MAM
Star India’s ‘Mauka Mauka’ and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Jashn shine at Abbys 2016
MUMBAI: Star India was one of the few broadcasters to emerge with glory at the 11th edition of Goafest 2016 with 20 metals to its name. Its biggest success story was the extremely popular campaign ‘Mauka Mauka’ that the channel had done in-house for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015. The catchy jingle not only became a nationally trending conversation piece, but also won the network gold in the Broadcaster category at the Abbys. Apart from the gold, the promotion also won three silvers in media and creative Abby.
Star India’s flagship show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon also claimed a bronze for making the best TV Fiction Promo for its rebooted mini-series version on Hotstar – Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon – Ek Jashn. The promo was successful in sparking nostalgia as well as creating a superb buzz around the popular show, as also inviting TV fans of the show to turn to their OTT platform Hotstar to enjoy the webseries.
The channel’s promotion for its ongoing prime time show Siya Ke Ram was also felicitated with a silver medal in the media field. Siya Ke Ram – Dhanush Yatra bagged the silver for best use of Special Events & Stunts/Live Advertising.
The network bagged a total of six silvers including three in media, two in broadcaster and one in creative categories with Mauka Mauka winning three silvers for best use of digital as a medium; best use of Social Media and for Integrated Advertising. Siya Ke Raam – Dhanush Yatra of Star Plus won asilver for best use of Special Events & Stunts / Live Advertising (Media); Star Movies Select HD’s Select Sundays Nostalgia and the Book Adaptations campaigns winning a silver each for best Movie Promo by a TV Channel (Broadcaster).
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
