News

JWT strengthens Indian presence

WPP-owned JWT has acquired a majority stake in India-based digital agency Hungama Digital Services.

Hungama Digital Services has a staff of 120 people based across six cities in India. The agency offers strategic planning, digital and social media marketing, mobile marketing, web design, activation, merchandising and events.

According to GroupM, digital ad spend in India will grow by 35% in 2012. The country also overtook Indonesia as the second largest Facebook nation in the world earlier this year.

“India is at the cusp of a digital revolution with the advent of 500 million plus consumers getting online in the next three to four years,” says Hungama Digital Media Entertainment managing director and chief executive Neeraj Roy. “With this partnership with JWT we hope to offer integrated digital and experiential services to our clients and prepare brands to connect, interact and now transact with their customers.”

JWT India has recently been investing in its digital capabilities, in line with WPPs plans to focus on the digital sector and emerging markets. JWT Asia Pacific has also been increasing its digital portfolio, recently acquiring Indonesian digital agency Magnivate through XM Asia.

“We have greatly expanded our digital capability across the region, and we are not standing still. JWT will continue to hire new digital experts and explore possible acquisitions across the region this year,” says JWT Asia Pacific president Michael Maedel.

David Hing, London