Brands
Ykone agency acquires Barcode
Mumbai: YKONE, an international influencer marketing agency, announces the acquisition of 70 per cent of the Indian agency Barcode, a content & influencer marketing agency. With this strategic move and by combining the strengths of both companies, YKONE has positioned itself as a worldwide leader in influencer marketing with a turnover of close to $100 million
Ykone continues to pursue Its international growth
Founded in 2008, YKONE first launched with their headquarters in Paris and is now implanted in 18 of the world’s most important cities, from Hong Kong to Dubai to Milan. Over the past decade, the agency has established itself as the international leader in influencer marketing, pioneering the industry and pursuing increasingly ambitious campaigns for brands in the luxury, beauty, fashion and travel sectors, and more recently in the FMCG market.
Hugo Boss, Chopard, Prada, Estée Lauder, Ferragamo, and Nespresso are among the 100+ iconic brands that trust YKONE to connect with their audience through impactful stories and content on social media. YKONE offers all-encompassing influencer marketing and social media solutions to provide a seamless experience to their clients.
The Acquisition of the Barcode Agency
After early and successful influencer marketing campaigns involving some of India’s biggest stars, such as Deepika Padukone for Chopard and Priyanka Chopra for Experience Abu Dhabi, YKONE’s acquisition of Barcode is a strategic move that aligns with the growing opportunities in the Indian influencer market. India’s luxury market is expected to be one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. A Bain & Co. report even suggests that by 2030, the luxury market in India could reach a staggering $200 billion. With India’s massive social media audience of over 500 million people, the acquisition creates a platform for brands and creators to be part of the next big global journey.
The talent management branch of Barcode, known as “CLICK MEDIA,” represents more than 20 famous Indian influencers & actors such as Rohit Zinjurke (30 million followers) and Karishma Sharma (2,2 million followers). This adds significant value to YKONE’s portfolio and enhances its ability to connect brands with high-profile influencers in the Indian market.
YKONE’s decision to remain independent and carve its path in the influencer marketing and social media industry sets it apart from social media marketing agencies that are often absorbed by larger advertising groups. By staying independent, YKONE can maintain its agility, focus on innovation, and establish itself as a worldwide leader in the field. The acquisition of Barcode further strengthens YKONE’s position, with a turnover of $100 million and a workforce of over 300 employees. This consolidation of resources and expertise positions YKONE for continued growth and success in the influencer marketing and social media worldwide landscape.
YKONE founder and CEO Olivier Billon stated: “The acquisition of Barcode Agency is a significant step for YKONE and its international expansion. YKONE already had a presence in India with an office in Bangalore since 2017. With the addition of Barcode’s operations in India, YKONE’s reach in the country and the broader Asia-Pacific region expands even further.”
Barcode CEO Rahul Khanna stated: “We express our heartfelt appreciation to our customers and collaborators in India. This acquisition empowers us to provide worldwide services to our Indian clientele while simultaneously promoting India’s unique narrative globally. We are very proud to join forces with YKONE’s talented teams. My ambition with Olivier is to achieve worldwide supremacy in the field of Influencer Marketing.
We are happy to introduce CAMPAYGN to the Indian market. This innovative tool shall help fill the gap of Indian customers planning their content & social commerce strategy with Barcode and YKONE.”
With this move, both YKONE and Barcode can leverage their respective strengths, resources, and expertise to seize new business opportunities and adapt to the evolving developments in the international influencer marketing landscape.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
