MAM
Mash Advertising walks away with Philips’ mobile handset creative biz
MUMBAI: Percept‘s Mash Advertising has won the creative and strategic account of Philips‘ mobile handset business.
The size of the account is pegged at Rs 150 million. The agency‘s Delhi office will handle the account.
Mash Advertising chief executive officer Amitabha Lahiri said, “Phillips was at a sort of crossroads regarding their mobile handset marketing and we approached them with an entire plan of what they need to do to promote the brand. After they had a look at what we could bring to the table, Phillips was happy to give us the chance to manage their creative and strategy business.”
The agency will be responsible for conceptualising the creatives for the brand‘s 360 degree marketing initiatives. It will also be responsible for strategising for each model of handset that Phillips releases in the market.
Lahiri said, “We will be targeting the youth. I believe there is a need to define the right need set in this TG. They no longer the jumping jack sort of behaviour and thus there is a deeper side to their psychography. It will be an interesting challenge to tap into this phenomenon.”
Mash is a 360-degree offering of advertising, with a strong support of media, PR, content and experiential marketing. It is a subsidiary of Percept/H. The agency has the participation of the Indian Percept Group and Japan‘s Hakuhodo.
Philips made a reentry into the Indian mobile handset market after eight years with the launch of six models priced under Rs 10,000 in September 2011. At that point, DDB Mudra worked for the launch campaign of the handset in India.
The company will soon launch a multi-media campaign, which will first use the print and radio platforms. A television campaign will be launched after a few months.
Brands
Sapphire Foods FY26 revenue rises to Rs 3,125 crore, posts loss
Q4 revenue at Rs 792 crore, FY26 loss at Rs 32 crore amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: If growth is on the menu, profitability seems to have taken a brief detour. Sapphire Foods India reported a steady rise in topline for FY26, even as rising costs weighed on profitability. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,125 crore for the year ended March 31, 2026, up from Rs 2,882 crore in FY25. However, the company swung to a loss, reporting a net loss of Rs 32 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 17 crore in the previous year. Total income for the year stood at Rs 3,153 crore, while total expenses climbed to Rs 3,167 crore, reflecting pressure across key cost heads.
In the March quarter, revenue came in at Rs 792 crore, compared to Rs 711 crore in the same period last year. The company reported a quarterly net loss of Rs 13 crore, against a profit of Rs 2 crore a year earlier.
Cost pressures remained visible across operations. Material costs rose to Rs 995 crore for FY26, while employee expenses increased to Rs 428 crore. Other expenses, the largest component, stood at Rs 1,229 crore, underscoring the impact of store operations and expansion-related spends.
Depreciation and amortisation expenses also climbed to Rs 392 crore for the year, reflecting continued investments in store infrastructure and growth.
At the operating level, the company reported a loss before tax of Rs 37 crore for FY26, compared to a profit of Rs 23 crore in FY25. Exceptional items added Rs 24 crore to the cost burden during the year.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 3,256 crore as of March 31, 2026, up from Rs 3,041 crore a year earlier, indicating ongoing expansion. Net worth stood at Rs 1,389 crore.
Despite profitability pressures, operating cash flow remained resilient at Rs 507 crore, highlighting underlying business strength and demand stability.
The numbers paint a familiar picture in the quick-service restaurant space, growth continues to be served hot, but margins are still finding their footing.
