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Tag: Omnicom Media Group

  • Digital marketing veteran Amit Lall switches to WPP Media as planning lead

    Digital marketing veteran Amit Lall switches to WPP Media as planning lead

    MUMBAI: Amit Lall, a digital marketing stalwart with over two decades in the trenches, has traded his principal partner role at Mindshare for a planning lead position at WPP Media, overseeing the conglomerate’s western and southern Indian operations from Mumbai.

    The move in September ends Lall’s four-year-eight-month stint at Mindshare, where he commanded a team of over 30 professionals whilst juggling a diverse client roster spanning consumer durables, fintech, telecom, pharmaceuticals, and banking. His portfolio included marquee accounts across multiple sectors, positioning him as one of the agency’s key rainmakers in the fiercely competitive western market.

    Before his Mindshare tenure, Lall spent just over a year as senior vice president at DigitalKites Global, where he steered a pioneering audience intelligence platform touching 250 million profiled users—India’s largest first-party audience marketplace. The role saw him managing full profit-and-loss responsibility across markets whilst delivering digital transformation solutions to brands and agencies.

    He has had a fascinating career trajectory. At Omnicom Media Group, he spent over five years crafting digital strategies for western India’s premium clients, earning local and global accolades including Foma and James Burke awards. Earlier, at Mobile2win, he turbocharged mobile advertising revenue by 260 per cent year-on-year during a recession, whilst onboarding 50 new accounts and slashing overheads by 30 per cent.

    Lall’s appointment signals WPP Media’s intent to consolidate its Indian operations under seasoned digital natives who’ve witnessed the subcontinent’s advertising metamorphosis from traditional media to mobile-first strategies. His deep understanding of India’s fragmented media landscape—from pioneering SMS ad networks at Mauj Telecom to managing channel partnerships at Reliance Communications—positions him well to navigate WPP’s evolving client demands.

    The hire comes as global advertising giants scramble to retain top talent in India’s booming digital advertising market, where homegrown expertise commands premium valuations.

  • Amoli Hindlekar leaps from Network18 to Omnicom, set to lead PR

    Amoli Hindlekar leaps from Network18 to Omnicom, set to lead PR

    MUMBAI: Corp com whiz  Amoli Hindlekar, has traded her Network18 perch for a sparkling new role as PR lead at Omnicom Advertising Group (OAG). After a “memorable stint” at Network18, where she spent two years and seven months shaping narratives, Hindlekar is now poised to bring her A-game to OAG, promising “storytelling, strategy, [and] impact.”

    It seems the ink is barely dry on her Network18 chapter, which concluded in June 2025. Before that, Hindlekar flexed her communication muscles at DDB Mudra Group for two years and nine months as corporate communications manager, following a nearly three-year tenure as associate manager- corporate communications at Dentsu Aegis Network India. Her career kicked off with a public relations executive gig at Fountainhead Mkting giving her a well-rounded foundation in the world of spin.

    Hindlekar’s move to OAG signals a fresh wave of “bold ideas and meaningful work” from an industry veteran who clearly knows how to make headlines – and now, how to get others to make them too. Omnicom will no doubt be pleased as punch to have snapped up such a seasoned pro.

  • Gaurav Saxena steps up as associate director at Havas Media Network

    Gaurav Saxena steps up as associate director at Havas Media Network

    MUMBAI: Gaurav Saxena is riding a wave of momentum at Havas Media Network, clinching a promotion to associate director after nearly four years of sharp planning, strategic buys, and delivering results that clients love to brag about.
    Armed with more than nine years of experience in optimising, negotiating, and snapping up prime media real estate across TV, radio, and print, Saxena has earned a reputation for mixing market insight with financial discipline — squeezing every drop of ROI from client budgets.
    His journey has criss-crossed some of the industry’s biggest names, with stints at Omnicom Media Group, GroupM, and Vizeum, before parking himself firmly at Havas, where he rose through the ranks from buying manager to media group head, and now associate director.
    Known for his calm critical thinking and strong vendor relationships, Saxena has consistently translated high-stakes briefs into high-impact campaigns. Whether crafting media plans or negotiating killer rates, he brings the same passion to every challenge — and it’s clearly paying off.

  • Streaming ahead of the curve with springserve’s ad tech revamp

    Streaming ahead of the curve with springserve’s ad tech revamp

    MUMBAI: Magnite is turning up the volume in the streaming ad world with the next-gen launch of its Springserve video platform, an upgraded OTT/CTV solution that fuses the precision of its award-winning ad server with the programmatic prowess of Magnite’s Streaming SSP. It’s a bold move aimed at simplifying ad delivery and maximising monetisation for major players like Disney, Roku, LG, Paramount, Samsung and Warner Bros. Discovery.

    Tailored for the evolving needs of global streaming giants, the platform now connecting buyers to 99 per cent of US streaming supply and has been validated by Jounce Media’s March 2025 Supply Path Benchmarking Report. For media owners, the new tech means smarter yield, streamlined workflows and real-time visibility across ad operations.

    “As the CTV space matures, there’s a significant opportunity to enhance the advertising process for media owners and buyers,” said Magnite president for revenue Sean Buckley. “We’re building this next generation of Spring Serve specifically to help our clients and partners stay ahead of these emerging opportunities. By unifying the programmatic layer as a complementary step in the buying process, not only does it give buyers greater transparency, predictability, and control over their ad placements, but it lays the foundation for more effective monetisation and yield management for media owners.”

    “Disney continues to expand our global streaming footprint in collaboration with Magnite—unlocking more premium inventory and making it even easier for advertisers to access our portfolio at scale,” said Disney SVP for addressable sales Jamie Power. “Together, we’re advancing a shared vision for innovation—one that prioritizes automation, flexibility, and smarter tools to help our partners drive meaningful impact in the live streaming space.”

    “Controlling demand sources and optimizing ad placements in real time is essential to our strategy,” said LG Ad Solutions SVP of operations Kelly McMahon. “SpringServe gives us the power to orchestrate everything in one platform balancing programmatic demand and direct deals more effectively, without compromising the viewer experience.”

    “Working with valuable partners like Magnite has enabled Paramount to further optimize our programmatic demand sources, driving greater efficiency and performance while preserving a seamless viewing experience for our audiences,” said Paramount SVP of partnerships Christopher Owen. “Continued advancements in programmatic play a meaningful role in our ongoing success both as a company and as part of the broader industry.”

    “Together with Magnite, we can create more opportunities for advertisers that offer platform transparency and flexibility across monetization, demand access, and user experience optimization,” said Roku SVP of global media revenue and growth Jay Askinasi. “SpringServe connects us more directly with DSPs, streamlining operations and augmenting revenue potential. This is an approach we believe will help attract greater advertising investment into the CTV ecosystem.”

    “Our long-standing partnership with Magnite has been instrumental in shaping our video monetization strategy, and we’re excited to partner with Magnite as they advance the SpringServe video platform,” said Warner Bros. Discovery SVP for revenue strategy and operations Jill Steinhauser. “We’re particularly looking forward to benefiting from the performance enhancements that enable faster ad loads and real-time pacing.”

    “Magnite helps fuel the premium, open internet,” said The Trade Desk SVP of inventory development Will Doherty. “Combined with tools like OpenPath, the next generation of SpringServe is accretive to advertisers and publishers and most importantly so consumers can continue to enjoy the content we all love like CTV, journalism and more.”

    “Magnite’s unified SpringServe platform offers significant clarity and cohesion in the streaming TV marketplace,” said Groupm US  chief media officer, Susan Schiekofer. “By providing deeper insight into the supply path and stronger alignment with premium inventory at scale, it empowers us to make smarter, faster buying decisions and ultimately deliver better outcomes for our clients.”

    “At OMG, we believe it’s a core right for advertisers to control and know where their ads deliver,” said Omnicom Media Group SVP of video and programmatic Ryan Eusanio. “Magnite’s SpringServe video platform helps us give our clients more control of their premium video strategy and enables better curation and targeting for campaigns.”

    The new SpringServe boasts a centralised deal dashboard, intelligent ad decisioning, automated routing for optimal ad delivery, and seamless integration with Magnite Access for data-driven targeting. It also simplifies operations with a revamped user interface and real-time reporting tools.

    As competition in CTV heats up, Magnite’s play positions it as the adtech partner of choice for streaming’s biggest names where precision meets premium, and innovation gets centre screen.

  • Omnicom brings global influencer capabilities under Creo banner

    Omnicom brings global influencer capabilities under Creo banner

    MUMBAI: Omnicom Media Group (OMG) has consolidated its global influencer marketing capabilities under a single brand—Creo—to deliver a consistent, data-led approach to clients across markets. This move puts influencer marketing firmly at the heart of OMG’s media offering, treating it as a fully measurable and strategic media channel.

    Since launching three years ago, Creo has developed influencer-led campaigns for major brands like Mountain Dew, Delta and State Farm. Now, as part of a global integration, clients everywhere will gain access to Creo’s partnerships with leading platforms including Amazon, Google, Snap, TikTok and Instacart—bridging the gap between content creation and commerce.

    The global influencer marketing market is set to reach $33 billion by 2025, up from $24 billion in 2024. In response, OMG is rolling out new tools through its Omni platform to enhance campaign planning and performance:

    * Creator Briefing Tool: Powered by Google Gemini, this helps creators shape content based on audience insights, cultural signals and brand data.

    * Creo Influencer Agent: An AI tool that identifies creators aligned with campaign objectives using Omni’s cultural intelligence suite.

    * Creator Performance Predictor: Built on Meta’s latest API, this machine learning tool forecasts which organic content will deliver stronger results when amplified with paid media—boosting outcomes by 38 per cent in early tests.

    “With influencers playing an increasingly important role in how audiences discover and engage with brands, bringing together our capabilities under Creo ensures clients in every market can access the same level of innovation, insight and strategic impact,” said Omnicom Media group CEO Florian Adamski. 

    In select regions, the brand will operate as OMGCreo. Backed by Omni, Creo positions influencer marketing as an accountable, data-driven channel designed to deliver results across the full marketing funnel.

  • Havas Media Network ropes in Pankaj Nayak from Dentsu

    Havas Media Network ropes in Pankaj Nayak from Dentsu

    MUMBAI: Havas Media Network has appointed Pankaj Nayak as CEO – Singapore & president – southeast Asia, effective immediately. With over two decades of experience in marketing and media across Asia, Nayak is set to drive the network’s strategic growth and innovation in the region.

    Nayak’s career encompasses leadership roles at prominent agencies. He served as managing director of the media group at Dentsu Singapore, where he enhanced product offerings in insights, commerce, experience, and analytics. Prior to Dentsu, Nayak held positions including OMD APAC chief marketing officer and Omnicom Media Group Asia Pacific, director of business development.

    An alumnus of the University of Mumbai, Nayak holds a Master of management studies in marketing and a Bachelor of Science in statistics from St. Xavier’s College.

    In his new role, Nayak will oversee Havas Media Network’s operations in Singapore and Southeast Asia, focusing on delivering integrated media solutions and fostering client partnerships.

    Havas Media Network’s leadership expressed confidence in Nayak’s appointment, citing his extensive experience and strategic vision as pivotal for the network’s expansion in the dynamic Southeast Asian market.

  • MICA and WebEngage introduces new course ‘Tech Tonic’

    MICA and WebEngage introduces new course ‘Tech Tonic’

    Mumbai: With brands shifting their focus to retaining existing customers instead of acquiring new ones, retention marketing and consumer tech has climbed up the priority list for marketers and media managers. Taking the digital leap, MICA Ahmedabad has introduced a course titled ‘Tech Tonic – Consumer Tech and Campaign Management’ that will equip students with key principles of Consumer Technology, Retention Marketing, and Campaign Management.

    To design and deliver this course, MICA’s Media Entertainment and Sports Management  Specialisation (MESM) Area has partnered with WebEngage, a leading MarTech platform and Retention Consultancy suite that simplifies user engagement at scale. Industry veterans will lead the eight-session intensive program which aims to bridge the gap between traditional marketing theory and the practical application of data analytics in today’s competitive consumer tech landscape.

    Speaking of the collaboration, MICA Dean Prof. Githa Heggde, said, “Today, data and technology is redefining consumer journeys and experiences. Hence, gaining a deeper understanding of the technologies that are reshaping and reconfiguring consumption experiences, costs and availability of data, analytics and business intelligence in media business becomes imperative. This collaboration with WebEngage acknowledges the growing need for academic programs that reflect the data-driven nature of modern marketing and will equip MESM area students with skills to tackle critical issues.”

    Spanning over five weeks, this course will help students delve into challenges faced by massive media platforms in India’s highly competitive market. They will gain deep insights exploring how such platforms analyse customer data, tackle user engagement, communicate effectively across channels, and ultimately acquire users and retain them in this dynamic environment.

    Delving into the course structure, MICA Prof. Santosh Patra and Prof. Anirudh Kalia, from the MESM area said, “Media, both as a vehicle and as businesses, have pivoted sharply from B2B to D2C under the waves of technology. This change makes it imperative for our media, entertainment and sports management specialisation students to learn data in all its nuances, building and managing consumer journeys and tools for engagement and retention. TechTonic – Consumer Tech & Campaign Mgmt is one such course that will equip them with both understanding and tools needed to navigate this better.”

    “The course curriculum will expose students with in-depth key marketing principles like data-driven campaign planning, customer segmentation, personalisation and hyper-personalisation and retail media measurement”, they added.

    WebEngage chief growth officer Ankur Gattani said, “This initiative aligns perfectly with WebEngage’s commitment to nurturing future-ready marketing, user engagement and retention professionals. There’s a great demand for talent in this space and I’m excited that MICA is giving the students a head-start into this subject – blending practical knowledge with their academic rigour.”

    The course will have experts including Omnicom Media Group chief media officer Rabe T Iyer, Ankur Gattani,  and Omnicom Media Group chief growth officer Anand Chakravarthy share their insights with our students.

  • Omnicom Media Group EMEA CEO Guy Marks to succeed Philippa Brown as CEO of PHD Worldwide

    Omnicom Media Group EMEA CEO Guy Marks to succeed Philippa Brown as CEO of PHD Worldwide

    Mumbai: Omnicom Media Group (OMG), the media services division of Omnicom Group Inc. today announced  OMG CEO EMEA  Guy Marks will succeed Philippa Brown as CEO  of PHD Worldwide.  

    “Guy is one of our industry’s most entrepreneurial leaders, with an approach that transformed first OMD’s and subsequently Omnicom Media Group’s offering in EMEA over the past six years,” said OMG global CEO Florian Adamski. “By enabling our agencies to quickly identify, adapt and respond in real time to the challenges of a dramatically changing consumer marketplace, he’s unlocked growth for our clients and made OMG  the #1 media agency group for net new business in the EMEA region  for the year-to-date, according to the most recent COMvergence reporting.  

    Adamski continues, “The fact that –  at the same time –  he was also one of the network’s key people coordinating Omnicom’s boots-on-the-ground Ukrainian relief and rescue efforts tells you everything you need to know about both his character and his leadership skills.”

    Brown, who has served as PHD’s global CEO since 2019, is stepping down following almost four decades in the media industry – including 16 years in leadership positions with OMG – to focus on non-executive advisory roles at both the corporate and advocacy levels.

    Commenting on Brown’s contributions, Adamski said,  “As CEO,  Philippa’s passion for great work that advanced our clients’ business goals was matched by her dedication to helping young talent advance their career goals.  After leading the agency through the Covid crisis, she brought PHD back stronger than ever, earning Media Network of the Year honors at the 2021 Cannes Festival;  winning Diageo, Chanel, Unilever, and most recently, the $300 million Grupo Bimbo account.  She also launched and oversaw OMG’s  Talent Management Community,  an initiative offering professional development across the entire career life cycle.

    “We are deeply grateful for her tireless leadership,  creative vision, and  unwavering commitment to meeting the needs of her clients and her people,  and we wish her all the best as she redirects her  singular energy, experience, and expertise to an exciting  new chapter in her career.”

    In 2022, PHD was ranked #2 globally for net new business gains – second only to sister OMG agency OMD – adding $902 billion in incremental billings in 2022.

    Marks joined OMG in 2014 following Omnicom’s acquisition of Mobile5, the global  UX, design and tech consultancy service that he co-founded.  As CEO of OMG EMEA,  he helped establish  Omnicom’s Transact connected commerce and retail media consultancy in the region; and co-architected the expansion of OMG’s TRKKN analytics and cloud consultancy from five European countries to 20 markets across APAC, EMEA and North America.

    “The thread that can be pulled through all my professional experience is driving growth through transformation,” said Marks. “As the CEO of PHD – an agency that was  born from a transformative concept of media as a strategic tool –  my priority will be assuring that every PHD account team around the world have the talent, tools,  technology and collective commitment to excellence they need to deliver the  transformative ideas, solutions and service that drive growth for our clients, our agency, and our people.”

    Marks, whose appointment is effective 1 October, will be headquartered in London, reporting to Adamski.  His successor as leader of OMG EMEA is expected to be named next week.  

  • 64% Indian streamers are more receptive to ads on streaming platforms than social media: Magnite report

    64% Indian streamers are more receptive to ads on streaming platforms than social media: Magnite report

    Mumbai: Magnite, the independent omnichannel sell-side advertising platform, on Tuesday released a study entitled “India Embraces the Streaming Era” that found ads on streaming platforms capture more attention than ads on social media. Nearly two-thirds of India’s streamers (64 per cent) are more responsive to advertising on streaming platforms, with many stating they often search for the product (48 per cent) and make a purchase (33 per cent) after the fact.

    The study also found that free or ad-supported content is preferred to paying for an ad-free experience. 80 per cent of streamers prefer to watch ad-supported content versus subscribing to an ad-free platform for a monthly fee.

    “OTT is unmatched in its ability to engage viewers, and we commissioned this study to better understand consumption patterns across the rapidly growing Indian streaming audience,” said Magnite managing director, Asia Gavin Buxton. “One of the study’s key findings shows that OTT advertising outperforms other mediums like social media when it comes to attention and purchasing power. With three-quarters of video viewers streaming more now than a year ago, advertisers should be actively exploring this channel to reach the right audiences.”

    According to the study, two thirds of streamers prefer to watch streaming services over traditional TV, and streamers rank the quality of content, platform usability, and content discovery as the top factors driving their decision to stream. The majority (75 per cent) of streamers are streaming more video content than a year ago, and 66 per cent expect to stream more next year.

    “We are witnessing the next stage in streaming’s evolution—one where the lines between SVoD, AVoD, and FAST are being blurred as we see audiences continue to fragment,” said Samsung Ads, India senior director Prabhvir Sahmey. Whilst globally we’re seeing the major streaming giants introduce ad-funded and hybrid models, locally we’ve seen the adoption of these freemium models in India gain considerable viewership. It is exciting to see such a promising future for ad-supported streaming confirmed both recently in our TV ad engagement study and validated in this new report from Magnite.”

    “The migration of audiences from linear TV to streaming signals an opportunity for our clients who are looking to invest in CTV and incorporate TV buys into their overall advertising strategies with screen-agnostic planning,” said Omnicom Media Group chief digital officer, APAC Bharat Khatri. “With the breadth of available inventory increasing and the preference for streaming across India according to Magnite’s research findings, advertisers should take note of where viewership is moving and invest in OTT to reach highly engaged viewers watching their favourite shows. At the same time, we are seeing a big shift happening on the measurement front, with viewability amounting to three seconds or half of an ad flashed on rapidly scrolling screens. It’s easy to see a growing gap between the opportunity to be seen and actually being seen, thus the need of the hour is to start optimising based on attention to generate incremental value across creative, media planning, and buying, and in turn improve brand health and performance.”

    Additional key findings from Magnite’s study include:

     ●  Mobile commands the majority of streamers’ time, and 88 per cent of viewers reported a positive viewing experience on smartphones, comparable to the number that reported a positive viewing experience on TV screens.

    ●  Mobile is the top streaming device, but time spent streaming on CTV is growing as smart TVs are introduced into Indian homes. 59 per cent of streamers are now watching CTV and spending an average of eight hours per week streaming content on a big screen.

    ●  Live streaming is becoming mainstream. Nearly all streamers (86 per cent) said they watch live content through streaming platforms, with streaming being particularly prevalent across news, sports, and reality content. Streamers are more likely to watch live programming on streaming platforms than on traditional TV.

    Check the full report here. ( https://www.magnite.com/research/india-streaming-era/).

  • Omnicom Media Group India appointed Anand Chakravarthy as its chief growth officer

    Omnicom Media Group India appointed Anand Chakravarthy as its chief growth officer

    Mumbai: Omnicom Media Group (OMG) India on Tuesday announced the on-boarding of Anand Chakravarthy as its new chief growth officer. Anand is set to use his strategic foresight and over two decades of rich industry experience to create new opportunities for growth and play an instrumental role in shaping OMG India’s future trajectory.

    He will report to Kartik Sharma, Group CEO of OMG India.

    With over 24 years of experience in marketing, advertising, media, and entrepreneurship and having worked with many reputable businesses, all of which witnessed exponential growth under his guidance, Anand has a deep well of knowledge to draw from. Prior to this, he has led many profitable businesses, including during his leadership stints at Essence Global, Wavemaker, and Reliance Broadcast Network.

    Anand’s strength lies in his ability to formulate crucial strategies that help businesses scale up and become sustainable in an extremely competitive market. Across his repertoire of experience, he has worked with global and Indian brands, including several leading D2C brands in India.

    Speaking of his appointment, Omnicom Media Group India CEO Kartik Sharma said, “I am delighted to welcome Anand on board. His extensive knowledge, values-based leadership style, and commitment to delivering results will undoubtedly be a great asset to our business going forward. His work speaks for itself and shows that he has the propensity to lead and help companies capitalise on new growth opportunities in an emerging market.”

    Anand Chakravarthy said, “I am thrilled to be a part of OMG India and get the opportunity to work with Kartik and his leadership team, for whom I have immense respect. OMG is recognised globally for its thought leadership and building future forward capabilities—a critical need in the industry today. Working in this ecosystem with this team and leveraging these capabilities to help brands evolve without any limitations is a fantastic opportunity. I look forward to fully committing to OMG’s vision and pushing the boundaries of innovation and growth.”