MAM
Comedy Central goes BTL for Hot in Cleveland sitcom
MUMBAI: Viacom18’s comedy channel Comedy Central has rolled out a marketing campaign to promote its latest sitcom offering Hot in Cleveland. Instead of only sticking to the usual TV, print and OOH route, this time around the channel has opted for a more interactive and inclusive BTL route.
The show is aired at 10 pm on weekdays and follows the lives of three middle-aged best friends from Los Angeles, who have to make an emergency landing at Cleveland on their flight to Paris.
As part of the campaign, Comedy Central has tied up with Rubys to create some special ‘Hot in Cleveland’ drinks like Mango Margarita, Appletini, Watermelon Fizz and Ruby Coolers keeping in mind the tastes of a woman. Another tie up has been forged with coffee house chain Café Coffee Day where the ‘Hot in Cleveland Cappuccino’ has been introduced and will be available for the months of July and August.
The channel has also collaborated with premium salon Juice where customers above the age of 40 may avail of the special ‘Hot in Cleveland’ package.
Additionally, Comedy Central has partnered with Airtel DTH to play promos on the default channel for 10 days, Inox, which will have promo stills during the interval and Book My Show, In.com and Crossword, will actively promote the show over the next month through contests and other innovative branding.
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.
