MAM
Omnicom in talks to buy LBi for $575 mn
MUMBAI: Close on the heels of rival media communication house WPP buying out digital agency AKQA for $540 million, rival advertising giant Omnicom Media Group is said to be in talks to buy LBi, the independent full-service digital marketing agency, for an estimated $575 million (?368 million).
LBi said it is in ‘ongoing discussions’ with third parties about a possible sale, but did not state whether Omnicom was among them.
LBi International is Europe‘s largest independent marketing and technology agency having 30 operations in 16 countries and employing 2,120. The company’s turnover in 2011 was $250 million (?160 million) and net profit stood at ?22 million.
The digital agency’s birth can be traced back to 2001 when Swedish internet consultancy Icon Medialab merged with rival Dutch web company Lost Boys to form Lb Icon. At the time, the operations were handled out of Amsterdam. Later in 2006, Lb Icon merged with Framfab and was renamed LBi. The newly formed entity then went on to acquire agencies Syrup and Special Ops in 2008 and BigMouthMedia in 2010. In November last year, the conglomerate bought youth marketing and social media agency, Mr Youth, in a deal valued at around $45m.
With digital being touted as the medium of the future, the leading communication giants have been on an acquisition spree since the year began. Recently, WPP’s JWT bought 51 per cent equity stake in India agency Hungama Digital.
MAM
Adbhoot weaves AI magic into CottonKing Aura linen campaign
Subtle AI craft brings premium linen’s texture, fall and finesse to life in cinematic film that feels tangibly real.
MUMBAI: Adbhoot has threaded the needle perfectly using AI so invisibly that the real star of Cottonking’s new premium linen range, Aura, gets to shine. The campaign, built around the insight that premium clothing isn’t merely worn but experienced, puts the fabric itself centre stage. Instead of flashy drama or exaggerated styling, every frame focuses on what truly defines Aura: its visible weave, natural drape, soft finish and effortless movement. The result feels so tactile you almost want to reach out and touch the screen.
What sets the work apart is its quiet confidence in technology. There is no “look at our AI” fanfare. Adbhoot treated the tool as a precision filmmaking instrument ensuring consistent model features, accurate proportions, natural lighting behaviour and real-world physics so the film feels polished, controlled and unmistakably premium rather than artificial.
Adbhoot, founder & creative director Vaibhav Pandit explained, “AI is powerful only when it doesn’t announce itself. For Aura, our intent was clear. The fabric needed to feel tangible, the lighting needed to behave naturally, and the model had to remain authentic throughout. We shaped AI around the brief, not the other way around.”
Cottonking director Koushik Marathe added, “With Aura, our vision was clear: to create a premium linen range that feels elevated not just in look, but in experience. Linen is a fabric of character, it breathes, it moves, and it carries a distinct elegance that can’t be replicated. This campaign captures that essence beautifully.”
The campaign marks another step in Adbhoot’s thoughtful approach to modern storytelling, innovation supports the narrative rather than stealing the spotlight. In an era when AI is often used to grab attention, this one stands out by staying quietly honest letting the linen do the talking and the craft do the work.
From weave to wind-blown drape, Aura doesn’t just look premium, it feels it. And thanks to Adbhoot’s restrained touch, viewers are left with the impression of real fabric, real movement, and real emotion rather than pixels and prompts. In the world of fashion advertising, that’s the kind of seamless finish that really leaves a mark.
