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For 2nd year running, MindShare ‘Media’s’ Agency of the Year
MUMBAI: It was the perfect cap to what what has been a great year for Group M’s media agency MindShare in the Asia Pacific. Mindshare won the Media’s Agency of the Year award for the second year in succession at the Media Magazine Awards that were held in Hong Kong on Friday, 10 December.
This is the first time that any agency has won the Agency of the Year award two years in succession. To add to this, MindShare also had more finalists across the various categories than any other agency.
Apart from this, MindShare Kuala Lumpur’s Chanchal Chakrabarti was awarded the Media Planner/Buyer of the Year. Chakrabarti had worked with the company (then JWT) in Delhi a few years ago and eventually moved to Malaysia, where he’s currently general manager of MindShare’s Unilever operation. Simon Woodward, who runs GroupM trading in China and MindShare’s trading task force for Asia Pacific, was also a finalist.
MindShare bagged the Agency of the Year award for the commendable performance of the network across various countries in Asia Pacific. The agency had a 79 per cent success ratio in new business pitches, 95 per cent retention rate on existing clients, 38 per cent surge in revenues, business wins worth over $ 378 million in billings, including Vodaphone (Japan), Asia Pacific Breweries (Tiger/Heineken beers) in South East Asia, ICICI Prudential Insurance, LG and Brittannia in India, Loreal, Changhong and Motorola in China and Unilever and Cadbury Adams in Thailand.
What’s more, MindShare Japan were a finalist in Office of the Year, whereas MindShare and Maxus chairman Asia Pacific John Steedman finished runners up in the Agency Regional Head of the Year category.
Another feather in the agency’s cap this year was that Campaign Magazine voted the MindShare group as the ‘International Network of the Year’ and the ‘Media Agency of the Year’ for UK for the second year running.
T MATRIX, PRINT PASSION LAUNCHED IN INDIA
As for the key initiative Mindshare introduced in India in 2004, the first was the launch of its cable TV channel T Matrix, which features drama series and blockbuster films as a platform for brands wishing to carry out localised marketing.
Apart from this, MindShare India this year also developed a planning tool called Print Passion, which provides clients with a clearer insight into audience involvement with specific publications.
Speaking on the same, Group M South Asia CEO Ashutosh Srivastava said, “T Matrix was launched on the Trinity cable network (managed by former Star distribution head Arun Mohan) in Delhi and its surrounding areas and is available in 1.6 million homes and growing. Print Passion on the other hand, is also available in the Delhi market and will be rolled out in Bangalore and Mumbai over the next three to four months.”
GLOBALLY, MINDSHARE’S BEST EVER YEAR
Globally, the agency has had the most succesful12 months in its seven-year history, securing $ 3 billion worth of new business, winning numerous awards and investing heavily in research.
The biggest by far of course was the $ 1.3 billion western Europe Unilever account that Mindhsare won in a three-way pitch that included Carat and Initiative.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
