High Court
Havas speaks EU fluently as Brussels taps It for five year mandate
MUMBAI: When Europe needs to explain itself, it’s turning to a familiar accent. Havas has been selected under the new Framework Contract of the European Commission, securing a five-year mandate to support strategic communication assignments for EU institutions across Member States and beyond.
The appointment positions Havas as the only France-based European communications group chosen under the framework, reinforcing its standing as a go-to player for pan-European institutional communication. The contract builds on previous mandates handled by the group for the Commission and underlines its growing influence at a continental level.
At a time when Europe’s message must travel across borders, cultures and political climates, the brief is as much about nuance as scale. Havas will deliver an integrated model coordinated by its Paris teams, combining Europe-wide strategic coherence with local execution through its network of agencies across the EU. The aim: to make European initiatives more relatable, intelligible and relevant to citizens in their everyday lives.
Havas Paris CEO Julien Carette said Europe’s diversity demands communication that connects institutions with people, not just policies with paperwork. The group’s approach, he noted, is rooted in translating complex ideas into clear narratives that resonate locally while aligning centrally.
The mandate will see Havas supporting communication around major European public policies spanning employment, justice, health, defence and economic and social transition, alongside issues such as civil liberties, shared values and the rule of law. In a fragmented media environment marked by misinformation and scepticism, the focus will be on clarity, pedagogy and dialogue grounded in facts.
Havas’ integrated structure is central to the win. Its H/Advisors platform will play a key role in reputation, influence and public diplomacy, while the group’s Converged.AI strategy brings advisory, creative and media teams together to deliver measurable outcomes. Havas Creative Europe CEO Raphaël de Andréis said institutions increasingly seek partners who can turn complexity into accessible storytelling, a space where Havas believes it has a competitive edge.
The contract also highlights Havas’ European DNA. Headquartered in Paris, listed in Amsterdam and embedded across the continent’s economic and cultural ecosystems, the group positions itself as European by both culture and structure capable of operating at scale while remaining sensitive to national realities.
Havas Group, chairman of H/Advisors and executive vice president Stéphane Fouks described the mandate as a responsibility as much as a recognition, one that reflects Europe’s values of dialogue, democracy and openness at a time when competing governance models are gaining ground.
For Havas, the Brussels nod is more than a contract win. It is a signal of trust from one of the world’s most complex institutions and a reminder that in Europe’s crowded conversation, choosing the right voice still matters.
High Court
Bombay HC likely to protect Kartik Aaryan’s personality rights
Actor seeks Rs 15 crore damages over AI misuse, deepfakes and merch
MUMBAI: In an age where faces can be faked and voices cloned, even stardom needs legal armour. The Bombay High Court has indicated it will pass an order safeguarding the personality and publicity rights of Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan, following allegations of widespread digital misuse of his identity.
The matter, heard by Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh, centres on a plea filed by Aaryan seeking a broad John Doe injunction against 16 defendants, including e-commerce platforms, social media intermediaries and unidentified entities. The court noted the concerns raised and said appropriate orders would be issued.
At the heart of the case lies the growing threat of artificial intelligence-driven impersonation. Aaryan’s petition flags multiple instances of deepfake content circulating across platforms such as YouTube and Instagram, where his likeness has allegedly been used to create fabricated videos, including false romantic link-ups and objectionable scenarios designed to drive engagement.
In one particularly alarming example, the actor’s legal filing cites AI-generated visuals that falsely associate him with controversial global figures, including Jeffrey Epstein. The plea argues that such content not only misleads audiences but also causes serious reputational damage.
The concerns extend beyond content to commerce. The suit alleges that unauthorised merchandise bearing Aaryan’s name and image is being sold across platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart and Redbubble, without his consent. Additionally, the actor has raised red flags over AI-powered chatbots that mimic his voice and simulate conversations, warning of potential misuse in fraudulent activities.
Aaryan’s filing underscores that he is the registered proprietor of the trademark “Kartik Aaryan”, with his name, voice and likeness carrying significant commercial value. The unauthorised use of these attributes, the plea states, leads to “immediate and irreparable harm” to his goodwill.
Seeking both preventive and punitive relief, the actor has requested a permanent injunction restraining entities from exploiting his identity in any form be it name, voice, signature or distinctive dialogue style. He has also sought damages amounting to Rs 15 crore for alleged commercial misappropriation and reputational loss.
The case highlights a larger legal and cultural moment, where the lines between reality and replication are increasingly blurred. As AI tools become more accessible, courts are now being called upon to define the boundaries of identity in the digital age, where a face may be famous, but control over it is no longer guaranteed.
