MAM
GroupM introduces GroupM Next, picks Chris Copeland as CEO
MUMBAI: GroupM has launched an innovation unit, GroupM Next, to support the ongoing efforts of its four agencies- Maxus, MEC, MediaCom and Mindshare.
The agency has named GroupM Search CEO Chris Copeland as the CEO for GroupM Next. Mindshare leader of digital media operations for North America Cary Tilds will be the chief innovation officer of the new unit.
GroupM Next will focus on providing insights and will help the core partners and emerging players in online, mobile and social develop. The unit will assist them in the creation and management of partnership opportunities, integration into technology and data systems and education to deliver best practices. It also will build on the body of original research focusing on consumer use of new platforms and devices and the impact of that usage on brand marketing.
GroupM North America CEO Rob Norman said, “GroupM Next is dedicated to creating, capturing and ensuring the implementation of the best thinking and new insights from our community in the digital, social, mobile and addressable media markets. Our goal is to create an active partnership across GroupM and our clients to develop actionable insight and a clear path to action on the platforms that are changing our industry.”
Copeland is with the organisation since 2000. He has led the development and integration of the global search marketing offering for GroupM agencies. In his new role, he will leverage his experience with emerging media companies to steward the GroupM Next programme in partnership with agency leadership. The focus will be participating with those companies leading changes that most impact consumer media consumption, brand favorability and purchase behavior.
Copeland said, “There are a number of companies that are transforming media and the way consumers and brands behave. These changes are of paramount importance to GroupM and its clients. It’s our job to provide unmatched competitive advantage for our clients with these partners. It’s the job of GroupM Next to assist our agencies and their clients in realizing this opportunity.”
Tilds had joined Mindshare in 2007. In her new role, she will be identifying and implementing specific technology and platform opportunities into existing proprietary systems and workflows to ensure that GroupM agencies and their clients can participate with speed and relevance.
Brands
Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
