MAM
EU waves through Omnicom–IPG megamerger
BRUSSELS: The EU has handed Omnicom a clean bill of health for its $13.25bn all-stock takeover of Interpublic Group, firing the starting gun on the creation of the world’s largest advertising network at a time when traditional agencies are scrambling to keep pace with Big Tech and the AI arms race.
In a decision published today, the European Commission said it had “approved unconditionally” the merger after finding no competition concerns across the European Economic Area. The ruling removes the final regulatory roadblock, with the holding groups expected to seal the deal globally within days.
Omnicom unveiled the acquisition last December, touting some $750m in cost savings and a sweeping restructuring that is expected to ditch long-standing agency brands as the two giants fuse into a single, heavyweight operator. The deal leapfrogs the combined group ahead of Publicis and WPP on revenues, resetting the global pecking order in adland.
Regulators in America and Britain signed off earlier—Britain’s CMA in August and the US Federal Trade Commission in September—leaving Brussels as the last stop.
IPG has been slashing overheads ahead of the tie-up, shedding 3,200 staff this year and shrinking its global real-estate footprint by 730,000 square feet, according to its latest SEC filing.
With Brussels now on board, Omnicom is poised to pull the trigger—and adland is bracing for its biggest shake-up in decade.
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
