AD Agencies
Zee melt, largest convention forming synergies between mar-comm-tech is back with its 4th edition
ZEE MELT, a pioneering convention forming the cross-pollination of creativity, marketing, communication, technology and digital space since its inception has announced the 4th edition to take place on 30th and 31st May, 2018. The two-day festival will be held at NSCI, Mumbai and features an impressive line-up of keynote speakers, who have established themselves as disruptors and creative thinkers in the global marketing arena.
The speakers include:
· Chuck Porter: Co-Founder & Chairman, CP&B. An American advertising executive, marketer and author
· Fernando Machado: Head of Brand Marketing, Burger King. A global marketer with a passion for growing brands and businesses. Burger King became ‘Client of the Year’ at the D&AD in 2016 and Creative Marketer of the Year in Cannes 2017 under his leadership
· Tom Fishburne: Chief Marketoonist. A veteran marketer and cartoonist.The brainchild behind combining content marketing with a sense of humour
· Tom Goodwin: Executive Vice President and head of innovation, Zenith Media. A self-established marketing provocateur and commentator on the future of marketing and business
· AnindyaGhose: Prof. of Information, Operations & Mgmt. Sciences, Leonard N. Stern School of Business. The youngest ever recipient of the prestigious INFORMS ISS Distinguished Fellow Award
· Mark Shayler: Autho. A public speaker, trainer, a founding partner of the Do Lectures and runs Do Workshops. He also helps run Good for Nothing – a collaborative group that deliver design and strategy work for good causes, for nothing.
· Matthew Quint – Director, Center on Global Brand Leadership – Columbia Business School. Co-producer of the acclaimed BRITE Conference which brings together big thinkers from industry and academia to discuss how innovation and technology help build strong brands.
Speaking about Zee Melt 2018, Kyoorius, Founder and CEO, Rajesh Kejriwal said, “Zee Melt continues to march forward with its focus on bringing the biggest and the creative minds together on one platform and change the way marketing is perceived. Year after year, we look forward to unfold a highly-energized and knowledge driven convention. Having such notable speakers on-board for the sessions fortifies this objective and we are certain this edition will add immense value to all the attendees.”
Over the years Zee Melt has been an all-encompassing arena of 150+ speakers, 280+ sessions, 6000+ delegates and 100+ partners. The convention this year too will be an insightful hub that reverberates with powerful, resourceful ideas, striking content and creativity across keynote sessions, speaker presentations, panel discussions, seminars, workshops and an exhibition.
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.
