BarCode strengthens India play as majority stakeholder YKONE and Mirror Mirror form ONE

New Delhi: As brands in India increase spends on influencer-led storytelling, events and content-to-commerce, global influencer marketing group YKONE has merged with Paris-based creative production house MIRROR MIRROR to form ONE, a new integrated group that brings influencer strategy, production and events under one umbrella.

The combined entity will operate as ONE, bringing together more than 400 employees across 20 international cities and representing around €150 million in revenue, according to YKONE. 

The group said the merger is aimed at meeting rising demand from brands for “creativity and global execution”, as influencer marketing continues its rapid growth and is projected to touch $90 billion by 2030.

For India, the move expands YKONE’s local capabilities through BarCode, the influencer marketing agency in India, in which YKONE acquired a majority stake in 2024. YKONE said the integration strengthens its Indian operations with higher-end creative direction and production depth, alongside influencer strategy and technology.

“This merger with MIRROR MIRROR marks a turning point in our development… By combining our strengths under the ONE banner, we are offering brands a new, integrated approach to premium storytelling,” said Olivier Billon, President of YKONE.

MIRROR MIRROR founder Juliette Lambert said the integration reflects how brand mandates are evolving globally. “We share the conviction that an integrated approach combining influencer strategy, production and events is now essential to serve brands on a global scale,” she said.

The merger brings MIRROR MIRROR’s campaign and event production credentials for luxury clients such as LVMH, Chanel and Hermès into the same group as YKONE’s influencer strategy and BarCode’s India market play.

Rahul Khanna, founder of BarCode and a key leader at YKONE, said the combination is designed to move beyond standalone influencer campaigns. “This merger equips us to move beyond conventional influencer campaigns and architect comprehensive, culturally resonant brand narratives through world-class creative and experiential events,” he said, adding that it gives Indian clients access to a more integrated creative and execution stack.

ONE said its structure is meant to offer an alternative to the fragmented agency model. The group will include YKONE’s global network, BarCode’s India-focused agency operations, MIRROR MIRROR’s creative and production entities, talent management firm BOLD, and YKONE’s proprietary data and performance platform Campaygn.