MAM
Nissan gets Candid Marketing as brand activation agency
MUMBAI: Candid Marketing has been roped in as the strategic brand activation agency for Nissan Motors for the India market.
The account will be headed by Candid Marketing VP Devika Sharma from the Mumbai office.
Says Devika Sharma, “Globally Nissan is one of the largest carmakers, with exposure to both developed and developing markets. I am confident that we will be able to deliver clutter breaking solutions for Nissan in India.”
Adds Nissan VP operations, Hover Automotive strategic partner for sales, marketing & aftersales Abhijit Pandit, “We are continuing our endeavour to bring state of the art automobiles from Nissan‘s global portfolio to India. The Nissan 370Z is arguably the world‘s best selling sports car to date and future models that are planned will further this promise of offering the best to India‘s discerning car buyers.”
MAM
WPP explores sale of flagship PR agency Burson
Advertising giant considers exit from public relations amid restructuring drive.
MUMBAI: WPP is reportedly preparing to spin a new chapter by potentially spinning off one of its oldest storytellers. The British advertising and marketing services group is exploring a possible sale of its public relations arm Burson, with advisers at Goldman Sachs reviewing strategic options, according to a report by The Times. The move, if completed, would mark a near-complete exit from the PR sector for WPP and represent the first significant disposal under chief executive Cindy Rose, who is leading a broader effort to simplify the company’s structure and restore growth.
Burson was formed in 2024 through the merger of BCW and Hill & Knowlton. It employs around 6,000 people globally and forms the core of WPP’s remaining PR operations. A sale would follow the earlier divestment of a majority stake in FGS Global to KKR, a deal that valued that business at £1.3 billion.
The review comes as WPP continues to face pressure on its financial performance. In 2025, the company’s PR segment generated £667 million in revenue less pass-through costs, reflecting a 6.0 per cent like-for-like decline, and delivered £102 million in headline operating profit. The division has shrunk considerably after the FGS Global disposal in late 2024.
WPP reported full-year revenue of £13.55 billion in 2025, down 8.1 per cent on a reported basis, while headline operating profit fell 22.6 per cent and margins dropped to 13.0 per cent.
Rose’s Elevate28 strategy aims to move the company away from a traditional holding company model towards a more integrated organisation built around four divisions: media, creative, production, and enterprise solutions. The plan also targets £500 million in cost savings by 2028.
Both WPP and Goldman Sachs declined to comment on the report.
The advertising industry has seen growing speculation about the future of large publicly traded PR firms, with similar rumours swirling around Weber Shandwick and potential private equity interest in management buyouts. However, finding a suitable buyer for a large global legacy PR business remains a key challenge.
In the fast-changing world of marketing and communications, WPP appears keen to streamline its narrative and selling Burson could be the next dramatic plot twist in its transformation story.
