MAM
Publicis acquires US digital agency Rokkan
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has acquired 100 per cent stake in New York based full service digital agency Rokkan Media LLC.
This is the group’s third acquisition in New York, having earlier acquired stake in luxury advertising agency AR New York on 4 December and in Outside Line on 13 December. These acquisitions have been made as a result of Publicis’ strong commitment to growth within the US market and the rapidly growing digital sector.
Rokkan will operate as an autonomous unit within Publicis Groupe, and its co-founders — CEO John Noe, chief experience officer Chung Ng, and chief creative officer Charles Bae — will continue to lead the agency.
The name Rokkan comes from the Japanese word for intuition or “sixth sense”. Founded in 2000, the agency focuses its expertise on creating innovative campaigns with strong cross-platform appeal in e-commerce, loyalty programs, digital marketing, mobile and social media. Rokkan‘s core services include strategy and planning, user experience, visual design, technology, 3D and motion graphics, marketing, game/app development and emerging media. The agency employs 70 professionals.
Rokkan serves a list of brands that include JetBlue Airways (aviation), Nestlé Purina PetCare, Sharp Electronics, Bethesda Softworks (gaming), Chipotle Mexican Grill (restaurant chain), Caesars Entertainment (hotels and casinos), Dish Networks (satellite broadcasting), and Stolichnaya Vodka.
Noe, Bae and NG said in a statement, “This is a major stepping stone that will take Rokkan to the next level and beyond. We‘ve seen a number of potential buyers over the years, but it wasn‘t until we met with the folks at Publicis Groupe that we found a partnership we truly believed in. Joining Publicis Groupe gives Rokkan access to resources, capabilities and knowledge to better scale, grow and service our multinational clients. Furthermore, it will help support Rokkan’s aggressive plans for domestic and global growth. We‘re thrilled to be joining a company that believes in our culture, people and vision.”
Publicis has announced that it intends to transform itself into a ‘Human Digital Company’ and that 50 per cent of its overall revenues will be from its digital busbiness. In the United States, the group’s revenue derived from digital has reached nearly 50 per cent.
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
