Brands
It’s all FMCG brands among top 10 TV advertisers in week one of 2017
BENGALURU: Hindustan Lever Limited (Lever) brands led the FMCG brands with a massive 96,682 television advertisement insertions (36.03 percent of the total insertions by top 10 advertisers). The total number of television ad insertions by the top10 brands in week 1 of 2017 (Saturday, 31 December 2016 to Friday 6 January 2017) was 268,323 as Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data for top 10 advertisers Across Genre: All India (U+R): 4+ Individuals. All the companies among the top 10 television advertisers were FMCG players. The total number of insertions by the top 10 advertisers in week 1 was 3.22 percent more than the 259,961 insertions in week 52 of 2016. Lever’s ad insertions in week 1 increased 11.36 percent from 86,819 in the previous week.
Besides Lever being mentioned in the list of top 10 advertisers in terms of insertions, BARC has also mentioned some of its subsidiary/brands separately in the lists, including Brooke Bond Lipton India Ltd, Ponds India. Similarly, Godrej companies Godrej Consumer Products Ltd andGodrej Sara Lee Ltd find places at eighth and tenth spots with 11,792 (4.39 percent of total) and 11,471 (4.25 percent) insertions respectively.
At second place and trailing far behind was Reckitt Benckiser (India) Ltd with 29,538 (11.01 percent) of insertions. PatanjaliAyurved Limited (Payanjali), which had stood at number 2 for the last four weeks of 2016, was placed third in week 1 of 2017 with 29,538 (10.82 percent) insertions, 13.05 percent lower than the 33,381 insertions in week 52 of 2016.
Please refer to Fig A for BARC data on top 10 advertisers in terms of insertions Across Genre: All India (U+R): 4+ Individualsfor week 1 of 2017 below:
As mentioned above, in weeks 49 to 52 of 2016, Lever led the pack followed by Patanjali. Among mobile services, Bharti Airtel Ltd was also present in all the last four weeks of 2016. Please refer to Fig B below for Fig B – BARC: Top 10 Advertisers Across Genre: All India (U+R) : 4+ Individuals – weeks 49-52 of 2016:
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
