MAM
Dentsu International to axe 6,000 global employees: Reports
NEW DELHI: As the Japan-based global giant Dentsu International reels from the Covid2019-induced economic slowdown, it is planning to cut around 6,000 overseas jobs, several media reports indicated. It is expecting to end the next fiscal year in the red too.
As per a Financial Times article, Dentsu headquarters has created a £640 million restructuring programme, which will involve redundancies and brand consolidation. It also highlighted that about 230 people in its Japan office have applied for early retirement.
In addition to the pandemic, Dentsu had made considerable investments in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and the event’s postponement has severely impacted the company’s financials, with reports estimating a $30 billion hit.
Earlier this year, Dentsu International had consolidated its brand agencies into six global brands.
At that time, Dentsu group president and CEO Toshihiro Yamamoto had said, “We simply have too many brands, almost 300 across both Japan and internationally. This radical new structure will be more logical and transparent for our clients, enabling us to serve them better. It will also be operationally more efficient and allow the firm to reduce costs significantly.”
Dentsu acquired UK-based Aegis Network in 2013, leading to the subsequent establishment of Dentsu Aegis Network, representing the global operations of the group, outside Japan, in 2014.
MAM
One Hand Clap acquires Agenseed to enter distribution space
Creative agency expands into full-stack services with strategic buyout.
MUMBAI: One Hand Clap has decided to stop just clapping for great ideas now it wants to make sure they actually travel. The leading new-age creative agency and production house has acquired Agenseed, a seeding and distribution firm, marking its formal entry into the distribution segment. The move is aimed at expanding its role across the entire marketing value chain and unlocking new growth opportunities.
One Hand Clap expects the new distribution vertical to contribute up to 15 per cent of its overall revenues over the next 12–18 months, signalling a clear strategic shift beyond pure creative services.
Agenseed, founded by Monish Hardasani and Akram Malik, will function as the agency’s dedicated distribution arm. This acquisition strengthens One Hand Clap’s position as it aims to become a full-stack creative and distribution company in India’s rapidly growing digital advertising market.
With over 90 million posts shared daily on Instagram and brands allocating 25–35 per cent of their digital budgets to distribution and creator-led reach, amplification has become critical to campaign success. By integrating distribution early into the creative process, the agency hopes to help campaigns gain stronger cultural traction and momentum.
One Hand Clap founder Aakash Shah said, “The future of advertising is not just about executing great ideas, but about placing them intelligently. By owning both storytelling and distribution, we can drive greater impact for brands while opening up new revenue streams.”
Agenseed co-founder Monish Hardasani added, “The future belongs to ideas designed to travel. This partnership allows us to integrate distribution thinking at the source.”
Founded in 2019 by former AIB leaders Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan, One Hand Clap has worked with major brands including Swiggy, Google, Netflix India, Crocs, Duolingo, CRED, Bumble, BGMI and Chetak. The agency also secured investment from Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath last year.
In an increasingly fragmented attention economy, this acquisition reflects a broader industry shift where agencies are building end-to-end capabilities to stay competitive. One Hand Clap is clearly clapping louder and ensuring its ideas now reach much further.
