As Mullen vanishes, TBWA\Lintas lives on

On December 1, 2025, the advertising world witnessed the quiet dissolution of MullenLowe U.S., marking the end of a 55-year journey that began in a two-room apartment in Massachusetts. The trigger: Omnicom Group's $13.25 billion acquisition of Interpublic Group, completed November 26, which unleashed one of the most aggressive network consolidations in advertising history. Along with MullenLowe, the legendary DDB and FCB were folded into existing networks, eliminating over 276 years of combined advertising heritage in a single stroke.

Yet the story of MullenLowe, and its Indian counterpart, Lowe Lintas, represents far more than corporate restructuring. While MullenLowe has been absorbed into TBWA globally, the Indian operation has been granted an unexpected reprieve, emerging as TBWA\Lintas in a revival that may prove to be one of the most intriguing outcomes of the merger.

The Mullen story

Jim Mullen was never supposed to be in advertising. After abandoning plans for medical school and a failed painting career, he found himself at Harvard Biophysics Research Laboratory. Somewhere between microscopes and racing sailboats, he had an epiphany: he could write, he had once drawn pictures, he owned a dictionary, and he was adventuresome. What was there to do but start an advertising agency?

In 1970, Mullen launched 'Superfine Productions' from a Marblehead apartment, primarily serving area marinas and boating suppliers. The turning point came in 1974 when Paul Silverman joined as creative director. Silverman, son of a Boston deli owner, had an equally unconventional path through trade publication writing. Together with Joe Grimaldi and Edward Boches, they transformed the boutique marina agency into something more ambitious.

Silverman once said, "There might have been a lack of knowledge but never of energy, so things were done, even when it meant working all night, all weekend."

Mullen's first major break came in 1978, helping launch 'Inc. magazine.' By 1983, the agency had grown to 26 people; by 1986, it was 65 strong. Then disaster struck, a 1987 fire destroyed the headquarters at Jim Mullen's estate. Within hours, employees set up makeshift workstations and resumed work that same afternoon, aided by donations from rival agencies.

The recovery proved swift. For Timberland, Silverman shifted positioning from selling work boots to establishing a lifestyle destination. The 1993 BMW account, worth $30 million, represented entry into luxury automotive and established Mullen as capable of handling premium brands with sophisticated creative.

By 1999, Mullen had grown from under $100 million to over $250 million in billings, becoming the largest independent agency in New England. Its remote location, requiring a 30-minute flight plus 40-minute drive, gave the agency what Jim Mullen called a "scrappy street fighter mentality."

The IPG years and global formation

In April 1999, Mullen was acquired by Interpublic Group for an estimated $40-50 million. The favourable terms let the agency keep its name, management, and headquarters. Jim Mullen stepped down in October 1999, transferring CEO duties to Grimaldi.

Post-acquisition challenges included losing Monster.com and L.L.Bean. In January 2001, IPG merged Mullen with Winston-Salem's Long Haymes Carr, creating Mullen/LHC. Despite setbacks, recognition followed: in 2011, Ad Age named Mullen the third best agency in America, while Fast Company recognised it among the top 10 innovative marketing companies.

In December 2013, Alex Leikikh succeeded Grimaldi as CEO, setting the stage for the agency's most dramatic transformation.

The pivotal moment came in May 2015 when IPG merged Mullen with the global Lowe & Partners network to create MullenLowe Group. Leikikh became Worldwide CEO, while Lee Newman led MullenLowe U.S. The merger addressed complementary gaps: Mullen needed international reach; Lowe needed a stronger U.S. presence.

By January 2016, all Lowe agencies were rebranded as MullenLowe across 90 offices in over 65 markets. The group unveiled its 'Challenger Octopus' logo and 'hyperbundled' operating model integrating creative, digital, media, and activation. By 2016, MullenLowe Global ranked as the fourth-largest agency group worldwide with billings exceeding $11 billion.

The network achieved remarkable creative success. In 2017, it saw 198 new-business wins, including Whole Foods, E*TRADE, and Chipotle. At the 2024 Cannes Lions, MullenLowe delivered 17 Lions, including a Grand Prix for Outdoor. LOLA MullenLowe was named Agency of the Year in the Classic Track for Unilever's Magnum 'Find Your Summer' campaign.

On December 1, 2025, it all ended. MullenLowe was absorbed into TBWA alongside DDB, leaving behind its Indian operation, Lintas, while FCB folded into BBDO. The consolidation eliminated approximately 4,000 jobs, creating a new three-network model: TBWA, BBDO, and McCann.

Lowe Lintas

To understand Lowe Lintas requires travelling to 1899 Victorian Britain, when Lever Brothers established an in-house advertising agency. Named Lintas, Lever International Advertising Services, it carried seven decades of consumer psychology expertise when it arrived in India in 1969 as Lever Brothers' advertising wing.

Lintas immediately occupied a prestigious position, competing with daCunha, HTA, Ogilvy & Mather, and Mudra Communications. But Lintas distinguished itself through groundbreaking achievements: producing India's first television commercial and introducing Channel Planning to India.

The agency became a nurturing ground for legends: Shyam Benegal (acclaimed director), Alyque Padamsee (advertising icon), Gerson da Cunha (pioneer and critic), Rama Bijapurkar (market research expert), and Gautam Rajadhyaksha (renowned photographer). These figures saw advertising as cultural force, not merely commercial mechanism.

Identity shifts and creative excellence

The late 1990s brought consolidation. In 1996, Ammirati Puris AvRutick and Lintas merged. By November 1999, Lowe Group merged with this entity to create Lowe Lintas & Partners. Lintas India became Lowe Lintas in 2000, then simply 'Lowe' in 2002 when IPG dropped 'Lintas' globally. But in 2008, the agency reverted to 'Lowe Lintas,' reclaiming its heritage, a decision that would prove prophetic.

In 2007, IPG acquired the remaining 51% stake. During these years, Lowe Lintas became one of India's top three agencies, managing 300-350 clients, including Tata Tea, Lifebuoy, Havells, Unilever, and Axis Bank.

The agency created some of India's most iconic campaigns, like Surf Excel's 'Daag Acche Hain' (Stains Are Good), which changed detergent advertising by celebrating experiences that create stains, childhood play, exploration, learning, and transforming a functional product into an enabler of development.

Lifebuoy's 'Help A Child Reach 5' ad that addressed child mortality through handwashing promotion, positioning Lifebuoy as guardian of children's health while demonstrating advertising's potential for social good.

Tata Tea's "Jaago Re" (Wake Up) transcended product advertising to become a social movement challenging Indians to take civic responsibility, from voting to fighting corruption.

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Tanishq's 'Remarriage' featured a bride who walked down the aisle with her daughter from her first marriage, challenging stigmas around remarriage and positioning Tanishq as progressive.

MullenLowe Lintas Group Era

In August 2015, following the global merger, MullenLowe Lintas Group launched in India with a distinctive structure. Unlike most offices that dropped Lintas, India retained "MullenLowe Lintas Group," reflecting the brand's deep roots. The group established two divisions, Lowe Lintas and Mullen Lintas, plus specialised units: dCell (design), Lintas Live (PR/social), LinConsult (brand consultancy), LinEngage (experiential), and Lintas MediaHub.

By July 2023, the group employed 600+ people across 13 offices, managing 300+ clients. The achievements were extraordinary: ranked #1 creative agency globally for effectiveness by WARC for two consecutive years (2015-2016). The group won Gold at 2025 ONE Asia Creative Awards and was recognised as one of the "100 Best Companies for Women in India" for three consecutive years (2023-2025).

The unexpected revival

While MullenLowe dissolved globally, the Lintas brand was revived in India. Effective January 1, 2026, MullenLowe Lintas Group operates as TBWA\Lintas under Omnicom, led by Govind Pandey and Prateek Bhardwaj, reporting to Omnicom India CEO Aditya Kanthy.

The strategic advantages are compelling: legacy client reconnection with FMCG giants like HUL and Tata, who value deep consumer understanding; TBWA's disruptive global frameworks injecting fresh methodology; an integrated ecosystem combining Kinnect and 22Feet Tribal digital capabilities; and a hybrid positioning bridging heritage stability with modern creative edge.

Legacy and future

The parallel stories illuminate fundamental questions about brand heritage and corporate consolidation. Mullen's 55-year journey represents the American independent dream realised and then subsumed. Lowe Lintas offers a counterpoint, surviving multiple rebranding exercises to receive unexpected reprieve.

The decision to preserve Lintas while dissolving MullenLowe globally reveals a pragmatic truth: brand equity is market-specific. Omnicom recognised that the Lintas name carries decades of accumulated goodwill in India that would be foolish to discard.

For the advertising industry, the merger represents a watershed: eight major networks consolidated into three. When DDB, FCB, and MullenLowe disappear, so do distinct creative cultures refined over decades.

Yet TBWA\Lintas emerges as an intriguing experiment. Can it successfully bridge heritage and innovation? Leverage legacy while embracing disruption? The answers will unfold over the coming years.