After winning 'Agency of the Year' at the Emvies 2026, seven years and four editions after its previous victory, Mindshare India’s transformation is now  beginning to show results, according to Amin Lakhani, president, client solutions, WPP Media South Asia.

The victory comes in a year when the agency's Mumbai office also secured the second spot in the Warc Media 100 rankings. At the Emvies, Mindshare won 15 Gold, 27 Silver, and 36 Bronze metals. Wavemaker, the agency that finished first over the last four editions was second, followed by fellow WPP Media agencies EssenceMediacom and OpenDoor. HUL was the  'Client of the Year'.

For Lakhani, the win is recognition of a transformation that has been underway for years.

In conversation with Manifest, he said, "Awards, in a way, are a lag indicator. The lead indicator is that this is a story of transformation. The pandemic accelerated digital consumption, while e-commerce and q-commerce changed how consumers interacted with brands. The influencer economy also grew, prompting agencies to rethink their capabilities about how they remain relevant."

Lakhani stated that Mindshare and WPP Media as a whole understood how to play this change.

"We made significant progress in newer areas such as performance, influencer marketing, e-commerce, data and analytics. These capabilities required substantial investment and a different talent mix. The talent map of the agency when we last won it versus now is dramatically different,” he said.

Competition within WPP

With multiple agencies operating under a consolidated WPP Media, Lakhani discussed how competition remains important.

“The brands have their personality and their own way of winning. That healthy push between us internally will continue,” he said.
He also claimed that 'another competitor from outside WPP Media isn't competing on the awards front', and the group isn't complaining.

Ultimately, he believes the quality of work remains the differentiator.

He stated that Mindshare understands the Indian consumer and what works for brands.

AI, creators and the changing media landscape

The rise of AI has raised questions about the future of media agencies. Lakhani points to Mindshare's digital strategy work and the recognition it has received as evidence of the group's intentional transformation.

The influencer economy, meanwhile, presents both opportunity and a warning.

A recent Omnicom study found that 67% of people globally consider influencers 'really annoying', raising questions about their ability to persuade consumers.

Lakhani stated that the opportunity remains significant because consumers are spending considerable time on digital platforms and creator-led content.

“The trust that influencers are able to influence is significant and cannot be ignored.”

With creators increasing in number and spends rising alongside them, Lakhani expects the category to continue growing over the next couple of years.