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Universal McCann’s annual study Media in Mind released
MUMBAI: Universal McCann’s annual study – Media in Mind (MiM), which provides analysis to how consumers relate to media and products in their daily life, was recently released by Universal McCann executive vice president and global research director Jim Kite. The survey represents the largest investment in consumer media research by any media agency.
Simmons Market Research Bureau, one of America’s oldest and most respected consumer research companies, was awarded the contract in 2004 to conduct the MiM study.
“For many years Media in Mind has played a pivotal role in the way we produce media plans that precisely engage with consumers,” said Kite. “We continually adapt and evolve the survey to reflect the changing landscape of our business to include all forms of communication, but our link to Simmons and the National Consumer Survey is by far its greatest advance.
“Our relationship with Simmons allows us the capability to track Hispanic Americans’ daily lives by language preference. This is a particularly exciting development and exceedingly relevant to many our clients,” he added.
Originally launched by Universal McCann in Europe in 1997, MiM has been expanded throughout the world to over 50 countries including the US and is now the largest ongoing proprietary survey of its kind.
The study highlights the multi-media patterns of adults, identifying when different consumers can best connect with media and non-traditional communication forms. This knowledge plus the in-depth support data on consumer lifestyles, behavior and views on how media is used, help Universal McCann client partners determine the best media placement opportunities to impact their target audiences.
“Having such a robust single source of data with the findings customised against our category and individual business needs enables us to profile and segment our consumers in unique ways,” said Sony Electronics Inc director of media and Internet strategy Serge Del Grosso. “With Media in Mind, which also complements and augments our existing syndicated research, we now have the depth and breadth to drill deeper, ultimately ascribing value against these consumers in ways we have never done before. It takes us well beyond media usage analysis and into communications architecture.”
USA Today director marketing research Catherine Captain said, “At USA Today we are in the unique position of marketing our own products while also providing vehicles to market the products of others. It is our goal to continue to lead the industry in actionable consumer insight and we need the right tools to do that. The marriage of Media in Mind and the National Consumer Survey affords us these rich opportunities on three levels: strategic surveillance of the total media market and where USA Today fits as we explore new markets; a deep understanding of our own consumers and their distinct connection with USA Today; and analysis of our advertisers’ brands and consumers in order to create advertising opportunities for them that maximise their partnership with USA Today.”
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India’s employability gap persists despite strong hiring intent
Only 1 in 5 institutions achieve 76 to 100 per cent placements within six months of graduation.
MUMBAI: India’s young workforce is ready in numbers, but the real question is whether they are ready for work and senior leaders from industry, academia and policy gathered in Delhi to find practical answers. A closed-door roundtable hosted by Vaishali Nigam Sinha, co-founder of Renew, brought together key voices to discuss actionable solutions for bridging the persistent employability gap. The session highlighted that while job opportunities are expanding, the alignment between education and industry needs remains a critical challenge.
According to Teamlease EdTech’s Career Outlook Report HY1 2026, 73 per cent of employers plan to hire freshers in the first half of 2026, signalling steady recovery in entry-level hiring. However, employers are shifting focus from mere qualifications to demonstrable capability, placing greater value on internships, live projects and proof-of-work.
Teamlease Edtech, founder and CEO Shantanu Rooj emphasised the need for better alignment, “India’s employability challenge is no longer about access alone, but about alignment between education and work. Employers are increasingly relying on demonstrable capability such as internships, projects, and applied learning as indicators of readiness.”
Vaishali Nigam Sinha stressed the importance of execution over intent, “India has both the talent and the opportunity. What is needed now is alignment. We have to move from intent to execution by embedding employability into the system itself.”
Other prominent speakers included Dr Chenraj Roychand, Chancellor of Jain (Deemed-to-be) University, who called for universities to evolve from degree providers to ecosystem enablers, Prof M. Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIM Calcutta, who highlighted the need for flexibility and multidisciplinary learning, and Dr T.N. Singh, Director of IIT Patna, who advocated deeper industry engagement through research and experiential learning.
The discussion also drew insights from the book Accelerating Impact. Enabling Dreams – Making India Employable by Shantanu Rooj and co-authors, which features contributions from leaders like Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Dr Krishnaswamy Kasturirangan and Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
During the event, Teamlease Edtech Foundation launched Project SEED, a national initiative aimed at bridging the education-employability gap for underserved youth. The project focuses on early intervention at the school level to guide students towards informed career choices and work-integrated pathways.
With only 16.67 per cent (1 in 5) of institutions achieving 76–100 per cent placements within six months of graduation, the conversation made one thing clear, India’s demographic dividend will deliver real value only when education and employability walk hand in hand. The gathering served as a timely reminder that the future of India’s workforce depends not just on creating more jobs, but on preparing young people far better to seize them.
