MAM
WPP’s Grey acquires US-based mobile app developer ArcTouch
MUMBAI: WPP’s wholly-owned operating company Grey has acquired ArcTouch, Inc – a full-service mobile app development company in the United States.
ArcTouch’s gross revenues were approximately $14 million as of 31 December, 2015. The company employs 97 people and is based in San Francisco with an office in Florianopolis, Brazil. It was founded in 2008.
ArcTouch’s developers, designers and mobile strategists transform ideas into engaging apps for telephones, tablets, wearable devices, televisions, homes and cars. The company has completed over 250 projects for Fortune 500 companies, leading consumer brands, innovative startups, media and entertainment companies and world-class marketing and design agencies.
This acquisition continues WPP’s strategy of investing in important markets and fast growing sectors such as mobile and digital. WPP’s digital revenues were $6.9 billion in 2014, representing 36 per cent of the Group’s total revenues of $19 billion. WPP has set a target of 40-45 per cent of revenue to be derived from digital in the next five years.
Brands
Zepto sets up mini delivery hub at AI Summit
Quick commerce goes live at venue with 1,700 daily orders
NEW DELHI: At a summit devoted to the future of artificial intelligence, quick commerce quietly stole the show at ground level. Zepto set up a compact Delivery Hub at the India AI Impact Summit, turning the venue into a live demonstration of instant retail in action.
Built at roughly one third the size of a standard 4,000 sq ft dark store, the scaled down hub was engineered for speed. Despite its smaller footprint, it was stocked with more than 10,000 stock keeping units curated specifically for summit attendees. From mid morning cravings to late afternoon slumps, the shelves were primed for every possible need.
Till Wednesday, the hub was processing an average of 1,700 orders a day. Lunch hour emerged as the clear rush period, as delegates swapped panel discussions for paneer puffs and product demos for Diet Coke. Snacks topped the order charts, followed by tea and other beverages.
Among the fastest moving items were samosas, plain Maggi, chicken puffs, Bisleri packaged drinking water bottles, Coca-Cola Diet Coke cans and Lay’s India’s Magic Masala potato chips. In short, comfort food met cutting edge tech.
The on site hub gave attendees near instant access to essentials without stepping outside the venue. More than just a convenience counter, it served as a real time case study of how technology led operations can power seamless commerce even at large scale events.
While speakers debated how humans and intelligent systems will co create and co work, Zepto offered a practical reminder that sometimes the smartest innovation is simply getting a hot snack into hungry hands, fast.
