Publicis Acquires Digital Agency Indigo Consulting; Firm To Operate As Unit Of Leo Burnett

Publicis Groupe, a French MNC specialising in advertising and communications, has acquired Mumbai-based full-service digital agency Indigo Consulting for an undisclosed amount. Consequently, Indigo will operate as a unit within one of its advertising agencies – the Leo Burnett Group – and retain its name.

Indigo's founder Vikas Tandon will remain the MD and report to Arvind Sharma, chairman (Indian subcontinent) of Leo Burnett.

Set up in 2000, Indigo Consulting employs a team of 160 at its Mumbai headquarters and Delhi office. The company provides a slew of services like website design and development, search engine optimisation, usability research & testing, and marketing on mobiles and social media.

Talking about the acquisition, Tom Bernardin, chairman and CEO of Leo Burnett Worldwide, said, "From a global point of view, the potential and opportunities that India offers are massive. Over the years, we have increased our efforts into this important market. Indigo Consulting, with its strong track record as a full-service, interactive technology agency, is the perfect strategic fit for our aspirations in India and around the world."

According to Tandon, "This alignment means we will bring our world-class digital marketing capabilities to Leo Burnett's clients and also benefit from additional knowledge of and insight into brand and creative communication through cross-training and collaboration."

Last year, the Publicis Groupe also acquired a majority stake in Watermelon Healthcare Communications Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based healthcare advertising agency, for an undisclosed amount. Post-transaction, this entity became part of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG) and was renamed Publicis Life Brands Watermelon.

This is the fifth deal in the digital advertising and marketing space since January this year, according to VCCEdge, the financial research platform of VCCircle. Other transactions include Komli Media acquiringSingapore-based Admax Network Pte Ltd; Gruner + Jahr, the publishing division of the European media conglomerate Bertelsmann AG, picking upa majority stake in digital ad-network Networkplay; AD2C India buying Gurgaon-based AV Mobimasta Marketing and the most recent deal where Ad network Tyroo Media Pvt Ltd joined hands with Anurag Gupta for a management buyout of the affiliate ad network DGM India.