MAM
Agency retains India brief, adds e-commerce remit and 21-market Europe expansion
MUMBAI: WPP Media has successfully retained its integrated media mandate for Reckitt India, while significantly expanding the relationship with the addition of the e-commerce media mandate. The renewed partnership builds on an association that began in 2023 and reinforces WPP Media’s position as Reckitt’s long-term strategic partner in India.
Under the refreshed scope, Wavemaker will continue to lead media strategy, planning and buying for Reckitt, while also taking charge of the newly awarded e-commerce mandate. The consolidated remit brings mainline media, digital and commerce under a single integrated operating model, aimed at delivering sharper execution, operational efficiency and measurable business impact across consumer touchpoints.
The partnership has also expanded beyond India. Effective 1 January 2026, WPP Media will manage media planning and buying for Reckitt across 21 European markets, marking a significant step in the company’s global media transformation and deepening WPP Media’s international role within the Reckitt ecosystem.
In India, the enhanced mandate will see WPP Media deploy a dedicated team of commerce specialists embedded within Reckitt’s e-commerce operations. The team will work across the funnel, spanning commerce media strategy, execution, analytics and performance optimisation, with the objective of improving discoverability, consideration and conversion across India’s fast-growing digital and quick-commerce platforms.
Reckitt executive vice president for South Asia Gaurav Jain said the expanded partnership reflects a shift in expectations from media agencies, moving beyond efficiency to accountability for growth. He noted that e-commerce has become increasingly material to the company’s topline and requires sharper rigour and execution at the digital shelf.
WPP Media South Asia president of client solutions Ajay Gupte said the mandate renewal and expansion underline the trust built through consistent delivery. He added that as media and commerce continue to converge, the focus will remain on balancing brand-building with performance, and creativity with data, to drive sustainable growth.
The expanded remit covers Reckitt’s entire Indian portfolio, including brands such as Dettol, Harpic, Durex, Finish, Lysol and Veet, ensuring they remain optimised for performance across both traditional media and India’s rapidly evolving e-commerce ecosystem.
MAM
Ad:tech honours 2026: Full list of winners announced
Expanded awards spotlight winners across 22 categories as industry doubles down on intelligent automation
NEW DELHI: Marketing’s tech elite took the spotlight as the ad:tech honours 2026 returned with a sharper focus on AI, data and immersive media, signalling how deeply technology now underpins brand strategy. Held at Yashobhoomi on March 17, the second edition drew industry leaders to celebrate innovation that is reshaping engagement and performance.
Presented with the International Advertising Association India chapter and new partner Huella, the awards expanded from 8 to 22 categories, tracking the rapid convergence of creativity, automation and analytics.
The winners’ list reads like a snapshot of marketing’s future. In affiliate and partner marketing, Lyxel & Flamingo – Boat and Paytm Ads – Giva took silver. Mobavenue Media Private Limited struck gold in AI-driven dynamic creative optimisation, alongside a silver for Laqshya Media Limited.
Creative AI collaboration saw Rediffusion Brand Solutions Private Limited win gold, with Saltinc Consulting Private Limited securing silver. Laqshya Media Limited continued its strong run, taking gold in AI conversation agents and adding multiple wins across categories, including silver in GenAI-led creative and both gold and silver in interactive DOOH campaigns for Tanishq and Tata Coffee.
Predictive AI honours went to Strong Metrics and Tyroo, both silver, while Orient Bell Limited picked up silver in immersive retail tech. In GenAI-led creative, Laqshya Media Limited, Salt – Kotak and Sumimoto each secured silver, reflecting the crowded race in generative creativity.
Publicis bagged silver in influencer management and gold in performance marketing, where it shared the stage with Arm Worldwide and The Trade Desk, both silver. Glad U Came Private Limited stood out with gold in influencer measurement and analytics.
Marketing automation saw CereOne Media Pvt. Ltd. and Globale Media win silver, while ADMOTT Private Limited claimed silver in OTT innovation.
Programmatic media categories highlighted the shift to advanced targeting and connected screens. Mobavenue Media Private Limited clinched gold in connected TV advertising, with Animmoov Digital Media Pvt Ltd – Asus and Lyxel and Flamingo taking silver. Cheggout Services Private Limited won silver in retail media advertising, while Paytm Ads – Versuni secured gold.
On social platforms, Vayner Media India took gold in community and UGC engagement, with Under 25 – Oppo winning silver. Segumento rounded off the list with silver in the innovation category.
Jaswant Singh, country managing director at ad:tech India, underscored the momentum, saying generative AI and data-driven decision-making are now central to marketing impact. Neena Dasgupta, IAA mancom member and chief executive and founder at The Salt Inc Consulting, added that the awards celebrate not just technology, but “the people, the creativity, and the relentless effort behind it.”
Backed by Comexposium Group, ad:tech New Delhi has long tracked digital disruption. Now, with the honours, it is rewarding those who are not just adapting to change but engineering it.
In an industry racing towards automation, the message from 2026 is unmistakable. The future of marketing will be written not just in ideas, but in algorithms.
