VML Qais, the digital agency owned by WPP, has officially launched operations in India with its first office in Mumbai. The agency has been handling clients like Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Revlon, Tata Motors and Mahindra (two wheelers) for the last 12 months. Tripti Lochan, in her capacity as VML Qais CEO for Asia, will lead the Indian operations. The agency was behind Mahindra's acclaimed ‘Spark the Rise’ campaign. VML Qais will offer services in the field of digital and marketing strategy, user experience, technology development, research and analytics, mobile and channel management, social media, search marketing, online advertising, and media management services to its clients in Asia. VML had acquired a major stake in Qais Consulting in December 2011, in order to expand its business in the South East Asian market. Owned by the WPP Group, it is a part of Y&R Advertising, and is essentially a pure-play digital marketing agency. VML started in the year 1992 and has clients like Colgate- Palmolive, Dell, English Premier League, Gatorade and Kellogg. Qais on the other hand has been operational since 2004 in Singapore and Mumbai (India) with clients including Sony Electronics, Hilton Hotels, Tata Motors and Sony Pictures. Seems like WPP has increased its focus on the Indian market - recently, the group had acquired, via its wholly owned agency JWT Singapore, a majority 51% stake in Hungama Digital Services Private Limited, a new entity which will house the digital agency business of Hungama Digital. WPP had also acquired a controlling majority stake in Quasar Media in 2007.
