AD Agencies
Chimp&z Inc retains Playgard Condoms’ digital mandate
Mumbai: Playgard Condoms owned by one of India’s largest pharmaceutical companies Alkem Laboratories Ltd. has retained Chimp&z Inc, a 360-degree integrated marketing agency as its digital partner for the second year in a row.
As per the announcement, Chimp&z Inc will not only be working on strengthening the brand's online identity by handling Playgard Condoms’ social media presence on all platforms but also be conceptualizing creative campaigns and providing digital services like content creation and SEO.
Playgard Condoms are manufactured and marketed by its parent company and multinational pharmaceutical giant Alkem Laboratories Ltd. headquartered in Mumbai. With a portfolio of about 750 branded generic drugs, 14 manufacturing facilities in India and 2 in the U.S., Alkem Laboratories Ltd. ranks among the top pharmaceutical companies in India.
Speaking about the retainment of Chimp&z Inc, Kartik Soni, Sr. Product Manager, Alkem Laboratories Ltd. said, “We are happy to continue our association with Chimp&z Inc. Chimp&z Inc has once again impressed us with its creative business & media solutions and off-the-cuff approach. We are happy to renew this partnership and are confident that their team will continue to create engaging content for our target group.”
Following this event, Anngad Mnchnda, Co-founder & CEO, Chimp&z Inc, said, “We are very delighted that Playgard Condoms has selected us to be their digital mentor for the second year in a row. Retaining the mandate for a quirky and innovative brand like Playgard Condoms is a clear endorsement of Chimp&z Inc’s competency and ability to consistently create brilliant work that soars far beyond the expectations of our clients. We are excited to be on board with Playgard Condoms and look forward to doing more amazing work for them in the future.”
AD Agencies
WPP to cut jobs in £500m restructuring drive as revenue drops 8.1 per cent
CEO outlines reset after 30.1 percent profit decline
LONDON: WPP has signalled further job cuts as it embarks on a multi-year restructuring aimed at simplifying its sprawl, hardwiring artificial intelligence into its services and hauling profitability back on course.
The UK-listed advertising group will fold itself into a single integrated company structured around four divisions: WPP Creative, WPP Media, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions, under a plan to deliver £500 million in gross annual cost savings by 2028.
On the fourth-quarter earnings call, chief financial officer Joanne Wilson said the arithmetic was unavoidable. “In a business where most of our cost savings are people, that will mean a reduction of certain heads,” she said, adding that the group would reinvest in newer capabilities such as commerce, influencer marketing and advanced analytics.
The shift reflects a deeper rewiring. As AI becomes embedded in client workflows, the skills mix across the company is changing. Some roles will go; others will be created. “We will be reallocating talent around the business,” Wilson said, noting fresh hiring in data, technology and performance marketing.
Chief executive officer Cindy Rose said WPP was expanding internal training, including AI coaching and creative-technology apprenticeships, and embedding engineers from technology partners into client teams. Continuous reskilling, she argued, is central to staying competitive.
The urgency is financial. Revenue fell 8.1 per cent to £13.55 billion in 2025, while profit after tax dropped 30.1 per cent to £738 million. Staff costs, including severance and incentives, declined by £576 million as permanent headcount shrank 8.7 per cent and freelance spending fell 14 per cent.
Wilson warned that net new business headwinds would likely persist into the first half of 2026, citing cautious client spending and volatile marketing budgets.
On Thursday, WPP formally launched ‘Elevate 28’ a strategic programme to integrate media, creative, production and enterprise services, lower the cost base and improve cash generation.
Rose said 2026 would be about stabilising net new business performance. By 2027, a revamped go-to-market model should be fully embedded, paving the way for a return to growth. From 2028 onwards, WPP hopes to operate as a leaner, AI-enabled outfit with fatter margins: smaller, sharper and more machine-driven.
