MAM
Havas acquires Berlin agency Styleheads in Playnetwork push
Acquisition strengthens Havas Play’s push in music, sport and creator culture
PUTEAUX: Havas has acquired Berlin-based cultural marketing agency Styleheads, strengthening its push into creator-led brand activations and cultural marketing in Germany.
Styleheads will join the Havas Media Network in Germany and expand the capabilities of the group’s global Havas Playnetwork, which focuses on building brand connections through passion points such as music, sport, gaming, fashion and lifestyle.
As part of the integration, Havas Play and Styleheads will operate under a single leadership structure. Eike Faecks, managing director of Styleheads, will take strategic and operational leadership of Havas Play across all German locations, bringing the group’s activation, creator expertise and cultural marketing activities under one umbrella.
Founded in 2001, Styleheads is a full-service communications agency specialising in cultural marketing. The Berlin-based firm develops campaigns, live events and creator partnerships for brands across fashion, lifestyle, FMCG and entertainment.
Havas said the partnership will allow Styleheads to tap the group’s global network and resources while retaining its Berlin base and independent brand identity.
The combined model blends Styleheads’ strengths in culture-led campaigns, creators and live activations with Havas Media’s integrated capabilities across media, data and strategy.
“I am delighted to welcome Eike Faecks and the entire Styleheads team to the Havas family,” said Yannick Bolloré, chairman and CEO of Havas. “Their leadership in cultural marketing and creator-driven activations perfectly aligns with our ambition to build the most innovative and culturally relevant activation offer in the market.”
Sven Traichel, CEO and country manager of Havas Media Germany, said the acquisition would strengthen the group’s activation capabilities. “Placing Havas Play under their leadership reflects the high quality and added value their team brings,” he said.
Faecks said the partnership would allow Styleheads to scale its cultural marketing approach globally while preserving its creative independence.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
