IPG joins armies: Lodestar, Universal McCann merge in India, Shashi Sinha elected CEO of merged entity
Media conglomerate IPG is taking some serious steps to fight the battle for share in the Media pie. In India the move is seen in the form of the merger of two entities – Lodestar and Universal McCann. The merged entity would be called Lodestar Universal and will officially launch on August 3, 2006. Shashi Sinha, President, Lodestar Media, has been elected to head the entity as CEO.

Media conglomerate Interpublic Group of Companies (IPG) is taking some serious steps to fight the battle for share in the Media pie at the global level. The Group has brands like FCB, McCann Erickson and Lowe in its fold. Media specialists under the IPG umbrella include Universal McCann, Initiative Media and Lodestar in India. IPG has made various moves to draw on network strength in various markets on the media front, and in India, the move is seen in the form of the merger of two entities – Lodestar and Universal McCann. The merged entity would be called Lodestar Universal and will officially launch on August 3, 2006. Shashi Sinha, President, Lodestar Media, has been elected to head the entity as CEO.
For Sinha, this responsibility comes in addition to the chair he holds at the regional level for FCB. Explaining more on this merger, Sinha said, “This is a very significant step. The sheer scale of operations will go up with this move. I would say that we would be the number two player in the India market. The merger also would mean that we would be able to focus and invest more on our position of thought leadership and bringing value-added offerings – whether it is the Lab Centre, our Retail or Brand Experience unit.”
In terms of people power, the merger just might prove simpler than a few others recently seen, as Universal McCann really didn’t see a dedicated India head after Chintamani Rao exited the post. The agency has heads in the form of Srinivas Prabu, GM, Mumbai; Vaishali Verma, GM, Bangalore; and Anamika Mehta, GM, Delhi. Details on what kind of changes can be expected on these fronts will be finalised later this week.
Lodestar Universal will see a Management Board comprising Nandini Dias (VP, Lodestar), Arpita Menon (GM, Lodestar) and Anamika Mehta. This core team would be responsible for the business development of the new entity and other top managerial duties.
Industry sources peg Lodestar Universal’s billings in the vicinity of over Rs 1,000 crore, which is a significant portion of the Indian market. In addition to the heavyweight clients like Tata Group of Lodestar, Universal McCann also has names like Microsoft, Intel, and J&J, among others.
At present, there isn’t much clarity on the integration plans of the two entities, but an inkling of what can be expect is seen in Sinha’s statement that while Lodestar was strong in the Mumbai market, Universal McCann was strong in Delhi and Bangalore. “There are enough ways of co-existing,” he added.
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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