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Publicis acquires mobile agency Monterosa
MUMBAI: Publicis Groupe continued with its shopping streak by acquiring global mobile agency Monterosa.
The newly acquired entity will report into Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), providing the network with a core specialty in mobile communications and a team of dedicated specialists around the world.
The move follows Publicis Groupe‘s pioneering expansion into the mobile advertising market with its acquisition of Phonevalley in 2007. Like Phonevalley, Monterosa is exclusively committed to mobile marketing and communications, one of the high-growth digital sectors in which Publicis Groupe is committed to expanding its footprint.
Monterosa will retain its name after the acquisition. It will also continue to work with its own clients in addition to other advertising agency partners throughout BBH and Publicis Groupe.
The deal will enable Monterosa to grow its footprint to other areas in the world and work more closely with its clients. Carl Norberg, a co-founder of Monterosa, will continue to manage the agency and will report to BBH Group‘s CEO, Gwyn Jones.
Monterosa was founded in 2009 by four Swedes — Johan Hemminger, Johan St?hle, Anton Holmquist and Carl Norberg and has offices in New York, Singapore. It is headquartered in Stockholm and has a team of 30 that works with brands like Carlsberg, Google, Mercedes Benz, Samsung and Vodafone. Its work for Mini Cooper‘s ‘Getaway‘ campaign (2011) and a number of global apps such as Buick Encore‘s ‘Hide and Seek’ in China, Lufthansa‘s ‘Anywake’ in Scandinavia, AT&T‘s ‘Daybreak’ in the US and the Pan-Asian Axe ‘Dare’ app for Unilever have won the agency accolades and awards.
BBH Group CEO Gwyn Jones said, “The ubiquity and intimacy of smartphones make mobile campaigns an entirely new way to communicate with consumers. Mobile ads can be uniquely useful and pertinent — but they can also be perceived by consumers as disruptive. It‘s vital that we help our clients develop campaigns that are not just technically seamless, but also friendly and relevant. We‘ve been working with Monterosa for 18 months now. They have a great team, and a culture and approach that fit well with ours. We‘re very excited about the potential for this strategically important move.”
Monterosa Stockholm CEO Johan Hemminger added, “Our two companies share a passion for producing highly creative, disruptive ideas with a dedication to craft. This deal will enable us to take our work to the next level. ”
The interactive and mobile advertising and communications sector is currently experiencing spectacular growth as it benefits from convergent technological developments and the massive spread of smartphones. According to eMarketer, worldwide mobile-ad spending will reach $6.4 billion in 2012 and more than $23.6 billion by 2016. Monterosa‘s strong expertise in mobile and its multi-region profile will provide BBH with a core specialty in this key sector, which is one of the fastest growing media channels.
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Lego brings Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Vinicius together
Campaign clocks 314 million views ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 buzz.
MUMBAI: Four legends, one frame and not a single tackle in sight. Lego has pulled off a crossover few thought possible, uniting Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior in a single campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 only this time, they’re building dreams brick by brick.
Titled “Everyone wants a piece”, the campaign features the quartet assembling a Lego version of the World Cup trophy, before placing miniature versions of themselves atop it, a playful nod to football’s ultimate prize. Shared widely across social media, the ad carries a pointed disclaimer: it is not AI-generated, a subtle but telling signal in an era where even reality is often questioned.
The numbers tell their own story. The campaign has already crossed 314 million views on Instagram across the players’ accounts, with fans hailing it as a rare, almost nostalgic moment particularly for the reunion of Messi and Ronaldo, whose last shared campaign ahead of the 2022 World Cup became one of the platform’s most-liked posts.
Beyond the film, Lego is extending the play with exclusive, player-themed sets tied to each of the four stars, part of a broader football-led programme designed to ride the global momentum building towards 2026. The idea, as echoed by the players themselves, leans into the parallels between football and play experimentation, creativity, failure, and triumph.
Messi described the sets as a way to bring on-pitch moments into an imaginative, hands-on world, while Ronaldo called the transformation into a Lego figure a rare honour, blending sport with storytelling. Vinícius, meanwhile, struck a more personal note, recalling childhood moments of building with Lego and framing creativity as a universal language that transcends borders.
The timing is no accident. With the 2026 World Cup set to run from June 11 to July 19 across the United States, Canada and Mexico, and featuring an expanded 48-team format, global anticipation is already building. Argentina, led by Messi, will enter as defending champions, adding another layer of intrigue.
For Lego, the campaign does more than celebrate football, it taps into its mythology. Because when icons become figurines and rivalries turn into play, the beautiful game finds a new kind of pitch. one built, quite literally, by hand.
