L’Oréal India is understood to have moved its media mandate to Zenith, the Publicis Groupe agency, in what is shaping up to be one of the most significant account shifts in the beauty and personal care category this year.
The business, estimated at Rs 900–1,000 crore, had been handled by Wavemaker India, part of WPP Media, since 2010. Wavemaker had retained the account after a competitive pitch in 2019, with its contract understood to run through June 2026. The full scope covered media strategy, communications planning, digital operations, content, and media buying across L’Oréal’s haircare, skincare, and makeup portfolio.
Industry executives familiar with the development say the shift reflects L’Oréal’s sharpening focus on connected commerce, audience intelligence, and digital-first planning. Zenith’s existing global alignment with the client, combined with Publicis Groupe’s expanding technology and AI-led media capabilities, is believed to have tipped the decision.
The move is being watched closely across the industry. L’Oréal, given the scale and sophistication of its media investments, is considered a benchmark account – and any movement around it immediately signals direction for the broader market.
Executives tracking the development say it also reflects a wider trend: multinational advertisers are increasingly consolidating with agency partners who can deliver unified solutions across media, commerce, creator ecosystems, and data analytics – not just buying efficiency.
Neither Publicis Groupe nor L’Oréal had officially confirmed the development at the time of publication.
