MAM
HUL retains top advertiser spot in week 28: BARC
Mumbai: Continuing with last week’s trend, Hindustan Unilever Ltd. maintained its position as the top advertiser across genres during BARC week 28 (10 July – 16 July). The recorded ad volume, however, fell from 4893.09 (‘000 sec) in week 27 to 4450.14 (‘000 sec).
HUL was followed by Reckitt Benckiser (India) ltd. with ad volume of 3721.89 (‘000sec). The figure stood at 4180.54 in week 27.
The top two advertisers were followed by Amazon Online India, Godrej Consumer Products, Cadburys India, Brooke Bond Lipton India, Procter & Gamble, Coca Cola India, Pepsi Co, and Colgate Palmolive India, in that order.
Wipro and Ponds India which held the seventh and ninth position in week 27 went off the list making way for Procter & Gamble and Coca Cola India at number seven and eight, respectively.
Among the brands, RB’s Dettol held onto the top slot with ad volume of 700.86 (‘000sec), as against 754.83 (‘000sec) in week 27. Thums Up made its way to the second position clocking ad volume of 547.24 (‘000 sec). The beverage brand from Coca Cola India was not on the top-ten list last week.
Dettol and Thums Up were followed by Amazon.in, Delhi Skill and Entrepreneurship University, Vimal Elaichi Pan Masala, Dettol Toilet Soaps, Veet Cold Wax Strip, Horlicks, Close Up Ever Fresh, and Lizol.
MAM
Publicis Groupe acquires sports marketing agency 160over90
Deal strengthens Publicis Sports with global scale and talent partnerships.
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe has just scored a major goal in the sports marketing arena and this time, it’s not just about fans in the stands, but brands looking to win big. The French advertising giant has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 160over90, a leading global sports and culture-first agency that is part of WME Group. The move builds on Publicis Sports’ recent expansions, including the acquisitions of Adopt and Bespoke in 2025, a partnership with Magic Johnson Enterprises, and the launch of Influential Sports.
The combined Publicis Sports group will be led by Suzy Deering, CEO of Publicis Sports. Robbie Henchman, most recently President of 160over90, will stay with WME Group as Senior Partner and President of its brand representation business while overseeing the strategic partnership between WME Group and Publicis Groupe.
160over90 employs over 670 people across the US, UK, EMEA and APAC. It specialises in creating meaningful connections between brands, sports events, properties and culture. The sports media market is valued at $150 billion globally, while sports sponsorships have crossed $90 billion, yet many marketers still struggle with fragmented and outdated approaches.
With this acquisition, Publicis aims to offer brands a more unified solution through greater scale and reach across key markets, data-first optimisation powered by the Publicis Sports Intelligence platform, activation of the creator economy via Influential, and a new strategic talent and entertainment partnership with WME Group.
Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun described sport as one of the most high-value channels in the age of AI. “This acquisition is the latest demonstration of our ongoing commitment to investing in the channels and capabilities that deliver the highest value for our clients,” he said.
Publicis Connected Media CEO Dave Penski added that sport has become the most powerful intersection of culture, commerce and community.
WME Group president and managing partner Mark Shapiro noted that combining 160over90 with Publicis Sports will create an unmatched offering for brands seeking deeper connections with sports fans.
In a fragmented sports marketing landscape, Publicis has clearly decided that the best way to win is to bring the whole team together turning scattered plays into one powerful, end-to-end strategy that connects brands to fans in meaningful and measurable ways.
