MAM
GroupM launches India Digital Playbook 2014-15
MUMBAI: “We recall that, at WPP Stream India in February 2014, the renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur metaphorically referred to digital marketing as Shiv Tandava. We whole-heartedly agree with Kapur’s viewpoint,” is how the GroupM opened and launched its India Digital Playbook.
The Playbook seeks to guide brand advertisers on the fast evolving digital media space in India.
With India now standing at third position globally in internet users after China and US, the user growth is brisk- India today has 2.3 times the users that it had three years back. As of June 2014 India has 243 million internet users. For marketers, this comes as a significant challenge as well as opportunity to re-look media priorities and mix to take advantage of this shift.
The always moving, always new, always-on digital and mobile screen experiences that are prevalent today constitute a new media phenomenon. This brings immense opportunities as well as new challenges on how brands now need to converse with their customers. Successful brands will be those that can adapt to the unrelenting pace of digital innovation.
To help brands in this endeavour, GroupM has got some of the best digital minds in the country to come up with seven actionable opportunities in the coming year – like mobility, real time content and media, digital and experiential platforms.
The playbook further details several milestones – including creating a matrix of outcomes and drafting a mobile first view- that brands should aspire to achieve this year to capitalise on these opportunities. The playbook recommends that brand advertisers adopt holistic insights and data driven approach with integrated marketing technology framework as the key enabler.
GroupM Interaction managing partner Tushar Vyas said, “The digital revolution has now become an avalanche. This in turn opens greater avenues for brands to reach out and communicate effectively with their target audience. The Group M India Digital Playbook aims at providing a blueprint to help guide marketers through the twists and turns that await us.”
The report goes on to say that currently the marketplace is very cluttered and fragmented in India and Programmatic Advertising has become a “catchall” term that the industry is using for behavioural targeting, real time bidding, exchange buying and all sort of things. Through the Playbook, the media agency wants to help marketers traverse this maze where it has outlined a few key recommendations on the Programmatic Advertising Strategy.
Click here to read the Playbook
Brands
Nestlé India posts 14.9 per cent sales growth, profit rises in FY26
FMCG major sweetens returns with dividend as strong domestic demand leads
NEW DELHI: Nestlé India has reported a strong financial performance for the year ended 31 March 2026, with sales and profits rising steadily on the back of robust domestic demand.
The company posted total income of Rs 231,949.5 million for FY26, up from Rs 202,645.5 million in the previous year, marking a growth of 14.9 per cent. Domestic sales remained the key driver, increasing 14.6 per cent to Rs 221,187.0 million, while exports contributed Rs 9,527.6 million to the overall tally.
The final quarter of the financial year added extra momentum, with total sales rising 23.4 per cent compared to the same period last year. This helped lift the company’s annual profit to Rs 35,446.0 million, up from Rs 33,145.0 million in FY25.
Shareholders are set to benefit as the board has recommended a final dividend of Rs 5.00 per equity share. This comes on top of the interim dividend of Rs 7.00 per share paid in February 2026. The record date for the final dividend has been fixed as 10 July 2026, subject to shareholder approval at the 67th Annual General Meeting scheduled for 3 July 2026. If approved, the payout will begin from 30 July 2026.
During the year, the company’s paid-up equity share capital doubled to Rs 1,928.3 million following a 1:1 bonus share issue, strengthening its capital base. The results were also supported by a Rs 1,207.8 million credit from exceptional items, including a Rs 2,023.2 million writeback from resolved income tax litigation, partially offset by restructuring costs and expenses related to new labour codes.
On the cost front, material costs rose to 44.8 per cent of sales for the full year, compared to 43.6 per cent in the previous year, reflecting ongoing input cost pressures. Despite this, the company maintained solid profitability, with EBITDA coming in at Rs 53,060.6 million.
Overall, Nestlé India’s performance underscores its ability to balance growth and margins in a challenging environment. With steady demand, disciplined cost management and consistent shareholder returns, the company appears well placed to carry its momentum into the next financial year.
