MUMBAI: WPP’s wholly-owned pure play digital network VML Qais launched its operations in India.

The India operations will be headed by VML Qais Asia CEO Tripti Lochan.

The agency is the Asian arm of brand consulting agency VML and was formed after it acquired Qais Consulting in February 2012. VML Qais has a six-member team in Mumbai and is expected to set up operations in Delhi by the end of the year.

VML Qais, the Asia arm of VML, has been handling clients like Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Revlon, Tata Motors and Mahindra two-wheelers for the last 12 months while setting up full-fledged operations in the country.

Founded in 1992, VML is a U.S. based company with global operations. Its clients include Colgate-Palmolive, Dell, English Premier League, Gatorade, Kellogg, Microsoft, SAP, Southwest Airlines, Western Union and Xerox.

Qais is a strategic, full-service digital agency with offices in Singapore and Mumbai. Since 2004, it has helped clients with digital and marketing strategy, user experience, technology development, research and analytics, mobile and channel management, social media, search marketing, online advertising, and media management services. Its clients include Standard Chartered Bank, Sony Electronics, Sony Pictures, Hilton Hotels, Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Tata Motors and the Singapore Ministry of Defence.

VML CEO and president Jon Cook said, “Serving these markets with the combined strengths of VML Qais is an ideal approach.”

“Expanding VML operations to Singapore, Southeast Asia and India enables us to better serve our growing roster of global clients, while further expanding the VML footprint in the key markets in Asia,” said Y&R chief global digital officer and VML global chairman Matt Anthony.

Qais Consulting chairman Keith Timimi said, “Since its inception, Qais Consulting was built to help our clients navigate the explosion of the digital universe,” said Keith Timimi, Chairman. We are now able to realize that dream in partnership with the world’s leading pure-play digital network. We are proud to become the Asia arm of VML with the launch of VML Qais, and we are delighted to be able to offer best-of-breed digital solutions to the prestigious clients of the Y&R network.”

Y&R Asia president Matthew Godfrey said, “We want to grow the Asia business in both size and reputation, and digital expertise is crucial to achieving that growth. VML Qais has incredible digital credentials, and aligning our core business with their digital leadership and expertise in key markets in the region will drive our business forward.”

MUMBAI: WPP’s digital media investment consultancy Media Innovation Group (MIG) has made inroads into the Asian market with its first office in Singapore as reported by Campaign Asia.

It currently has operations in USA, Europe and Latin America. The Asian outfit of MIG will be headed by former business Innocean director James Welch. He will serve as regional director and will be responsible for building partnerships with creative agencies and their clients across Asia-Pacific.

MIG is involved in collecting and using data from audience interactions across paid, owned and earned digital media to optimise digital investments. The agency will strive to provide digital media buying and data insights to creative agencies.

MUMBAI: WPP, the world’s largest advertising company, has reported a strong first-half financial performance.

WPP declared revenue growth of 8.1 per cent in the first half (organic growth of 6.1 per cent), gaining from a robust advertising environment across the world. North American sales increased 5.4 per cent, and growth in the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) improved 15 per cent in the first half.

The company‘s operating margins augmented to 11 per cent from 10.3 per cent in the first half of 2010, with higher profitability in all geographic regions.

Billings were up 5.2 per cent at ?21.4 billion, while reportable
revenue has increased by 6.1 per cent at ?4.7 billion.

The Board of WPP announced its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2011. “Despite recent uncertainties, these results continue the post-Lehman bounce-back seen in 2010 and the Group has now achieved levels of pro-forma revenues and profitability beyond 2008,” said an official statement.

For the remaining 2011, the company states that slowdown in the growth rate in the United States should be compensated geographically by faster growth in the United Kingdom, Western Continental Europe, “from admittedly low levels”, and faster escalation in Asia Pacific, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East and Central and Eastern Europe.

“Functionally, any slowdown in traditional media spending, is similarly forecast to be covered by increasing digital spending and, in our case, by continued growth in media investment management,” an official statement stated.