Tag: Manish Gupta

Indegene snaps up BioPharm to muscle into AI-powered pharma advertising

PENNSYLVANIA: Indegene is buying BioPharm Communications, a specialised marketing agency serving 17 of the world’s top 25 biopharma firms. The acquisition, announced on 1 October, will bolt adtech capabilities onto the Indian company’s commercialisation portfolio and cement its position in data-driven omnichannel marketing for global pharma.

BioPharm, based in New Hope, Pennsylvania, is part of Omnicom Health Group. It brings 20 years of expertise in omnichannel strategy, media planning and execution, and precision marketing powered by analytics and automation. The deal is being done through ILSL Inc., a subsidiary of Indegene Ltd.

The timing is strategic. Pharma companies are scrambling to transform their marketing as physicians favour limited engagement and regulatory complexities mount. Traditional healthcare agencies are struggling to keep pace. Meanwhile, companies are juggling mature product portfolios whilst ramping up capabilities for new launches—all whilst trying to boost productivity.

“BioPharm has built an impressive growth flywheel, with advanced tech capabilities, deep therapeutic expertise, and long-standing client relationships,” said Indegene chairman and chief executive Manish Gupta. “This acquisition reinforces our position as the preferred tech-native commercialisation partner for the life sciences industry.”

BioPharm president Steve Carickhoff said Indegene was a natural home given its innovation-first, employee-centric culture backed by strong technology platforms and a global delivery model. “Their life sciences-contextualised approach to AI will open up new possibilities. Together, we will push the boundaries of AI-powered pharma marketing worldwide—delivering more personalised, measurable, and patient-focused outcomes.”

BioPharm operates a proprietary network of more than 3 million healthcare decision-makers, which it uses for precision targeting and addressable media campaigns. Combined with Indegene’s data assets, the acquisition should drive higher media returns on investment and enable more effective automated operations.

Indegene, listed on the BSE and NSE, describes itself as the tech-native life sciences specialist that orchestrates the path from commercialisation strategy through execution. It works with the world’s top 20 biopharma companies across clinical, medical and commercial functions. Founded 25 years ago, the company is headquartered in Bengaluru.

Seyfarth Shaw represented Indegene in the transaction.

October 1, 2025
Titan zips into fragrances with Fastrack perfumes

MUMBAI: It’s moving on to a new track. Youth fashion brand Fastrack has moved into the premium mass fragrance market with the launch of a new perfume range which is catering to the growing demand for affordable yet high-quality fragrances.

The target audience: Gen Z. The Indian perfume market is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the value segment (sub-Rs 1000). This surge is driven by a new generation of consumers who prioritise personal care and self-expression. With increased awareness and the influence of social media, more and more people are recognizing the power of fragrances to enhance their personality and lifestyle.

Through consumer research, the brand has identified key occasion-based usage scenarios and developed fragrances that perfectly complement these moments.

“The Indian fragrance market is experiencing a significant shift. Our research shows that young Indians are ready to graduate from deodorants to fine fragrances, but they seek affordable options that don’t compromise on quality,” stated Titan Co CEO fragrances & fashion accessories division Manish Gupta. “The launch addresses a critical market gap in the affordable premium segment, as young consumers increasingly upgrade from deodorants to fine fragrances. These cohorts use fragrances not just as a grooming essential, but as a means of self-expression and style enhancement. As a trusted youth brand, our new perfume range is uniquely positioned to serve this emerging consumer base with premium fragrances that align with their lifestyle and aspirations. “

The new collection comprises six distinct fragrances. For men, the range includes Night Out, a sophisticated woody fragrance with oriental notes; Rush, a fresh woody scent for dynamic personalities; and Ease, a classic fougère for everyday confidence. The women’s collection features Lush, an indulgent floral fragrance; Girl Boss, a powerful floral scent for the modern professional; and Wander, an oriental fragrance for the free spirit.

Fastrack’s new range is strategically priced at Rs 845 for 100ml, targeting the high-potential sub-Rs 1,000 segment.

Fastrack has released two engaging films that resonate with the values and aspirations of Gen Z. Sick Leave celebrates the importance of mental health and self-care, challenging traditional notions of workplace culture. Date – a twist you didn’t see coming emphasises the importance of empathy, understanding, and authenticity in modern relationships.

December 13, 2024
The Advertising Club’s annual digital review D:CODE to be presented by Google returns for the fourth edition

Mumbai: Following the phenomenal success of the first three editions of Annual Digital Review D:CODE, The Advertising Club now announces the 2024 edition of D:CODE, Presented by Google. Scheduled to take place on 28 November in Gurgaon at Google’s India HQ, the fourth edition of D:CODE will witness industry stalwarts debate and deliberate on the theme – ‘D:CODE THE NOW: How AI is Revolutionizing Creative, Media, and the User Landscape in India’.

The global marketing and advertising industry has continued to evolve in an accelerated manner since the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Harnessing the power of AI has become increasingly important for brands and agencies in the digital world. D:CODE 2024 will bring together 9 industry experts, including a surprise speaker who will discuss how AI is impacting the marketing and user landscape. D:CODE 2024 will witness participation from tech giants, marketing wizards, market research agencies and advertisers and brands.

The following 8 leaders in addition to a surprise speaker will get 10 minutes each to share insights, present their case, showcase their work and their industry inspirations at D:CODE 2024:

1 Varun Mayya, CEO and Founder at AEOS
2 Jaspreet Bindra, Founder at AI&Beyond and Tech Whisperer Ltd
3 Manish Gupta, Director at Google DeepMind India
4 Kavita Nair, Strategic Advisor at Skewb Analytics
5 Soumya Mohanty, Managing Director and Chief Client Officer at Kantar
6 Siddharth Srinivasan, Head of India at ElevenLabs
7 Shubhranshu Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, CVBU at Tata Motors
8 Azeez Gupta, Founder at Rocket Learning

Speaking on bringing D:CODE back for its fourth edition, The Advertising Club president Rana Barua said, “The Advertising Club’s D:CODE was launched as an engaging knowledge platform that aims to inspire and inform the industry. As per market reports, over three quarter of CMOs are already using generative AI and over the next 3 years the adoption is inevitable. Therefore, it is imperative for us to plan for an AI ready marketing eco-system which is what D:Code aims to address in this chapter. We have curated the best minds who will be driving this narrative along with The Advertising Club for an AI positive future.”

D:CODE chairperson Mansha Tandon said, “AI is driving innovation, increasing efficiency and helping brands and agencies to explore new ways of consumer engagement and communication. With AI as the central theme, D:CODE’s 2024 edition will turn the spotlight on how our industry is leveraging the power of AI, thus helping brands to shine and create clutter-breaking narratives. Collaboratively our 9 distinguished speakers will cover a wide spectrum of all things AI. We look forward to an evening filled with learning and knowledge sharing at D:CODE 2024.”

November 14, 2024
Glance TV launched to provide interactive experiences on smart TV

Mumbai: Consumer internet company Glance on Monday announced the launch of Glance TV – a live, interactive content platform for the home screen or ‘screen zero’ of Android smart TVs. With live streams and real-time on-screen interactions for users, Glance TV aims to transform passive television content consumption into an active social experience.

Glance TV will offer off-beat, personalised snackable content of 5-20 minutes duration, across categories such as sports, entertainment, infotainment, e-sports, current affairs, lifestyle, food, and fitness, unlike standardised long-form TV shows. It has partnered with major content providers including Zee5, Epic On and Docubay to provide users fresh, personalised and premium content every day, said the statement.

Glance TV users can interact directly in real-time with their favourite stars on the television home screens. They can attend personalised fitness training sessions, watch interactive cooking shows with celebrity chefs, or enjoy sports in community watch-alongs that replicate immersive, stadium-like atmospheres. Within shows, users can interact and shape the direction of the content through live comments, reactions, and polls. Using QR codes on live TV, they can also buy tickets for movies and events, shop live, and get their social media posts featured on Glance TV streams.

“The launch of Glance TV is a major milestone for Glance, which has revolutionised content consumption on smartphones by bringing Live, interactive content to the mobile lock screen. Launched in 2019, Glance is now one of the world’s largest mobile lock screen platforms with over 200 million active users,” said the company in a statement.

Glance TV aims to be present on approximately 30 per cent of all smart TVs in India soon. The company plans to make Glance TV available globally and also intends to develop the same for other smart TV operating systems.

“Glance has reimagined the lock screen of smartphones into a live screen for personalised, LIVE content,” said InMobi Group co-founder and Glance president and COO Piyush Shah. “With Glance TV, we want to redefine television experiences just as we did with smartphones. This is TV in a way that has never been seen before and is a true innovation that extends the Live experience that Glance delivers on lock screens to television home screens.”

“With Glance TV, our intention is to remove the age-old connotation of TV being an idle way to pass time and change the perception of TV as the ‘idiot box.’ Glance TV gives users the experience where they can be active while watching TV and can express themselves directly on the big screen, within virtual communities of fellow users,” added Glance SVP and GM Manish Gupta.

April 11, 2022
Isobar India makes hotels friendly to differently abled

MUMBAI: Isobar India, the digital agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has introduced the Blind Faith Upgrade, a thoughtful and cause-oriented initiative under accessible tourism. A sustainable step towards accessible tourism, it explores the challenges faced by visually impaired travellers and allows the hotel to transform any of its rooms into a visually impaired-friendly room. The launch of the initiative was first introduced at Hotel Ramada, Ajmer.

The agency looks at expanding the initiative further to other corners of the tourism industry where accessibility is a major concern across the nation. A successful tourism product requires effective partnerships and cooperation across many sectors at the national, regional and international levels. The impact of accessible tourism thus goes beyond the tourist beneficiaries to the wider society, engraining accessibility into the social and economic values of society.

Hotel Ramada, Ajmer general manager Manish Gupta mentions,“We are glad we could take up the Blind Faith Upgrade initiative; it fits right into our vision. As a hospitality brand, it’s our objective to deliver accessible tourism to all. This is an important step towards it.”

In the light of the growing awareness for accessible tourism in India and the alarming ratio 1:250 of differently-abled-friendly hotel rooms to the total number of hotel rooms, Isobar introduced this initiative at Hotel Ramada, Ajmer with the Blind Faith Upgrade Kit. The kit includes Braille labels which can convert any phone into a Braille-enabled phone, reusable tactile paving tiles and Braille literature with audio assist. Available for purchase on theblindfaithupgrade.com, the kit is on an open-source model, inviting all players in the tourism industry to implement the same and spread more awareness for accessible tourism.

Garnering immensely positive feedback, the video has received more than 1 million views since its launch.

On the launch of this initiative, Isobar India MD Shamsuddin Jasani says, “We’re all accountable towards building a community in which we wish to live – not just for ourselves, but for generations to come. We at Isobar are trying to focus on overcoming key challenges in our quest for a sustainable community. We are looking at taking this a step towards creating an informed society and urging the other key players across tourism industry to adopt the same across their properties in India. ”

Speaking about the project, Isobar India executive vice president Gopa Kumar adds, “Accessibility is a key concern for letting the elderly and differently-abled people feel confident that they can travel without facing any problems. We hope this initiative would help spread further awareness about accessible tourism and bring further advancements across larger players within the hospitality space.”

March 1, 2018