MAM
Mobile advertising drives M&C Saatchi growth for 2011
MUMBAI: Even as industry pundits predict that digital and mobile advertising is the mantra for the future, mobile advertising and social media marketing services helped M&C Saatchi to more than double its pre-tax profits last year.
The mobile group has contributed 15-20 per cent of M&C Saatchi’s UK profits, doing work for brands including the O2 arena and Speedo.
Advertising spending on mobile devices leapt by 157 per cent last year to ?203.2m in the UK, according to figures published on Tuesday by the Internet Advertising Bureau and PwC.
Revenues rose 22 per cent to ?153.1m in the year ended 31 December with pre-tax profits jumping from ?7.8 million in 2010 to ?16 million.
The Financial Times quoted M&C Saatchi chief executive David Kershaw as having said: “2012 has started well. We see pretty good growth. We are looking at double-digit earnings growth next year and going into 2013.”
In 2010 M&C Saatchi acquired Inside Mobile, an agency dedicated to creating applications and other forms of smartphone marketing.
Much of M&C Saatchi’s mobile revenues are coming from existing clients. “There’s an inverse relationship between client knowledge and agency margin,” Kershaw told FT. “At the moment, client understanding of mobile is in the foothills, which means there’s a greater dependence on experts. There is not an oversupply of experts yet, which means you get a healthy margin. The next two or three years should be very healthy.”
The agency’s newer international offices in South Africa, the US and Latin America also contributed to the boost as they became profitable.
M&C Saatchi was hit by some big client losses particularly in Australasia but won in other fast-growing areas, such as mobile.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
