ITV

Tag: MediaCom

  • Digital media veteran climbs WPP ladder in Indonesia’s booming ad market

    Digital media veteran climbs WPP ladder in Indonesia’s booming ad market

    JAKARTA: WPP Media has promoted Mohit Sharma to president of client solutions, elevating a digital media specialist who has spent nearly three years navigating Indonesia’s rapidly evolving advertising landscape.

    Sharma’s ascent reflects the growing strategic importance of southeast Asia’s largest economy for global advertising conglomerates. Indonesia’s digital advertising market has exploded in recent years, driven by rising smartphone penetration and the dominance of platforms like TikTok and Instagram among the country’s 270m inhabitants.

    Since joining WPP Media in October 2022, Sharma has led the Beauty Tech Labs unit, overseeing a 120-person team delivering integrated media solutions spanning traditional planning, performance marketing, e-commerce and influencer communications. His primary client has been L’Oréal, the French cosmetics giant that has made Indonesia a key battleground in its Asian expansion strategy.

    The appointment caps a career trajectory that mirrors Indonesia’s digital transformation. Sharma spent nearly eight years at MEC (now part of GroupM) in India before moving to Essence and then MediaCom, where he served as partner and head of digital and e-commerce for the Indonesian operation.

    His promotion comes as western advertising agencies grapple with shifting client demands and the rise of local competitors across southeast Asia. Traditional agencies have struggled to adapt to the region’s unique social commerce ecosystems, where platforms like Shopee and TikTok Shop blur the lines between entertainment, social networking and retail.

    Sharma’s expertise in e-commerce integration may prove crucial as brands increasingly demand seamless pathways from awareness to purchase. Indonesia’s social commerce market is projected to reach $43 billion by 2025, according to consulting firm Bain & Company, making it a critical testing ground for advertising strategies.

    The move also signals WPP’s confidence in its Indonesian operations at a time when many multinational corporations are reassessing their Southeast Asian strategies amid economic uncertainties and regulatory changes. Indonesia’s advertising market, worth approximately $4.2 billion annually, remains one of the region’s most attractive despite periodic challenges from currency volatility and political shifts.

    For Sharma, the promotion represents validation of a bet on Indonesia’s long-term growth potential. His focus on data-driven strategies and digital-first approaches has aligned with local market dynamics, where mobile-first consumers have largely bypassed traditional desktop experiences.

    Whether his success can be replicated across WPP’s broader southeast Asian operations remains to be seen. The region’s fragmented markets, diverse regulatory environments and varying levels of digital maturity present ongoing challenges for global agencies seeking scalable solutions.

    Yet Indonesia’s importance to WPP’s Asian growth strategy seems assured. With the country’s advertising market expected to grow by 8-10 per cent annually over the next three years, elevating local expertise makes strategic sense—even if it means promoting from within rather than importing talent from established markets.

  • Stefi Dsouza hops over to United Breweries as media lead

    Stefi Dsouza hops over to United Breweries as media lead

    MUMBAI: Stefi Dsouza has traded one beer giant for another, leaving AB InBev to become media lead at United Breweries Ltd, the Indian arm of Dutch brewing behemoth Heineken. The move caps a career that has seen the media planning specialist work her way through some of advertising’s most prestigious agencies before landing client-side roles at major corporates.

    Dsouza’s appointment comes after two years as senior media manager at AB InBev, where she helped the world’s largest brewer navigate India’s increasingly competitive beer market. Her move  to United Breweries—Heineken’s local operation—represents a significant coup for the Dutch company as it battles for market share against rivals including AB InBev and Carlsberg.

    The media planning veteran brings 12 years of experience spanning both agency and corporate roles. Her CV reads like a who’s who of Indian advertising, with stints at Mindshare, OMD India, MediaCom and MediaVest before making the leap to the client side in 2020.

    At Volkswagen India, where she served as media manager and later senior media manager, Dsouza helped the German carmaker navigate the choppy waters of India’s automotive market. She then moved to Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd for a year-long stint before joining AB InBev in 2023.

    Her agency background includes a director-level role at Mindshare and a group head position at OMD India, suggesting she knows how to handle large-scale media campaigns. The Cannes Young Lions India shortlist recipient and Social Samosa award winner has built a reputation as what she calls an “Excel nerd”—no small compliment in the data-driven world of modern media planning.

    The appointment signals United Breweries’ commitment to strengthening its media capabilities as competition intensifies in India’s beer market. The company, which owns brands including Kingfisher, has been battling for market leadership against AB InBev’s portfolio of premium international brands.

    Dsouza’s move also highlights the increasing importance of media planning expertise in India’s consumer goods sector. With digital advertising spend continuing to surge and traditional media becoming more fragmented, companies are placing greater emphasis on hiring specialists who can navigate the complex media landscape.

    Her tagline—”bringing brands live on media, one campaign at a time”—suggests United Breweries can expect an integrated approach that combines traditional and digital channels. Given her track record across automotive, electric mobility and brewing sectors, Dsouza appears well-equipped to handle the diverse challenges of marketing alcoholic beverages in India’s highly regulated environment.

    The hiring represents a small but significant shift in the ongoing talent war between India’s major consumer brands, as companies increasingly poach senior executives from direct competitors rather than relying solely on agency talent pipelines

  • WPP acquires remaining stake in MediaCom India from Sam Balsara & Lara Balsara Vajifdar

    WPP acquires remaining stake in MediaCom India from Sam Balsara & Lara Balsara Vajifdar

    Mumbai: WPP announced that it has purchased the remaining 26 per cent stake in MediaCom Communications in India from Sam Balsara and Lara Balsara Vajifdar. 

    According to the deal signed, Sam Balsara and Lara Balsara Vajifdar entered into a discussion with the network agreeing to exit MediaCom in the interest of its clients to enable the merger.

    Sam Balsara and his family first entered into a contract with WPP in 2008 under which the Balsara family held 51 per cent. The Madison promoters sold 25 per cent of the business in 2017.

    Speaking on the agreement, Sam Balsara said, “This innovative partnership we invested in nearly 15 years ago has been a great success for all parties. It has established MediaCom in India as a fast-growing and highly respected agency by advertisers.”

    MediaCom Global CEO Nick Lawson commented, “It has been a pleasure working with Sam Balsara and Lara Balsara as we grew this successful business in India. We will build on that legacy to deliver the agency model our clients want for the future – founded on brilliant strategy and brand-building capabilities, with pioneering digital expertise running throughout.”

    This acquisition is a part of WPP’s strategy of investing in fast growth markets, new media and digital. On 26 April 2022, WPP announced that global agencies MediaCom and Essence would merge to form EssenceMedia.com. 

  • GroupM merges Essence and Mediacom, integrates Mindshare with Neo

    GroupM merges Essence and Mediacom, integrates Mindshare with Neo

    Mumbai: WPP’s media investment group GroupM announced on Wednesday its plans to merge Essence with MediaCom and Mindshare with Neo in its latest steps to transform and further simplify its operations. The moves, which build on the April 2021 launch of Choreograph, WPP’s global data and technology company, will create a new 9,000-strong cross-channel performance platform built on AI technology, it said.

    Additionally, Finecast, Xaxis, and GroupM Services – GroupM’s global community of activation experts – will be brought together to form media performance organisation, GroupM Nexus. Xaxis Global CEO Nicolas Bidon will oversee GroupM Nexus as Global CEO.

    Essence and MediaCom will merge to form EssenceMediacom, a new agency offering fusing the digital and data-driven DNA of Essence with MediaCom’s scaled multichannel audience planning and strategic media expertise.

    MediaCom Global CEO Nick Lawson will lead newly formed EssenceMediacom as Global CEO. Kyoko Matsushita, after eight years at Essence, is promoted to a new role as WPP’s CEO in Japan as the company continues to invest in expanding, high-growth markets.

    Mindshare will complete the integration with global performance agency Neo, wherein both will operate under the Mindshare brand but will retain and scale Neo’s operating model, focused on pureplay performance solutions at its heart, integrating this into Mindshare’s full-funnel offering.

    Neo’s 1,200 digital-first, performance experts and consultants will be integrated with Mindshare’s 10,000 media specialists and Neo’s digital-first services will be fully embedded into Mindshare and GroupM’s offering, stated the agency.

    With this reorganisation, GroupM’s five agency brands will be streamlined into Mindshare, Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom, GroupM Nexus and Choreograph.

    “The future of marketing is outcomes-driven, supported by audience-first planning and continually improving, AI-enabled performance standards,” stated GroupM Global CEO Christian Juhl. “Through GroupM Nexus and our agency powerhouses Mindshare, Wavemaker, and EssenceMediacom we are building a tech-enabled future, side-by-side with our clients, that is accountable to advertisers’ growth goals and to our vision for an advertising ecosystem that works for everyone. I also want to congratulate Kyoko, who has grown and strengthened Essence in her time as Global CEO, on her exciting new role as WPP’s CEO in Japan. We will continue to work closely together to strengthen the position of our agencies across APAC.”

    The merger of Essence and MediaCom builds on a record of strong business growth for both agencies, according to the agency. Comvergence ranked MediaCom first in the industry for new business wins in 2021 with $2.87 billion in new billings attributed to wins, while Essence has continued to grow and expand its remit with Google and other key clients.

    “The formation of EssenceMediacom builds on the strong and proven relationship between the agencies to create the agency model our clients want for the future — one founded on brilliant strategy and brand-building capabilities, with pioneering digital expertise running throughout,” said EssenceMediacom CEO Nick Lawson. “EssenceMediacom will not only help our clients see the bigger picture and reimagine what’s possible; it will also provide opportunities for our people to upskill and train in new areas, further enriching and enhancing their careers.”

    “Today’s global marketers need both agility and scale from their agency partners to properly support their businesses across international markets. Bringing together Essence and MediaCom – each with their own celebrated histories of excellence – will create a truly unique combination of agile innovation and global scale in a single agency,” added Kyoko Matsushita.

    GroupM Nexus will comprise 9,000 practitioners around the world, collectively responsible for the activation of more than two million campaigns managed by GroupM each year. This global community represents the industry’s leading team of experts in digital channels and platforms, search, social, programmatic, AI, cross-channel optimization, and data-driven technologies and software.

    GroupM Nexus unites GroupM’s addressable content and TV, AI technology (Copilot), and omnichannel solutions from Finecast, Xaxis, and GroupM Services into a single unit. The global organisation will be underpinned by a new cross-channel performance platform and international delivery hubs to set new benchmarks for performance innovation and efficiency for GroupM’s agencies and clients.

    “GroupM Nexus unites leading media talent, digital services excellence, cutting-edge AI technology and unique scaled partnerships into a new cross-channel performance organisation with one purpose: power growth for our people, our agencies and the amazing brands they represent. We cannot wait to innovate together and unlock new opportunities for everyone,” said GroupM Nexus CEO Nicolas Bidon.

    “This is a journey we’ve been on for the past year with many clients who have been demanding more diverse media services to drive their growth,” commented Mindshare Global CEO Adam Gerhart. “The merger delivers seamless access to Neo’s digital-first capabilities and a relentless focus on performance models to accelerate Good Growth. For our teams it means more opportunity and the ability to create greater impact across the world. I’m delighted to partner with Neo CEO Nasreen Madhany as we complete the integration of the two businesses and move into a new future together.”

  • Bayer names MediaCom as its global media agency

    Bayer names MediaCom as its global media agency

    Mumbai: Bayer has named WPP’s MediaCom as its global full-service media agency. MediaCom global client president and Team Bayer lead at WPP Costin Mihaila will head up the account, with full handover in the markets new to the agency taking place as of 1 January 2022. The pitch process was managed by MediaSense.

    The agency network will contribute to driving Bayer’s modernised marketing strategy, with best-in-class data and content integration as a key driver for business growth. The agency will also support the German multinational pharmaceutical company’s ongoing commitment to ‘Media For Good’, ensuring that both companies continue to develop their initiatives and leadership in I&D, sustainability, and brand communications suitability, said the statement.

    MediaCom will fully leverage WPP’s Choreograph to deliver the expertise and insight required for Bayer to lead the industry in the critical area of data-driven marketing, it added.

    “The agency proved that it shares our vision and commitment to create a customised data-focused solution that will help us deliver on our ‘media for growth’ ambition whilst also exceeding on its sustainability commitment and media for good vision,” said Bayer chief marketing & digital officer Patricia Corsi. “I am confident that together we will realise our ambition to be the best in our industry. While congratulating MediaCom I would like to also take this opportunity to recognise and appreciate the three partners involved in the review process for their professionalism, commitment and shared values with Bayer.” 

    MediaCom previously worked with Bayer across 65 markets, but this consolidation will add crucial markets such as Germany, China, and Russia to its remit and ensure further synergies for both companies. Consolidating the global business for the first time will also deliver enhanced best practice sharing, simpler ways of working, as well as consistency of approach, improved data, and reporting.

    “I’m thrilled that we have built on our existing strong relationship with Bayer.  We are now in a solid position to deliver a step-change in media thinking and activation that drives growth and celebrates the good that the company’s brands provide,” said MediaCom global CEO Nick Lawson. “Our new working relationship will enable us to see the bigger picture for Bayer and deliver smarter, more personalised, and relevant messages across the business.”

  • FTA market rides growth wave amid pandemic

    FTA market rides growth wave amid pandemic

    Mumbai: Riding high on the launch of new channels, the advertising volumes and values of free-to-air (FTA) has grown by 25 to 30 per cent and is estimated to have a share of 25 to 30 per cent of the Rs 30,000 crore of total TV AdEx. This growth coupled with changes in viewership post the pandemic has charted the growth story of the FTA market during the pandemic.

    Out of the 901 licensed private satellite TV channels, 574 are free to air, according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The launch of new channels including Shemaroo MarathiBana, ShemarooTV, Dangal Kannada, Ishara TV, Sun Marathi, Filamchi, Azaad, Dhinchaak, Colors Cineplex Bollywood, Asianet Movies, Filamchi Bhojpuri have grown the advertising share of free TV.

    “The first half of the year has been really good for FTA. The viewership had been very consistent in the early stages of 2021, with the demand peaking in the period before the second wave,” said MediaCom national director Srinivas Rao.

    According to Enterr10 Media Network chief business officer Shrutish Maharaj the FTA genre has grown by 25-30 per cent both in terms of volumes and value. “Had the pandemic and some policy changes not hit the industry, the organic growth had the potential to be much better,” Maharaj added. FTA space has also seen a lot of action with multiple launches in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Punjab etc.

    Earlier only the big broadcasters were able to invest in original programming. However, that has changed over recent time, with a host of original programmes creating a vibrancy on FTA channels. “This is changing because FTA channels are no longer catering only to rural markets where viewers were playing catch-up. They now have significant penetration in urban markets as well,” said Maharaj. Some channels even look at a ratio of 40:60 of original programming to acquired content to be an ideal mix. 

    Traditionally, FTA channels tend to perform well in rural markets and have been mainly supported by FMCG advertisers who may contribute up to 70 per cent of the ad volumes. The reliance on FMCG spends is also believed to have constrained the growth of the FTA channels, as the category is mature.

    Though the FMCG is still the largest spending category on FTA, the dependence of FTA on FMCG has reduced considerably with categories like services, healthcare, education, manufacturing and construction, telecom, media contributing significantly. There has been the advent of new categories and a few others have recorded phenomenal growth.

    Some of these advertisers who came onboard include Amazon, Myntra, Flipkart, BYJU’S, Google, Facebook, indicating a shift towards the FTA audience which is discerning and dependable to drive the next phase of growth for them.

    Since the core audience of FTA channels is mainly from the heartland, most broadcasters try to place their channels on DD Free Dish, the free DTH platform by Prasar Bharati. At a one-time cost of Rs 2,000, any viewer may watch up to 160 channels distributed on the platform at no recurring cost. It is estimated that there are 50 million DD Free Dish set-top-boxes in the country.

    The advantage of being available on DD Free Dish is significant. Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) The Q grew its client list by six times after launching on the free DTH platform, according to The Q chief executive officer Simran Hoon. “The Q has also not faced any problem of discounted ad rates like other FTA players post launching on DD Free Dish,” she added.

    Depending on the market that FTA channel caters to, viewership may increase up to 50 gross rating points (GRPs) by solely being distributed on the platform.

    “This is because DD Free Dish audience accounts for 30 per cent of the Hindi-speaking market,” pointed out Shemaroo TV, chief operating officer – broadcast business, Sandeep Gupta. “A channel can definitely survive just by being on DD Free Dish and not any other individual platform. It has a significant share of the audience in the core heartland markets such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Jharkhand.”

    The availability of channels on DD Free Dish also improves the performance of the channel in rural markets drastically, highlight media experts. However, the biggest issue is that the base size of DD Free Dish is low, leading to scale still being low. Hence, the advertiser interest in FTA channels available on DD Free Dish would depend on the markets the brand is targeting,” said MediaCom’s Rao.

    At the end of the third annual e-auction that concluded in February, broadcasters bid as high as Rs 16.5 crore to be on DD Free Dish and Prasar Bharati made Rs 731.34 crore from the sale of 57 MPEG-2 slots.

  • Soumak Banik returns to MediaCom as Indonesia MD

    Soumak Banik returns to MediaCom as Indonesia MD

    Mumbai: WPP’s MediaCom has brought on board Soumak Banik as managing director for Indonesia, who returns after having served as chief growth officer at the firm for India & South Asia region until July this year. He will report to GroupM Indonesia CEO Himanshu Shekhar and MediaCom Asia Pacific CEO, Mark Heap.

    Banik succeeds Partha Kabi who recently took charge as global account director at MediaCom for SK-II and is now based in Singapore.

    On this succession move, media reports quoted Himanshu Shekhar as saying, “Kabi’s successor has big shoes to fill, and I am hugely excited to have Banik as the new leader for MediaCom Indonesia. His infectious enthusiasm and positivity will be crucial in building on the strong foundations.”

    Banik commands over 20 years of experience in conceptualisation, supporting communication, deriving & driving effective efficient marketing solutions across industries like FMCG, CSG, auto, luxury, telecom, e-commerce, BFSI, sports, publishing, and multiple brands. Prior to MediaCom, he was associated with Mindshare Indonesia as principal partner for three years until 2019.

    “The global momentum in MediaCom is so inspiring. Combining this with the assets we can leverage from GroupM globally, regionally and locally, makes me very confident that we can continue to drive growth for our clients, the careers of our people, and our business,” Banik said on his appointment.

  • Mediacom bags media mandate for Bayer Consumer Health

    Mediacom bags media mandate for Bayer Consumer Health

    Mumbai: MediaCom India, a GroupM media agency, today announced that it has been awarded the media mandate of Bayer’s new Consumer Health division in India. The company envisions making self-care for a better life a reality for billions of people around the world through everyday healthcare. The account was won following a multi-agency pitch and will be handled out of MediaCom’s Mumbai office. Media duties include full planning and buying across media platforms.

     Bayer is a global life sciences company present in India for over 125 years with a stated commitment to the principles of sustainable development and goal to create value for its customers, shareholders and employees. The company’s vision reads, ‘Health for all, hunger for none’.

     Bayer Consumer Health Division, India country head Sandeep Verma, said, “With Bayer’s Consumer Health division offering a portfolio of leading and trusted brands in India, we want people to adopt self-care and take charge of their everyday health.  To make this possible, it’s essential to have the right partners on board who can add value to our efforts and contribute to our vision. We are therefore happy to onboard MediaCom in our journey for Consumer Health.”

     MediaCom South Asia CEO Navin Khemka said, “With the rising concerns of the global population, we believe it is important to have a company like Bayer in the market whose scientific successes are intended to help improve people’s lives. With our integrated teams and media-neutral solutions, we are looking forward to helping Bayer further scale its efforts and accelerate its business growth. Leveraging MediaCom’s expertise, we will be focusing a lot on new-age thinking and digital-first approach and are looking forward to creating an amazing experience for them.”

     As Bayer’s Consumer Health division expands its geographic footprint, India is of strategic importance in the global business strategy. In addition to the existing crop science and pharmaceutical divisions, the introduction of the consumer health division will further strengthen the company’s presence in India.

  • Brandie appoints Junaid Hakim as national director, India

    Brandie appoints Junaid Hakim as national director, India

    New Delhi: Social media word-of-mouth marketing platform, Brandie, has appointed Junaid Hakim as national director for India. He will be based in Bengaluru.

    Hakim joins from MediaCom, where he was the general manager and headed the media mandate for Dell till November, 2020. In his new role, he will oversee Brandie’s growth in the Indian market and develop stakeholder engagement, drive sales and new business development.

    “The Covid-19 pandemic has fundamentally impacted the marketing industry and highlighted the growing importance of word-of-mouth marketing and customer advocacy,” Brandie’s co-founder, Pranav Kosuri said. “Junaid’s vast experience, strategic perspective, and operational focus will play a vital role in strengthening Brandie’s core leadership team and ensure our continued fast growth and adoption amongst agencies and brands in one of our core markets.” 

    Talking about his new role, Hakim said, his focus in the first six months at the organization will be to drive awareness and education around Brandie, to boost product adoption.