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Vice, WPP sign multi-million dollar ad deal
MUMBAI: Vice and WPP’s media investment unit GroupM have signed a multimillion-dollar advertising deal that will take advantage of the millennial-focused media company’s international expansion.
Vice co-founder and CEO Shane Smith and WPP CEO Martin Sorrell said that they agreed that millennials were the future. They were under-serviced, and the companies had to create more content.
The particulars of the deal involve Vice working with GroupM to use Vice’s insights, content and data to build an advertising platform across all of Vice’s global multi-screen and over-the-top properties. The deal was announced at the Dmexco conference in Cologne, Germany.
The deal is worth hundreds of millions of dollars in ad spending, according to Smith. A Vice spokesperson later added it is a multi-year, multi territory deal.
GroupM handles over USD 102 billion in advertising billings, according to research company Recma. GroupM said it handles one out of three ads globally.
Sorrell said that there were some difficulties working with Google and Facebook, and that there’ was a need to find another force.
In June, Vice announced plans to expand its presence to 51 territories, including having a TV, mobile and digital presence in India and the Middle East and TV content throughout Africa.
It also will add a 24-hour TV channel in Australia and New Zealand, where it already has a robust digital and mobile presence. Vice’s U.S. cable channel Viceland launched in February 2016, and it’s nightly HBO news show is slated to begin on 10 October.
WPP at present has an 8.5 per cent stake in Vice. At one point, it owned up to one-tenth of the company but has since sold some shares. Source: cnbc.com
MAM
Doms shines at Anime India Kolkata 2026 with live art zone
Stationery giant draws crowds with custom calligraphy studio on 14-15 February at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan.
MUMBAI: Doms just proved that the pen really is mightier than the sword especially when it’s turning anime fans into walking masterpieces. The stationery and art materials leader turned heads at Anime India Kolkata 2026, held on 14 and 15 February at Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, by ditching the usual booth for a full-on experiential playground. Amid a whirlwind of cosplay, fandom fever, and artistic vibes, the Doms zone became a magnet for creators, enthusiasts, and families who treat creativity like a core part of who they are.
Visitors dove hands-first into the brand’s latest launches across art supplies and writing instruments, testing how these tools could fuel their wildest ideas. The real show-stealer? A live personalisation studio where a pro artist whipped up custom calligraphy pieces and illustrated name cards using Doms products drawing steady crowds and turning product demos into genuine, shareable moments.
The setup didn’t just flaunt gear, it showed how the right tools can turn self-expression from a vague spark into something you can hold, frame, or post. For Doms, the two-day stint delivered a front-row seat to the mash-up of youth culture, art, and fandom highlighting why experiential, community-driven activations are rewriting the rules for the stationery category.
Doms Industries Limited managing director Santosh Raveshia summed it up, “Our participation at Anime India Kolkata reflects our continued focus on engaging meaningfully with emerging creative ecosystems. The energy and originality we witnessed at the event underscore how creativity today is deeply personal and community driven… Initiatives like our live personalization studio allow us to demonstrate the versatility and quality of our products while building authentic connections with young creators and families alike.”
As 2026 rolls on, Doms is betting big on these immersive touchpoints to keep inspiring the next wave of doodlers, dreamers, and die-hard fans proving that sometimes the best way to stand out is to let everyone else colour outside the lines.
