MAM
IMG acquires CSI sports
MUMBAI: Global sports marketing major IMG today announced it has acquired rival CSI Sports group of companies from CSI Sports’ management team. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
CSI’s portfolio of clients includes English football’s governing body, the Football Association, and Football League (including the Carling Cup) as well as the England and Wales Cricket Board; Cricket Australia; New Zealand Cricket; Cricket South Africa; and Zimbabwe Cricket. Previously, CSI Sports was part of Octagon Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of Interpublic Group.
IMG, which is owned by the Interpublic Group, said “there would be a simple integration process – CSI’s management team will continue to look after the interests of their clients, who will also benefit from IMG Media’s unparalleled global distribution network and extensive sales and marketing expertise.”
Chris Guinness, the former President of Octagon CSI and a former IMG employee, will also return to IMG.
Michel Masquelier, executive vice president and IMG Media’s head of acquisition & sales worldwide, said: “I am delighted to announce the acquisition of CSI Sports given its client portfolio which represents an excellent fit with IMG Media, complementing perfectly our own existing properties.
This acquisition will enable us to remain on target to fulfil our strategic growth plans. I am also particularly delighted to welcome back Chris Guinness, an old time friend of mine. We look forward to working with Chris and his team who will assist us in the development of new business.”
Chris Guinness said: “Having successfully completed the management buyout of CSI Sports from Interpublic Group, the challenge was how to build upon the company’s sound financial platform and excellent client portfolio to ensure future growth. The complementary nature of the two companies’ businesses and the global financial and distribution strength of IMG Media make it an ideal strategic fit for CSI Sports.”
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
