MAM
Post World Cup, Hindi GECs bounce back
MUMBAI: Facing bouncers and googlies from the cricket World Cup, India‘s Hindi general entertainment channels (GECs) have regained their old order in the television audience graph in the very first week after Dhoni‘s ‘Men in Blue‘ lifted the ‘Cup that Counts‘.
The Hindi GECs mopped up 1209 GRPs, after having lost 108 GRPs in the World Cup‘s final week run.
Star Plus has retained its pole position, after being ousted by Colors briefly for a week with a strategy that involved a cut down in ad inventory.
Star Plus led the week ended 9 April with 334 GRPs (261 GRPs in previous week), according to Tam data (HSM, 4+, C&S). It added 73 GRPs (gross rating points) and its new 10 pm show, Navya, clocked an average TVR of 3.4 in its debut week.
Star Plus also aired Star Parivar Awards on 3 April (Sunday), which clocked a TVR of 4.
Colors lost 51 GRPs and is back to its No. 2 position with 249 GRPs.
Zee TV, which was hit by the World Cup, added 50 GRPs tp close the week with 221 GRPs.
The channel launched a new show, Choti Si Zindagi, at the 7 pm band, which got an average opening TVR of 0.9. All its weekday shows saw an increase in viewership and ratings. It also aired two special episodes, which got good numbers.
Meanwhile, Sony Entertainment Television (Set) regained its No. 4 position by edging out sister channel Sab. Set added 32 GRPs to end the week with 152 GRPs while Sab, after adding 12 GRPs, took its week‘s tally to 139 (from 127 GRPs).
Imagine TV continues to find the going tough, ending with a 12 GRP loss to collect 58 GRPs during the week (70 GRPs previous week).
Star One and Sahara One were at 32 and 24 GRPs, according to Tam data.
AD Agencies
WPP appoints Hephzibah Pathak CEO of WPP Creative India
Ogilvy India chair takes charge of unified creative model in key market
NEW DELHI: WPP has appointed Hephzibah Pathak as chief executive officer of WPP Creative India, putting a local leader at the helm of its newly created creative operating model in one of its most important growth markets.
The move brings clarity to how WPP’s global restructuring will play out in India, weeks after the group unveiled WPP Creative as part of its Elevate28 strategy. The unit sits alongside WPP Media, WPP Production and WPP Enterprise Solutions, and is designed to simplify what the company previously described as an overly complex structure.
Pathak, who continues as executive chairperson of Ogilvy India, will represent all agencies under the WPP Creative umbrella in India. Her role centres on driving integration across brands, expanding capabilities and ensuring clients can tap into the network’s full talent pool without friction.
WPP said Pathak will work closely with agency brand CEOs to “enhance integration, expand capabilities, and ensure seamless client access”, while maintaining the distinct identities of its agencies.
The portfolio under WPP Creative includes leading networks such as VML, Landor, AKQA and Grey, along with Burson and its affiliated firms. Leaders across these agencies will now report into Pathak, even as each brand continues to operate independently within a unified system.
The appointment also formalises a dual-track strategy in India, preserving agency identities while accelerating collaboration. Pathak is expected to work closely with media leadership to align creative and media capabilities, reflecting growing client demand for integrated, multi-market solutions.
WPP Creative global CEO Jon Cook has described the unit as “not an agency” but an operating system that helps creative, design and PR brands work together more effectively. The group has been clear that it is not merging or phasing out legacy agency brands, instead aiming to reduce complexity on the client side.
Pathak brings nearly three decades of experience within the network, having joined in 1997 and held roles ranging from Mumbai office head to chief client officer. She made history in 2024 as the first woman to lead Ogilvy India in its 95-year presence in the country.
Her expanded mandate positions India at the centre of WPP’s Asia-Pacific strategy, with a focus on strengthening brand presence, deepening client relationships and unlocking growth in a fast-evolving market.
The appointment signals WPP’s intent to move beyond the traditional holding company model towards a more integrated, AI-enabled structure. With Pathak now steering WPP Creative India, the group appears set to test whether simpler structures can indeed deliver sharper creative outcomes.
