MAM
Aegis Q3 revenue growth better than rivals
MUMBAI: Amid slowdown in Asia Pacific and Europe, Aegis Group has posted fiscal-third quarter revenue growth of 14.5 per cent. Even the organic revenue (excluding acquisitions and disposals) growth was at 6.3 per cent for the three-month period ended 30 September, higher than rivals WPP Group, Havas and Publicis Grooupe who ran slower at around two per cent.
Aegis, which houses media agencies such as Carat and Vizeum and digital network Isobar, did not provide revenue figures as it is in the process of being acquired by Dentsu.
By geographical region, Aegis‘ organic revenues in the Asia Pacific region saw a slump to four per cent compared to 14.4 per cent in the trailing quarter. Europe, Middle East and Africa slowed from 3.8 per cent in Q2 to 2.8 per cent in Q3. The Americas grew by 15.2 per cent in the third quarter which is down 18 per cent in the second quarter.
Aegis Media grew at 6.3 per cent while its research arm Aztec grew at 6.7 per cent.
The Group made a number of acquisitions and investments in the third quarter of 2012, including Catch Stone in China, Hablar in Japan, C2 in India, D2D and iSpy in the UK, W Garden in France, Irokeesi in Finland, and IQ Mobile in Austria.
The group‘s total revenue for the first nine months ended 30 September increased by 16.3 per cent while its organic revenue saw an increase of 7.9 per cent. Aegis Media delivered total net new business wins of $2.9 billion during the first nine months of the year as compared to $2.4 billion in 2011.
Aegis Group chief executive officer Jerry Buhlmann said, “Aegis produced another strong performance in the third quarter of 2012, with continued market-outperformance and sector-leading organic growth. Our strong business mix, supported by targeted acquisitions, gives Aegis a unique opportunity to deliver the integrated campaigns our clients require in the convergent media environment.”
Earlier on 12 July Japanese media company Dentsu Inc. and Aegis announced that they had reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash offer by Dentsu for Aegis. Shareholders approved the transaction at shareholder meetings on 16 August 2012.
On 6 November, it was announced that all antitrust clearances identified in Part A of Part Three of the Scheme Document have been obtained, with the exception of clearance from the Ministry of Commerce of the People‘s Republic of China (“MOFCOM”) pursuant to the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People‘s Republic of China (the “Anti-Monopoly Law”).
“Dentsu and Aegis remain confident that the Scheme will become effective on or prior to 28 February 2013 (the long stop date referred to in the Scheme Document),” Aegis said.
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.
