MAM
Media agencies depend heavily on flagship clients
MUMBAI: Single flagship clients account for over one-fifth of revenue for many media agencies, showing a symbiotic long-term relationship between them.
Mindshare earned 20.3 per cent of its revenue in calendar year 2011 from Hindustan Lever, the largest advertiser in the Indian market. The FMCG major’s media spend in 2011 was $214.7 million, handled entirely by Mindshare which had total billings crossing the $1 billion mark in the year, RECMA’s (Research Company Evaluating the Media Agency Industry) global billings report shows.
Incidentally, HUL has marginally scaled down its media spends in 2011 due to the slowdown in the Indian economy. The company had spent $241.9 million in 2010 to promote its rich and diverse reach of brands cutting across all segments.
The GroupM agency’s other clients in India include Pepsico, GSK, Nike, Ford, Star Network, ICICI, Lenovo, Kellogg’s, IBM, Nestle, and Aditya Birla Capital.
| Brand | Media Expenses* | Media Agency | Total Billing*2011 | % contributed by Brand | |
| 2011 | 2010 | ||||
| Hindustan Lever | 214.7 | 241.9 | Mindshare | 1050 | 20.30% |
| LG | 56.2 | 77 | MEC | 300 | 18% |
| Maruti Udyog | 61.3 | 65.5 | LMG | 430 | 14.25% |
| Nokia | 58.7 | 58.5 | Maxus | 570 | 10.20% |
| Pantaloons Retail | 65.6 | 74.2 | Allied Media | 235 | 27.90% |
| Reckitt | 64.7 | 80.2 | ZenithOptemedia | 295 | 21.90% |
| Samsung | 81.8 | 60.2 | Starcom | 275 | 29.70% |
ZenithOptimedia, which had grossed a billing of $295 million in 2011, got 21.9 per cent of its revenue from Reckitt Benckiser. The company had spent $64.7 million in 2011 as compared to $80.2 million in 2010, according to RECMA. It has brands like Harpic, Air Wick, Calgon, Veet, Boots Healthcare, Nurofen, Strepsils, Clearasil, Adams Respiratory.
The Samsung business accounted for 29.7 per cent of Starcom’s billing of $295 million in 2011. The Korean company spent $81.8 million in 2011, up from $60.2 million in the previous year.
Allied Media, with a net billing of $235 million, made 27.9 per cent of its revenue from Pantaloons Retail, RECMA report shows. Pantaloons Retail had a media spend of $65.6 million in 2011, down from $74.2 million a year ago.
GroupM’s MEC derives 18.73 per cent of its revenue from LG Electronics. Out of MEC’s billings of $300 million in 2011, the consumer electronics major shelled out $56.2 million towards media in 2011. LG has also cut its media spend by almost 27 per cent ($77 million in 2010), according to RECMA.
Lintas Media Group got 14.25 per cent of its revenue from Maruti Udyog that spent $61.3 million on media in 2011. This was lower than what the company had spent in the year 2010 which was 65.5 per cent. Maruti Suzuki, Magyar Suzuki, M-800, Omni, Alto, WagonR, Swift, Dezire, Esteem, Zen, Estilo, SX4, Grand Vitara and Versa are the brands that run under the brand.
GroupM’s Maxus earned 10.26 per cent of its total billing of $570 million in 2011 from its Nokia account. The mobile phone handset maker Nokia spent $58.7 million on media, almost the same ($58.5 million) as in 2010.
Brands
Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
