MAM
Adidas gets women up and running
MUMBAI: Adidas has launched a digital campaign with its digital agency Isobar. Titled #ItsOnYou, the core objective is to expand the brand’s community of runners, especially targeting women non-runners. While most brands are striving to garner new audience through strong communication, which is driven by motivation and persuasion; Adidas came up with a digital film with a counterintuitive concept. Instead of giving reasons to women to run, the brand rode on the belief that no one can make someone run unless they want to.
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The goal of the film was to make women realise that no external motivation can drive them, nor can any excuse hold them back.
The campaign will be further propelled via a 360 degree initiative, digital and on-ground branding.
Adidas business unit head Sunil Gupta says, “The campaign echoes an urban dilemma of the clash between the excuse and the tiny voice within, that knows the hollowness of the excuse. Through the film, we set out to showcase some of the thoughts people might have at the moment of truth, that metaphorical wake-up call which may spur us into action or lull us into accepting another excuse. Through real people and their very real stories, we hope the message reaches women across strata, geographies and professions that their run, their energy is in their own hands. The team at Isobar captured this thought beautifully,” he adds.
Isobar India national creative director Anish Varghese mentions, “In today’s busy lifestyle, it’s getting easier for people to find excuses whether it’s to run or not to run. This is an attempt to make people realise that no matter what excuse you choose, nothing in the world can make you run. There will be many things which will pull you back, but in the end, the onus is on you to get up and go for that run.”
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.
