Alchemist buys Triton, redraws agency boundaries

Integrated marketing group Alchemist Marketing Solutions has acquired Triton Communications. The acquisition marks a strategic broadening for the agency known for its work in real estate communications as it seeks to extend beyond its core categories into FMCG, services, durables, D2C, new-age sectors and corporate brands through the Triton brand.

Founded in 1991 by Ali Merchant and Munawar Syed, Triton Communications was a prominent independent agency for more than three decades. It worked with brands such as Eureka Forbes (Aquaguard), Vicco, ABD (Officers Choice), Adani Wilmar (Fortune), NECC, Gujarat Ambuja, Mother’s Recipe, UB Group, Shaw Wallace (Haywards Franchise), Paras (Moov, D’Cold, SetWet), Wagh Bakri, Yes Bank, and Gujarat and Karnataka Tourism.

Commenting on the acquisition, Manish Porwal, group managing director, Alchemist Marketing Solutions, said, “Triton is not just an agency; it is an institution that Ali and Munawar built with distinct passion. While Alchemist has undisputed leadership in the Real Estate & Health domain over the last 15 years, our ambition has been to replicate that success across a broader spectrum. With Triton, we are looking forward to inject new energy into the brand, while taking forward the DNA so unique to Triton. We are not just acquiring a name; we are revitalizing a legacy.”

Triton’s campaigns such as Moov’s ‘Aah se aaha tak’, SetWet’s ‘Very very sexy’ and Aquaguard’s ‘Paani ka Doctor’ remain reference points in Indian advertising history. While Triton faced pressure during the pandemic-driven market shift, its brand equity and association with long-term Indian brand building have remained intact.

Highlighting how consumer and marketing shifts after the pandemic shaped the integration plan, Anujita Jain, director and CEO (Digital) at Alchemist Marketing Solutions said, “We have the distinct advantage of crafting the Triton product as a fresh, new-age offering. The post-pandemic consumer and the marketing landscape now require a different level of agility and integration. We will build the ‘new’ Triton to address those evolved needs, ensuring its relevance for the next three decades as it was for the last three,” she said.

Alchemist, established 15 years ago, employs more than 200 people and operates out of Mumbai, Gurugram, Pune and Bengaluru, with partner offices in Chennai, Indore and Jaipur. It offers services across creative strategy, digital, activation, film production, celebrity associations and events, delivered through multiple specialist units. The group has built a robust position in real estate marketing, alongside a presence in healthcare and financial services, and has been signalling ambitions to diversify its client base.

Rajkumar Remalli, director at Alchemist Marketing Solutions, framed the move as an operational reset rather than a reinvention. “This acquisition allows us to inherit a rich legacy of brand building and upgrade it with Alchemist’s agile, integrated, and strategy-first machinery. It is about taking that foundational creative soul and powering it with the pace and performance-driven mindset that defines the Alchemist Group,” he said.

Ali Merchant, Founder, Triton Communications, who recently turned 80, described the acquisition as a necessary transition. “For over three decades, Triton has been synonymous with building resilient Indian brands. However, the industry has evolved rapidly, and the post-pandemic world demands a new kind of agility and a comprehensive strategic ecosystem to scale further,” he said, adding that Alchemist combined “respect for our past and the hunger to drive our future.”

Alchemist has indicated it is searching for a CEO, positioned more as a co-founder, to run Triton as an independent agency under its umbrella. The leadership choice, and how much autonomy Triton is ultimately given, may determine whether the acquisition becomes a revival of a legacy or simply another consolidation in an increasingly crowded agency market.