MAM
Rediff exits, Selvel acquires majority stake in OAP
MUMBAI: The Outdoor planning and buying company, Outdoor Advertising Professionals (OAP), is now controlled by Selvel Advertising, as the third partner Rediffusion-Y&R has exited the joint venture.
OAP will now be able to pitch for those accounts which were competing with Rediffusion Y&R’s portfolio.
OAP CEO Abhijit Sengupta said, “Rather one positive outcome would be that it will now on give us the opportunity to pitch-in for those accounts where we had restricted entry as they were competing with Rediffusion Y&R’s portfolio. We can also restart the dialogue with those advertising and media agencies which were in need of our services, which we kept in abeyance thus far.”
There will be no change in the day to day operations of OAP as for the last eight years it had been scouting, developing, and managing the entire client portfolio on its own.
Selvel Advertising chairman Noomi Mehta stated, “We at Selvel are very happy with the outcome of our association in the form of OAP. But from time to time the needs of each organisation change and different priorities emerge. Rediffusion realised this and wanted to do the right thing by exiting OAP and quit as equity partners. But I am sure the tremendous relationship we have built will survive and we will keep working together.”
Brands
From mega bills to spontaneous dates: Swiggy Dineout Valentine’s report
From mega bills to last-minute plans, India celebrated love with flair
MUMBAI: Valentine’s Day 2026 was a feast for the senses and wallets alike, according to Swiggy Dineout. India’s on-demand dining platform revealed how the nation celebrated romance with big gestures, lively nights out, and plenty of spontaneous bookings.
Metropolitan hubs continued to rule the roost with Bengaluru, Delhi, and Hyderabad seeing the most reservations. Emerging cities aren’t far behind, with Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Chandigarh joining the party. Growth was particularly striking in Surat (up 180 per cent), Vadodara (155 per cent) and Bhubaneswar (145.5 per cent) compared with the previous Saturday.
Mumbai stole the headlines with a single customer splashing out Rs 130,155 – the highest bill in the country. The city also hosted the largest single group booking, with 30 diners coming together to celebrate in style. Most Valentine’s transactions took place between 10pm and 11pm, proving love, and hunger, strike late.
Mumbai stole the spotlight with a mega-spender whose bill made everyone else blush, while savvy diners were cashing in on discounts, including a Pune customer saving 60% and another in Bengaluru saving 50 per cent. Fine dining was on fire, with bookings up 121 per cent year-on-year, though pubs, bars, and lounges remained the crowd favourites, accounting for 30.6 per cent of all reservations. Last-minute romance was the order of the day, with 66 per cent of diners booking within two hours of heading out. Together, India saved over Rs 6 crore, proving that love can be grand, yet thrifty.
Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Delhi led the premium dining rush, showing a growing appetite for curated, high-end experiences. Meanwhile, spontaneous bookings reinforced modern lifestyles, where convenience and instant gratification rule the day.
Whether it was big spends, huge groups, or a last-minute romantic dash, Valentine’s Day 2026 proved love and dining go hand in hand – and sometimes, they go all out.
