MAM
IPG shuffles McCann Worldgroup senior team
MUMBAI: The Interpublic Group has elevated Harris Diamond from his position as chairman and CEO of IPG’s Constituency Management Group (CMG) to the same role at McCann Worldgroup, replacing Nick Brien.
Also, Luca Lindner and Gustavo Martinez have been given broader mandates within the company with significant geographic responsibilities and full oversight of McCann Erickson Advertising. The trio of Lindner, Martinez and Diamond will occupy a newly-created, three-person office of the Chairman for McCann Worldgroup.
In his new regional role, Lindner will also take charge of Middle East and Africa apart from the Americas while Martinez will add Asia Pacific responsibilities to his current title of president, Europe for McCann Worldgroup. As Diamond takes on his new position, the marketing services agencies that make up the Constituency Management Group will report directly into Interpublic management.
Interpublic chairman and CEO Michael I Roth said, “Harris understands the business needs of global CEOs, across a range of industries. He has a proven track record of effectively managing a portfolio of agencies and growing the top line. He has created a strong culture of collaboration, which is increasingly key in a marketing landscape that requires integration of services. And he brings a deep knowledge of McCann in light of the alignment between Worldgroup and a number of the agencies within CMG, such as Weber Shandwick and FutureBrand. In Luca and Gustavo, we are fortunate to have two outstanding, seasoned practitioners with a deep understanding of the advertising industry and McCann’s fundamental strengths. Over the past year, as co-Presidents of Global Clients for Worldgroup, they have played increasingly key roles in strengthening the agency’s relationships with major clients. Their continuing leadership and complementary skill set will be key to McCann’s future success. We thank Nick for his commitment and for driving change at McCann during his tenure.”
Digital
India leads global adoption of ChatGPT Images 2.0 in first week
From anime avatars to fantasy covers, users turn AI visuals into culture
NEW DELHI: India has emerged as the largest user base for ChatGPT Images 2.0, just a week after its launch by OpenAI, underlining the country’s growing influence on global internet trends.
While the tool was introduced as an advanced image-generation upgrade within ChatGPT, Indian users are quickly reshaping its purpose. Instead of sticking to productivity-led use cases, many are embracing it as a creative playground for self-expression, storytelling and online identity.
From anime-style portraits and cinematic headshots to tarot-inspired visuals and fictional newspaper front pages, the model is being used to create highly stylised, shareable content. Features such as accurate text rendering, multilingual prompts and the ability to generate detailed visuals with minimal input have helped drive rapid adoption.
What sets the latest model apart is its ability to “think” through prompts, generating multiple outputs and adapting to context, including real-time web inputs. But the bigger story lies in how users are engaging with it.
In India, trends are already taking shape. Popular formats include dramatic studio-style lighting edits, LinkedIn-ready headshots, manga-inspired avatars, soft pastel “spring” aesthetics, AI-led fashion moodboards, paparazzi-style visuals and fantasy newspaper covers. Users are also restoring old photographs, creating tarot-style imagery and experimenting with futuristic design concepts.
Local flavour is adding another layer. Prompts such as cinematic portrait collages and Y2K-inspired romantic edits are gaining traction, blending global aesthetics with distinctly Indian internet culture.
The surge reflects a broader shift in how AI tools are being used in the country, moving beyond utility to creativity. As younger users, creators and social media enthusiasts experiment with new visual formats, AI-generated imagery is increasingly becoming part of everyday digital expression.
If early trends hold, ChatGPT Images 2.0 may not just be a tech upgrade but a cultural moment, giving millions a new visual language to play with online.
