New Delhi: Mindshare India, a WPP-owned media agency, has bagged the digital media mandate of fast moving consumer goods firm Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). Confirming the development, the company said that the agency’s unit Fulcrum, which has been handling the company’s mass media buying and planning, will now handle media across various digital platforms.
The incumbent agency on the account is Omnicom Group-owned PHD India.
“Hindustan Unilever Limited today confirmed that it has appointed WPP’s Mindshare Fulcrum to be responsible for planning and buying of digital media, in addition to its other responsibilities. The appointment is for 2019 to 2021 inclusive,” said a statement from HUL.
Hindustan Unilever is the biggest advertiser in the country. The company spent 25% more on advertising in the quarter ending March 31, 2018, than in the corresponding quarter last year. The FMCG giant spent Rs 1,070 crore in the fourth quarter of 2017-18, up from Rs 853 crore in the same quarter of the previous year.
The advertising spend for the entire 2017-18 was up by 18% from the previous year. The company reported an annual ad spend of Rs 4,105 crore in 2017-18, up from Rs 3,470 crore in the previous year.
Mindshare handles clients such as ICICI Bank, breakfast cereal brand Kellogg’s India, fast moving consumer goods company PepsiCo, handset maker Motorola, Lifestyle Group, automobile firm Ford India, sports brand Nike, Lufthansa Airlines and the Muthoot Group.