MAM
The Advertising Club announces the Category Awards for Marquees 2018
MUMBAI: The Advertising Club today announced the various sector and special category awards for Marquees 2018. Marquees is the foremost of all advertising and marketing awards organized by the Ad Club. It is the first of its kind, in which brand performance would be evaluated objectively, with data from Kantar / IMRB, making it truly “Marquee”. The award was conceptualised to recognise and award the brand custodians considering all aspects of marketing – price, product, presence and promotion that has changed the game for a brand. Marquees also pays a special tribute to the marketing efforts of brands that have turned the tide in the face of an adversity through its special category awards. This year’s edition of the Marquees is presented by Zee and powered by Colors and Republic TV.
Brands from sectors in auto (both 2 wheelers and 4 wheelers), Durables, Life Insurance, Banking, E-commerce, Handsets, FMCG (Foods, beverages, household and personal care) and Telecom Service Providers will compete for Marquees 2018, an award that recognises creativity, effectiveness and excellence in marketing.
The industry award that debuted last year will also honour brands that surpassed challenges thorough five special awards. Taking the conventional route is not only the easiest but also the safest route for brands. However, some brands however opt for the road less travelled and have succeeded despite the odds being stacked against them. These special awards are namely – Breathing new life into a category, Creating a global impact, Re-imagining for the better, Carving out a niche and Digital media property of the year.
Speaking about the special categories of awards, Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO, media and OOH, Madison Communications & President, The Advertising Club said, “Brands have the power to influence and lead conversations however as we all know that with power comes responsibilities. We were very clear from the beginning that the various categories of special awards that we finally choose should be able to directly impact people and their lives positively. The Ad Club has been a catalyst in not only guiding the advertising industry but also creating the ecosystem for positive marketing”
Partho Dasgupta, CEO, BARC India and Chairman, Marquee Awards said “In a world full of brands, we see very few marketing initiatives that create ripples and actually change behaviour. Data and insights drive me, and I am looking forward to the analysis on how the contenders of the five special categories this time have provided a fresh lease of life in their respective sectors. The Ad Club recognises the hard work of these marketers and this award is an acknowledgement and appreciation of that body of work.”
After successfully chairing the Jury in the first edition, Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman & MD, Hindustan Unilever Limited & Executive Vice President, Unilever South Asia, has returned as Jury Chairman for Marquees 2018. The other jury members are: CVL Srinivas, Country Manager, WPP India; Harsh Goenka, Chairman, RPG Enterprises; Agnello Dias, Founder & Chief Creative Officer, Taproot Dentsu; Naveen Chopra, Sr. Advisor, TPG Capital and Raj Nayak, COO, Viacom 18.
Marquees has created a niche for itself and have managed to bring together the thought leaders and industry veterans of the advertising, marketing, media, research and communication fraternity on a single platform. Marquees 2018 is scheduled for August 29, 2018 at the St. Regis Mumbai.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
