MAM
Online ad spend to surpass print, TV in Australia by 2013: Study
MUMBAI: For the first time, the advertising spends on online medium will exceed that on television or newspaper by 2013, reports Interactive Advertising Bureau of Australia.
The results, which were announced by IAB Australia in its Online Advertising Expenditure Report (OAER) compiled by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), show that while the general advertising market is softening, online advertising is on track to surpass both newspaper and TV advertising in 2013.
Online advertising has continued to grow, achieving 10 per cent year on year growth recording $813.25 million for the three months ending September 2012, the report said.
When compared to the September 2011 quarter, all three reported sectors grew, with General Display marginally up one per cent, Search and Directories up 15 per cent, and Classifieds advertising up by seven per cent,
IAB Australia CEO Paul Fisher said, “Double digit growth in the media and economic climate of the past 12 months bucks the trend across the broader media industry. While growth has slowed in digital this past quarter the outlook for the Christmas quarter looks encouraging.”
“Our work as an industry to improve online behavioural advertising technology and deliver better audience and campaign measurement tools has resulted in more ‘brand‘ focused online advertising display formats and a clear and growing confidence in the medium by marketers,” Fisher added.
PWC partner Maria Martin said, “While the online advertising sector is settling into strong and sustained growth, it‘s clear that the search by marketers for new ways to engage with consumers is fueling mobile advertising growth rates.”
Mobile advertising recorded $22 million for the September quarter, representing 190 per cent year on year growth and a 24 per cent increase on the June 2012 quarter.
Search and directories continues to dominate the online advertising sector overall with 53 per cent share of spend. Classifieds holds 21 per cent share and General Display 26 per cent market share.
Within General Display, the motor vehicle category grew strongly to be the highest spending in the advertising industry this quarter, with finance and real estate sectors the next largest categories.
The report also showed that the retail share of expenditure reached 7.2 per cent share, up from 6.5 per cent in the previous quarter. In Classifieds, real estate, recruitment and automotive were the leading categories. This is the same order as the prior quarter.
The report undertook new approach for the study. The data collected from industry participants has been supplemented by estimates for Google display, video and mobile advertising as well as Facebook display and mobile advertising, while the prior methodology for estimating Google search has been refined.
Historical mobile advertising data collected from industry participants has been combined with estimated Google mobile advertising to provide a picture of the aggregated mobile advertising market and trends.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
