iWorld
Mullen Lintas wins creative mandate of Viacom 18’s VOOT
MUMBAI As it gears up for the consumer launch of its advertising led VOD platform VOOT, Viacom18 has appointed Mullen Lintas, the advertising agency of the Mullen Lowe Lintas Group as its creative partner.
The agency’s mandate would be to provide strategic recommendations pertaining to marketing and promotion of the brand and also provide ideas that go beyond conventional advertising.
Commenting on the appointment, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi said, “As we set out to launch a new brand in this space, we needed a creative partner who could not only help in building a distinct positioning for VOOT, but also bring-to-life key facets of our product and content proposition in the campaigns. Our choice for Mullen Lintas is not only because of the fantastic credentials of the agency, but also the very deep consumer insights and creative edge that the team brings with it.”
Expressing his views on the immense scope that the brand presents, Mullen Lintas chairman and CCO Amer Jaleel said, “We are delighted to partner Viacom 18 for their high-decibel launch of VOOT. Time and place are no longer the deciding factors for accessing entertainment. This is the future of entertainment and we have no doubt that VOOT will play a big role in shaping this category. We are committed towards creating magic for the brand VOOT.”
On winning the new mandate, Mullen Lintas CEO Virat Tandon said, “Technology is changing the way people are consuming content. Video on demand is the next big leap after the remote control. It’s a super exciting space and an opportunity to create the next big entertainment brand in this new tech world. Also exciting is the opportunity to work with some remarkable bunch of people at Viacom 18.”
VOOT is a digital video entertainment platform launching with over 17,000 hours of content (across languages and genres) including the biggest TV shows, Kids content and films. This will be supplemented by fresh and original web series, Digital films and other original content created only for VOOT.
Content on VOOT will be classified based on genres such as reality, comedy, drama, kids and other segments and has been formatted based on a year’s research on what people watch on digital video platforms.
e-commerce
American Express to acquire AI startup Hyper to boost automation
Deal targets expense management as AI reshapes corporate spending tools.
MUMBAI: From receipts to robots, the expense sheet is getting a brain upgrade as American Express moves to bring artificial intelligence into the heart of corporate spending. The company has announced plans to acquire Hyper, a relatively young but fast-rising startup founded in 2022 that builds AI-powered agents capable of organising expenses, generating reports, verifying compliance with budgets and policies, and nudging users with timely reminders. The deal, expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, underscores a growing shift among financial institutions to automate traditionally manual, time-heavy workflows.
Hyper counts Sam Altman among its backers, adding a layer of Silicon Valley credibility to the acquisition. While financial details remain undisclosed, the strategic intent is clear: deepen automation capabilities and sharpen American Express’s position in the competitive corporate spending ecosystem.
The two companies are not strangers. They previously collaborated in 2024 on a co-branded credit card product, suggesting that the acquisition is less a cold buy and more an extension of an existing relationship. With this move, American Express is effectively bringing that capability in-house, aiming to embed AI directly into its commercial services stack.
Chief executive Stephen Squeri had already signalled the direction of travel in a recent shareholder letter, describing AI as a “structural shift” in how businesses operate. The Hyper acquisition appears to be a direct response to that shift, particularly in expense management, where processes such as approvals, compliance checks and reporting remain ripe for automation.
Alongside the acquisition, the company is also expanding its product suite. A recently launched business credit card offers cashback and benefits at an annual fee of $295, with another card expected later this year moves that complement its broader push into commercial services.
Taken together, the strategy points to a future where managing expenses may require fewer spreadsheets and more algorithms. For American Express, the bet is simple, if businesses are rethinking how work gets done, the tools that power that work need to evolve just as quickly.
