MAM
ABC to rake in the moolah during Oscar telecast
MUMBAI: On Hollywood‘s biggest night, the Oscar Awards ABC will rake it big. The broadcaster says that it has sold out spots. J C Penney, Coca-Cola, American Express, Grey Poupon, Neutrogena and Coldwell Banker Real Estate are among the advertisers.
The average cost this year is said to be around $1.7 million per 30-second spot. Media reports indicate that the spots were sold before Christmas.
Hyundai takes center stage on ABC for the fifth consecutive year as the exclusive automotive sponsor of the Oscars. It will air the most amount of spots. Nine ads will air: seven 30-second spots during the ceremony and two 30-second ads during pre-show coverage. The commercials highlight seven different Hyundai models and focus on Hyundai‘s growing premium line up. Three new spots, “Equus the Trailer”, “Paparazzi” and “Elevator Pitch”, feature Equus, Genesis and Elantra, respectively, and speak to passionate Hollywood fans with a soundtrack voiced by Oscar-winning Jeff Bridges that gives a nod to the film industry and film culture.
‘Equus the Trailer‘ highlights Equus‘ premium luxury features and outstanding performance and refinement. The spot mimics an action movie trailer, featuring Equus as the main character and the film‘s hero. The familiar deep baritone of the voice-over actor takes the audience through the 30-second trailer, citing “critics” calling the Equus “Colossal,” “Epic” and “Astoundingly Powerful.”
‘Paparazzi‘ plays on another movie-star theme as paparazzi cameras frantically try to capture one of Hyundai‘s big stars, the Genesis, as it races down the road.
‘Elevator Pitch‘ meanwhile uses the concept of pitching a big idea to a movie producer — with the big idea being the award-winning Elantra. The spot highlights Elantra‘s heated front and rear seats, Bluetooth enabled features and exceptional horsepower numbers.
Hyundai Motor America VP marketing Steve Shannon said, “The Oscars are about style and sophistication — a true premium experience. The event provides the perfect platform to showcase our growing premium lineup. From insider lingo to the glamour of the film industry, you‘ll see that our ads pay respect to Hollywood‘s biggest night. We started on this creative strategy and approach with our Azera commercials in last year‘s Oscars. We are building on that concept and are now excited to carry it across other vehicle lines.”
The remaining 30-second spots highlight four other high-demand Hyundai models: Sonata Hybrid, Sonata Turbo, Santa Fe and Azera. In-show spots include “Epic Playdate” featuring Santa Fe; “Stuck” featuring Sonata Turbo; “One Less Battery” featuring Sonata Hybrid and its lifetime hybrid battery warranty; and “Thanks” featuring Azera. The two Oscar Red Carpet Live ads include “Showroom” featuring all three flavors of the Elantra, sedan, GT and coupe, and the highly acclaimed Super Bowl spot “Team” featuring Hyundai‘s all-new Santa Fe.
Hyundai is taking the big awards night experience beyond the television screen by offering viewers real-time interactions through engaging mobile content, award winning soundtracks and connected television. In addition, the Oscars sponsorship is elevated through extensions across cable networks such as AMC, FX and Sundance Channel as well as sponsorship of ABC‘s Oscars website.
Hyundai‘s automotive sponsorship of the Oscars extends its ‘Big Voices in Big Places‘ philosophy which positions the Hyundai brand in the highest-profile advertising venues, including sporting events and entertainment awards shows. INNOCEAN USA, Hyundai‘s agency of record, is responsible for all creative.
As far as other advertisers are concerned, a Neutrogena spot will be the first time that the company is showcasing its broad product portfolio in one commercial. Samsung is integrating its Galaxy-branded mobile products throughout the ceremony. It has a push across social-media channels, which will offer content from the red carpet and backstage.
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.
