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Havas Media takes majority in Snapworx in Philippines
MUMBAI: Havas Media has acquired a majority stake in Snapworx Mobile Inc, the mobile marketing arm of Philippines-based Snapworx Inc.
Snapworx‘s mobile business will now be rebranded as Mobext, whichalready operates as the global mobile marketing brand within the HavasDigital stable.
This acquisition further strengthens Havas Media‘s footprint in the area, adding to its existing two agencies: MPG and Media Contacts.
The newly branded Mobext in the Philippines will be led by Arthur Policarpio, the current CEO of Snapworx, who will report in to Vishnu Mohan, CEO of Havas Media APAC.
Havas Media CEO Alfonso Rodes Vila said, “We are constantly focused on enhancing our service offerings to address the needs of our clients and the acquisition of Snapworx is part of this strategy. The Philippines is one of Asia’s biggest mobile markets where the demand for mobile marketing solutions is growing exponentially. This acquisition also perfectly complements our other agencies in the Philippines”.
With a decade of mobile marketing experience, Policarpio is a recognised industry leader in the Philippines. He was the former President (2009) of the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), the country‘s premiere association for Internet and mobile marketing.
Policarpio will be joined in the Mobext management team by Jeremy Obial, Snapworx co-founder and chief technology officer.
Havas Digital CEO Anthony Rhind said, “Snapworx is a wonderful addition to Havas Digital‘s agencies and we see a great cultural fit with them. I am excited by the prospect of the new agency Mobext, and look forward to working with the teams.”
Mobext CEO Arthur Policarpio added, “We are pleased to be a part of the Havas Media family. The group has both strong local operations and a solid global footprint. We are looking forward to further enhancing the group‘s strength and expertise through our extensive experience in the Philippines market.”
Mobext is currently present in 11 markets globally. In Asia, the agency brand was launched in India in May last year, with plans for roll out in three more markets this year.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
