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Wieden & Kennedy bags $100m AOL Time Warner’s corporate brand account
NEW YORK: Wieden & Kennedy has managed to pip Omnicom group siblings BBDO Worldwide and DDB Needham to the finishing line. AOL Time Warner’s America Online selected Wieden & Kennedy, Portland, Ore., to handle its estimated $100 million corporate brand advertising account after a nearly five month review process. AOL is planning to reinvent itself as a hub for community, communication and content, rather than simply an Internet access provider.
An adage report says that Wieden & Kennedy, an independent shop known for its award-winning work on the Nike account, has been chosen as the job of refashioning AOL’s image for the broadband age. Wieden also worked on Microsoft Corp.’s MSN in 1995.
However, BBDO, which currently handles advertising for AOL’s broadband service and related entertainment products, won additional duties. According to the report, it will create advertising to launch AOL 9.0; along with premium services when the latest version of the service launches in October.
The company’s executive VP-brand marketing Len Short, who led the review process, had recently informed Advertising Age that AOL spent $40 million on broadband advertising from January to May, and he puts broadband spending for the balance of the year in the $40 million to $60 million range.
Short has said AOL needs to show it plays a role in helping people navigate their lives through wireless alerts, interactive polls or real-time chat.
AOL has about 26 million customers in the United States and a $23.90-per-month subscription fee; a broadband add-on is $9.95 a month. AOL is expected to introduce new pricing and a score of new for-pay premium services by this fall.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
