AD Agencies
Think Design signs MoU with IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation
Mumbai: Think Design, Havas India’s UI/UX specialist agency, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation. The MOU aims to foster a beneficial collaboration between the Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) at IIT Mandi and Think Design (TD). The TIH, which focuses on Human-Computer Interaction, was established with the backing of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (GoI), and is housed at IIT Mandi.
The goal of the MoU is to provide a formal platform for Think Design and iHub to collaborate in mutually advantageous areas of Research & Development to support the adoption of solutions that have social and economic consequences. The partnership aims to raise public awareness and help build skills in the usage of technologies, such as those used to develop Assistive Technologies, Experience Technologies, and Device-led Technologies. The MoU will also result in the sharing of information and resources to increase the impact of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) collaboration for case-specific products and solutions.
“IIT Mandi iHub envisions to be an internationally recognized hub that nurtures HCI research, enables technology translation for industry, and scales skill development,” stated IIT Mandi iHub and HCI Foundation CEO Somjit Amrit, speaking about the MoU.
“In keeping with this resolve, we are eager to collaborate in addressing real-life problem statements through the integration of translational research that leads to industry acceptance. Industrial design is critical to the transition from prototype to product and commercialization. With that in mind, a collaboration with an industry leader like Think Design is expected to help the industry to incorporate the most recent and relevant research, resulting in a faster Go-To-Market with product-market fits, which would improve user experience,” he said.
“As a pioneering design and research consultancy, our focus has always been to bring path-breaking ideas to the market,” said Think Design chief strategy officer Hari Nallan. “Our collaboration with IIT Mandi’s Technology Innovation Hub is critical and will help us further our mission. The partnership’s breadth and areas of involvement are cutting-edge and highly relevant to the market’s current needs. I’m very happy to launch this meaningful effort that will benefit not only Think Design and IIT Mandi TIH, but also society as a whole,” he further added.
AD Agencies
Microsoft shifts global media account from Dentsu to Publicis Groupe: Reports
Closed review ends decade-long tie-up; Xbox remit may remain with Dentsu
MUMBAI: Microsoft has reassigned its global media planning and buying business to Publicis Groupe, according to media reports, ending Dentsu’s long-standing stewardship of one of the advertising industry’s biggest accounts.
The move follows a closed review and marks a notable shake-up in the global media landscape. Dentsu, which managed the account through Carat, had held the mandate since 2014 and successfully defended it in a 2018 review.
While the broader business is shifting, Dentsu is expected to retain media responsibilities for Xbox, according to media reports, though the exact contours of that arrangement remain unclear. None of the parties involved have publicly outlined the transition timeline or the full structure of the handover.
The scale of the account underscores the significance of the change. Estimates from COMvergence, cited by Ad Age, peg Microsoft’s global media spend at roughly $700 million last year.
For Publicis Groupe, the win deepens an already expanding relationship with the tech giant. Earlier this year, Microsoft Advertising partnered with Publicis Media Exchange and Epsilon to integrate Epsilon’s data into its platform, aiming to sharpen targeting across search, native and display formats.
The decision reflects a broader industry shift, as large advertisers increasingly favour agency partners with strong first-party data capabilities, AI integration and platform-led solutions. Publicis Groupe has been leaning into this model, positioning its data assets and technology stack as a central differentiator.
For Dentsu, the loss is significant. Media remains a core pillar of its global business, and the development comes close on the heels of leadership changes, including the appointment of Takeshi Sano as global chief executive officer.
The shift also carries a touch of irony. Microsoft and Dentsu have worked closely beyond the client-agency relationship, including collaborations around AI tools such as Copilot to support media and creative workflows.
As the dust settles, the message is clear: in today’s data-driven, AI-powered media world, relationships may be long, but they are rarely permanent.
