Brands
Packaging is the ‘silent salesman’: Loe Limpens
MUMBAI: In the world where the ‘little black dress’ has created enough waves, Yellow Dress Retail (YDR) is trying to leave a mark.
YDR is an agency specialised in retail design and communication, founded in 2009 by Loe Limpens, Marcel Gort and Esther Koetsier and is part of the Dutch brand consultancy Brand Dialogue which forayed into the Indian market in 2013.
The name does raise eyebrows but the story behind the selection of the name is an interesting one. The first time the founders visited India, they met a lady with a very impressive ‘live’ story, she couldn’t speak but only communicate by sign language and she was dressed in a vibrant yellow dress. Both of them were so impressed that they decided that if they ever start an agency it will be called Yellow Dress.
It recently made news for creating Flipkart’s latest DigiFlip Pro. The tablet is the first from the e-commerce portal’s private label stable and has been an instant hit especially for its innovative branding and packaging which has received great reviews.
The dual-SIM tablet, DigiFlip Pro XT712, with 7 inch touchscreen, 5 MP primary camera, Android v4.2.2 OS and 1.3 GHz processor is available only on the e-commerce platform at an affordable rate of Rs 9,999. DigiFlip Pro comes backed with additional benefits, where buyers will get shopping benefits worth thousands by shopping from the Flipkart app on the tablet.
The tablet is in response to the growing demand for quality devices at great prices. To add to its appeal, Yellow Dress Retail provided simple yet upmarket packaging for the product.
The agency specializing in retail agency, which creates store design, in store communication, packaging design and interactive design, believes that packaging is ‘the silent salesman’ as it is the real point of contact with the customer. “With Flipkart’s DigiFlip Pro tablet, we at Yellow Dress Retail have engaged with this product for creation of logo, packaging design and boot animation,” says YDR partner and chief creative officer Loe Limpens.
When asked if there is a need to have an agency specialised in retail design and communication, Limpens says, “The retail business has its own rules, speed, time to market, flexibility, specialism, etc. We felt there is room for an agency that specialises entirely on retail. And here we are.”
Business is getting better for the agency which has successful examples to its credit. Developing overall concepts for the worldwide strategic brands of Metro Cash & Carry is one of them. However, it still feels that a lot of attention is needed.
Understanding the Indian market wasn’t easy as well and it needed time, initially, to get to know the Indian market better and the challenge was to find the right people and to train them as retail designers.
The retail design agency has been working for more than 20 years at leading retailers in Europe, which gives it a lot of insight in the day to day business of retailers, price levels, speed to market and focus in retail companies. “Our experience is a subtle mix of both International and Indian markets that helps us in relating with the issues from a local and global level,” highlights Limpens.
Retail design and particularly private label is where the agency’s stronghold lies. He elaborates, “Private label development is our main focus currently, if you look at the share of private label in Europe which have around 50 per cent market share in 2025, the potential for the Indian market is enormous with a current share of 7 to 8 per cent.”
In India, the consultancy started with just three people in its office in Chennai. It currently employs eight people in Chennai and also has an office in Mumbai through the Brand Dialogue association.
Today, when the team meets its clients, most want the focus point to be on how to establish a good private brand assortment and how to secure the quality and production. In the near future, it thinks that sustainability will become immensely important for the industry.
“We have had our share of good luck in India, so we can’t complain. It’s hard work but we are also on track with our objectives,” concludes Limpen.
Brands
Havas reports solid Q1 2026 with 2.5 per cent organic net revenue growth
Advertising group maintains positive momentum and confirms full-year guidance.
MUMBAI: Havas has started 2026 on a strong note proving that even in uncertain times, its converged model continues to deliver. The global advertising and communications group reported net revenue of €638 million for the first quarter of 2026, representing organic growth of +2.5 per cent compared to the same period last year. This performance was driven particularly by a robust +7.4 per cent organic growth in the United States.
Total revenue for the quarter reached €667 million, with organic growth of +2.8 per cent. Recent acquisitions contributed a positive scope impact of +1.7 per cent, while foreign exchange movements had a negative impact of -5.8 per cent, mainly due to the US dollar and British pound.
Europe, which accounts for 50 per cent of net revenue, delivered +1.1 per cent organic growth, supported by a good performance in France. North America (36 per cent of net revenue) led the way with +7.4 per cent growth, thanks to strong contributions from both Havas Creative and Havas Media. APAC & Africa (8 per cent) saw a decline of -6.2 per cent, while Latin America (6 per cent) remained nearly stable at -0.6 per cent.
Havas chairman and CEO Yannick Bolloré said, “Havas has started 2026 on a solid footing, continuing its momentum and delivering organic growth in net revenue of +2.5 per cent. This performance, in line with our full-year 2026 guidance, was driven in particular by continued strength in the US.”
The group also continued its bolt-on acquisition strategy, acquiring majority stakes in four agencies during the quarter: Acento Public Affairs (Spain), Ctrl Digital (Sweden), Styleheads (Germany), and Eyesight (France).
Havas maintained its strong creative reputation, ranking as a top holding company in the WARC Creative 100 for the sixth consecutive year, with three agencies BETC, Havas Paris, and Havas India placing in the Top 50.
Looking ahead, Havas confirmed its 2026 guidance: organic net revenue growth between +2.0 per cent and +3.0 per cent, adjusted EBIT margin between 13.2 per cent and 13.5 per cent, and a dividend payout ratio of around 40 per cent. The group also reiterated its medium-term targets for 2028.
Despite ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty, Havas enters the rest of the year with solid fundamentals and confidence in its ability to deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
In a challenging environment, Havas is proving that its integrated, client-centric model remains resilient delivering steady growth while continuing to invest in creativity and innovation. The first quarter results suggest the group is well-positioned to navigate the year ahead with confidence.
