastest product to notch $1m in revenue.

    Ramanujam has also led the product division at Tambora Systems, Embibe and Microsoft Accelerator, and began his career in sales and engineering before moving into software and digital platforms.

     

  • OpenAI names Sheeladitya Mohanty as India marketing lead

    OpenAI names Sheeladitya Mohanty as India marketing lead

    MUMBAI;OpenAI has appointed Sheeladitya Mohanty as its marketing lead for India, tasking him with driving awareness, adoption and responsible use of the firm’s products across the subcontinent.

    An XLRI Jamshedpur alumnus, Mohanty began his career at Nokia in 2009 and later worked at Microsoft as a business evangelist before joining Facebook (now Meta) in 2016. Over nine years at the social-media giant, he handled platform, public affairs and brand marketing roles, most recently serving as marketing lead for Meta AI and Facebook across Asia-Pacific.

    Mohanty says his strength lies in “systems thinking”—connecting workstreams across silos to deliver scale. His expertise spans consumer marketing, go-to-market launches, platform partnerships and large-scale campaign execution.

    At OpenAI, he will lead education and outreach in India, a market critical to the firm’s global ambitions of making artificial intelligence “accessible and impactful”.

  • Sony Pictures’ Juhita Gupta takes lead role on YouTube channels

    Sony Pictures’ Juhita Gupta takes lead role on YouTube channels

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has handed the reins of its YouTube channels to Juhita Gupta, a seasoned media professional with over 16 years of consumer insights and market research under her belt.

    Gupta, who has spent more than a decade shaping programming strategies and audience growth across Sony Sab, Sony Pal, Sony Max and Set, is known for blending data storytelling with sharp commercial impact. Her remit now includes steering Sony’s digital video footprint at a time when streaming platforms are fighting fiercely for attention.

    Before joining Sony, she worked with 9XM, Disney Channel, Hungama, Star Movies and Channel V, giving her a panoramic view of India’s entertainment ecosystem, from kids’ content to blockbuster films.

    She began her career in FMCG research at Nielsen and TNS, tracking categories from skincare to home care. Those early years sharpened her instincts in quantitative and qualitative research, a skill set she later repurposed for television and, now, digital.

    Gupta’s expertise runs the gamut from weekly TV ratings (TAM, BARC) and promo planning to ethnographies, focus groups and social listening. In her own words, she thrives on “insight mining” and translating numbers into narratives, a talent Sony hopes will give its YouTube channels an edge in the battle for viewers.

  • Nilay S exits Upstox after five-year marketing stint

    Nilay S exits Upstox after five-year marketing stint

    MUMBAI: Nilay S has wrapped up his near five-year run at online brokerage Upstox, where he rose to director of marketing.

    Joining in 2020, Nilay helped shape the firm’s brand and product marketing strategy, spearheaded marquee campaigns across the IPL and World Cup, and built initiatives such as UpLearn and UpNews. He led a 25-strong team, directly managing seven functional leaders, and drove growth across SEO, ASO and newer platforms.

    Earlier, Nilay spent nearly two years at Bytedance in senior marketing roles, handling go-to-market strategy for TikTok India. His résumé also spans stints at WPP’s Maxus Global, Accenture and TBWA.

    A graduate of Gujarat University with a later product management programme at Duke, Nilay signalled that he is “excited about what lies ahead” as he moves on from Upstox.

  • Mayoori Kango returns to Publicis to script an AI-powered new chapter

    Mayoori Kango returns to Publicis to script an AI-powered new chapter

    MUMBAI: From Bollywood spotlight to boardroom strategy, Mayoori Kango has never shied away from reinvention. The digital veteran has now rejoined Publicis Groupe as part of the global executive leadership team at Publicis Global Delivery (PGD), while also stepping in as CEO for PGD’s India Delivery Centre. The move marks a homecoming for Kango, who has already left her imprint on Publicis through earlier leadership roles at Performics (2016–2019) and Zenith (2012–2016). This time, her remit is bigger: driving global strategy across media, data-tech, and AI, and scaling PGD’s India operations into a hub of innovation.

    Kango arrives at Publicis fresh from Google, where she spent six and a half years. Most recently, she served as Industry head for AI, Martech & Media Solutions (Aug 2024–Aug 2025), and before that as head of industry for agency partnership (2019–2024). Her time at the tech giant placed her at the forefront of AI’s impact on marketing and media, a focus she is set to double down on at Publicis.

    Her career trajectory reads like a map of the digital advertising revolution: from 360i (2007–2009), where she worked on campaigns for Natgeo and Red Roof Inn, to Resolution Media (2009–2010), leading SEM for Pepsi, Monster, and Electrolux, to Digitas (2010–2012), running the Delta Search business. By the time she took the reins as chief digital officer at Zenith India, she was already recognised as one of the leading voices in digital transformation.

    Armed with an MBA in Marketing from Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College (2005–2007), Kango has built a rare global career that blends Silicon Valley tech with Madison Avenue storytelling and Indian market scale.

    Her dual role at Publicis is as much about the future as it is about continuity. As AI reshapes workflows, creativity, and consumer engagement, Kango will lead PGD’s efforts to position Publicis as the go-to partner for next-gen marketing solutions with India at its core.

    For an industry that thrives on reinvention, Kango’s return feels fitting. After all, who better to script a new chapter in AI-led marketing than someone who has lived through every act of digital’s ongoing drama?