MAM
Havas Media bags the integrated mandate for Valvoline
MUMBAI: Following a multi-agency pitch, Havas Media India has secured the integrated mandate of lubricant company Valvoline – ‘the Original Engine Oil’. The mandate includes offline, online and OOH duties. Havas Media Group India president & chief client officer Uday Mohan led the pitch, and the business will be handled by his Delhi team.
“At Valvoline, we firmly believe in the quality of execution and power of innovation to remain a step ahead of market demands,” Valvoline Cummins chief marketing officer Ipshita Chowdhury said. “As a brand, the 3 key values we stand by are – being Humble, being Hungry and being Smart. We wanted an agency that could emulate these values and Havas Media made the right cultural fit. I’m confident of Havas Media’s capabilities, and their strategic, audience-centric, meaningful media approach, in strengthening the effectiveness of our marketing initiatives, with a focus on building the upper funnel awareness and brand equity.”
“We are proud to have secured the integrated media mandate of Valvoline, a leading global brand in the lubricant category,” said Havas Media Group India CEO Mohit Joshi. “In India, Valvoline Cummins’ long-term, sustainable and ambitious plans, coupled with its 25-year-old legacy, is set to carve a niche for itself, making it a market leader in the segment. We look forward to driving the next phase of growth for the brand using Havas’ proprietary tools and by creating meaningful media experiences.”
Valvoline Cummins Private Limited (VCPL) manufactures a wide range of fluids, viz., engine oils, gear oils, radiator coolants, brake fluids etc. for engines made by various OEMs. The company has a team of over 400 employees across the country, more than 450 distributors, 50,000 resellers and 2,000 direct customers, according to the company, and serves varied audiences, ranging from a mechanic, truck driver, farmer, and the end consumer.
MAM
One Hand Clap acquires Agenseed to enter distribution space
Creative agency expands into full-stack services with strategic buyout.
MUMBAI: One Hand Clap has decided to stop just clapping for great ideas now it wants to make sure they actually travel. The leading new-age creative agency and production house has acquired Agenseed, a seeding and distribution firm, marking its formal entry into the distribution segment. The move is aimed at expanding its role across the entire marketing value chain and unlocking new growth opportunities.
One Hand Clap expects the new distribution vertical to contribute up to 15 per cent of its overall revenues over the next 12–18 months, signalling a clear strategic shift beyond pure creative services.
Agenseed, founded by Monish Hardasani and Akram Malik, will function as the agency’s dedicated distribution arm. This acquisition strengthens One Hand Clap’s position as it aims to become a full-stack creative and distribution company in India’s rapidly growing digital advertising market.
With over 90 million posts shared daily on Instagram and brands allocating 25–35 per cent of their digital budgets to distribution and creator-led reach, amplification has become critical to campaign success. By integrating distribution early into the creative process, the agency hopes to help campaigns gain stronger cultural traction and momentum.
One Hand Clap founder Aakash Shah said, “The future of advertising is not just about executing great ideas, but about placing them intelligently. By owning both storytelling and distribution, we can drive greater impact for brands while opening up new revenue streams.”
Agenseed co-founder Monish Hardasani added, “The future belongs to ideas designed to travel. This partnership allows us to integrate distribution thinking at the source.”
Founded in 2019 by former AIB leaders Aakash Shah and Naveed Manakkodan, One Hand Clap has worked with major brands including Swiggy, Google, Netflix India, Crocs, Duolingo, CRED, Bumble, BGMI and Chetak. The agency also secured investment from Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath last year.
In an increasingly fragmented attention economy, this acquisition reflects a broader industry shift where agencies are building end-to-end capabilities to stay competitive. One Hand Clap is clearly clapping louder and ensuring its ideas now reach much further.
