MAM
Dentsu Aegis buys leading UI/UX design agency Fractal
MUMBAI: Dentsu Aegis Network has announced the acquisition of Fractal Ink Design Studio Pvt Ltd, a leading experiential design studio in India, which will join the network’s award-winning digital agency – Isobar, and be rebranded as “Fractal Ink Design Studio – Linked By Isobar”.
The acquisition will add significant scale to the agency’s expertise in mobility and user experience, the most in-demand disciplines in the market. In addition, it will bring together a team of 1,000 digital experts, one of the largest in India, including the combined Isobar team and the existing network digital brands iProspect, WATConsult and Dentsu Webchutney.
Established in 2010, Fractal specialises in user experience and user interface design (UI/UX) and digital design strategy services for major clients including Aditya Birla Group, Raymond, Idea group, MetLife, Times Network and Axis Bank. It is amongst the top three largest design studios in India, boasting 65 digital experts operating from Mumbai and Bangalore.
Recently, Fractal was awarded the title of “India’s Best UI/UX Design Studio” by POOL, one of India’s leading design magazines. Its innovative design work has also been recognised by CII Awards, having won various awards in 2014 and 2015 including the Interaction Design – Consumer, Home and Personal in the Internet of Things category.
Fractal CEO, co-founder and creative director Tanay Kumar will join the Dentsu Aegis leadership team in India and will report to Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia chairman and CEO Ashish Bhasin. Co-founders Geeta Suthar, Hemant Suthar and Priyanka Agrawal will continue in their roles as part of the management team.
Bhasin said, “Fractal has an ideal combination of technology and creative services. Given the impending explosion of Internet of Things, wearables and mobile, this unique skill set will add to the group’s status of being digitally ahead in India.
“Today, Dentsu Aegis Network’s digital share in India is three times that of the market average and this will bring us closer to our mission of being the second largest agency group in India by end 2017, overturning – for the first time – the existing ranking which has historically been in place for over 80 years in India,” Bhasin added.
Isobar global CEO Jean Lin said, “To deliver immersive Brand Commerce experiences that close the gap between brand inspiration and transaction, we need passionate talent with strong in-market design capabilities. Fractal further strengthens our local mobile and experience design capability.”
Kumar said, “We have come a long way in the last six years in establishing ourselves as leaders in the digital design and strategy space. Dentsu Aegis Network’s shared vision towards the digital and connected world will allow us to tap into latest industry best practices and tools as well as scale our operations geographically.”
Brands
Axis Bank named Official Banking Partner of DP World PGTI
Partnership supports all tournaments this season to grow professional golf in India.
MUMBAI: Axis Bank just teed up a hole-in-one partnership because when a bank sponsors golf’s biggest swing in India, even the fairways feel more financially secure. Axis Bank has been appointed Official Banking Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI), strengthening its commitment to sporting excellence and community engagement while backing the growth of professional golf across the country.
Under the partnership, Axis Bank will support all DP World PGTI tournaments this season, contributing to talent development, enhanced tournament experiences and wider fan engagement. The collaboration aligns the bank’s values of precision, discipline and trust with the Tour’s focus on performance and opportunity.
Axis Bank executive director Munish Sharda said, “We are pleased to partner with DP World PGTI as its Official Banking Partner. Golf embodies precision, discipline, and a pursuit of excellence qualities that strongly reflect who we are at Axis Bank. This association also strengthens our engagement with India’s growing premium customer segments, where the sport has a deep and enduring connect.”
Professional Golf Tour of India president Kapil Dev said, “We are extremely pleased to welcome Axis Bank as a Tour Partner of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India. Partnerships of this stature play a vital role in strengthening the foundation of the Tour, enhancing opportunities for our players, and expanding the sport’s reach across the country.”
Professional Golf Tour of India CEO Amandeep Johl added, “Axis Bank’s strong legacy of excellence, innovation, and nationwide reach aligns perfectly with DP World PGTI’s goal to elevate professional golf in India and provide greater opportunities for our players.”
In a sport where every stroke counts and every partnership drives distance, Axis Bank isn’t just backing golfers, it’s investing in the fairway to future, turning India’s greens into a stage where precision meets passion and every drive has the power to inspire.
