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A round-up of the agencies who have scored new clients and big businesses. Catch the key business wins and new accounts bagged by the country’s leading legacy and new agencies.


Mindshare and Maruti Suzuki


GroupM company Mindshare India has won the media mandate of auto major Maruti Suzuki after a months-long multi-agency pitch. Storyboard18 was the first to report that the Maruti Suzuki account was up for review a few months ago. The account size is pegged at Rs 1200 crore, as per industry sources, and the incumbent agency on the account is Dentsu.


“We have had a very good and long relationship with DentsuX. However, we now are looking for increased efficiency by integrating our Digital and Traditional media planning & deployment. With the considerable expertise of GroupM both on media buying and also technology front we are looking to scale new levels of effectiveness as well," said Shashank Srivastava, senior executive director - marketing and sales, Maruti Suzuki India.


Maruti Suzuki called for the pitch in November 2022 to explore options and evaluate new strategies and technology-powered solutions which media agencies can bring to the brand’s next phase of growth and journey.


Tata AIG and Social Panga


Social Panga, the integrated digital and creative-first marketing agency has bagged the integrated marketing mandate for Tata AIG, a general insurance brand from the Tata Group. The agency’s mandate will include handling the creative communication for social media for the brand. Social Panga will also ensure that Tata AIG stands out with innovative, and clutter-breaking content and campaigns.

 

Verve Media and The Juice Beauty and The Juice Spa & Salon


Verve Media, an integrated digital marketing agency, has secured the digital mandate for The Juice Beauty, and The Juice Spa & Salon. The agency’s responsibilities will include handling the social media, search engine optimisation (SEO), website maintenance as well as performance marketing.

Compiled by Kashmeera Sambamurthy

Biz Moves: Mindshare’s mega win; Social Panga and Verve Media also bag new business

Note to readers: Media Mavens is a Storyboard18 series featuring media investment firms and power players - the X-Women and X-Men who make the big calls on how and where to spend advertisers' money. This is a peek into their minds - how they work in a dynamic landscape, the next big trends they’re watching for, insights into what advertisers need today, the disruptors driving change and the factors driving their decisions. Watch this space for sharp and fast insights.

For decades now, media agencies were the last piece in the massive advertising and marketing puzzle. Coming into the picture once the television or newspaper ads to do one job - buying space on television channels, newspapers or magazines. Over the years, that role has evolved greatly with media agencies coming closer to centre stage with every passing year. 

The continuing growth of content, social media and the explosion of OTT and CTV has seen media agencies looking to increase the services it can provide to marketers. Media agencies have begun flaunting about their ability to offer clients greater integration with increasing enthusiasm.


On a personal note, I was recently appointed chief creative officer at Wavemaker, India, a role almost exclusive to creative agencies and almost never seen in a media agency. It was a move that raised quite a few questions. Are media agencies now going head on with creative agencies? After close to a decade in one of the best creative agencies in the business, I can see the difference almost instantly. 

It is very clear that we are not here to do what the existing creative agencies do. We are here to look at content and creative assets through the lens of media optimisation and therein lies the difference. I see my role as one that strengthens Wavemaker’s integrated offering by combining the power of media, creative and technology and driving client growth in a richer, more dynamic approach. 


So is this the future? 


Almost certainly yes. With the rapid growth of content, marketers have begun to look at their advertising mix in a whole different way. Brands now want to be seen more as content creators rather than be seen as mere advertisers. The need for brands to stay connected with their consumers 24 x 7 is growing and not just as brands and consumers but as friends, advisors and even mentors. Brands are now ready to talk one on one rather than talk one to many. 

The new age media planner has access to data and technology like never before. He or she can now look at a media plan innovatively to create media properties that are customised and designed for maximum impact in ways that were not possible earlier. There have been numerous examples of this in recent times. Properties like Coke Studio have driven brand awareness and brand engagement at a scale that has seldom been achieved. 

Red Bull, HUL, Coca Cola and Mondelez have created content that become case studies for marketers. The “Not Just a Cadbury Ad” with Shah Rukh Khan by Mondelez a couple of Diwalis ago pushed the envelope even more by combining a brilliant creative idea with innovative use of technology and media to create a piece of advertising history. It won the hearts of buyers, sellers, marketers and advertising juries around the world. 


Welcome to the new age of content.


The campaigns mentioned above are only the beginning. They have merely scratched the surface. They have whetted the appetite of every brand manager on the planet. The metaverse has come and the metaverse has gone. Generative technology is here and now. If every brand manager was looking for a metaverse idea, today they are looking for an idea on Chat GPT. While movie stars and cricketers still dominate the mainstream media, Youtubers, Instagrammers, stand-up comedians, gamers, musicians offer a wide spectrum and voices that connect with both young and old. While Big Boss, KBC, IPL, Indian Idol rule on OTT, Roblox, Minecraft, Fortnite all offer brands a newer and fresher way to win their consumer.


So are media agencies the new creative agencies? 


One point is that the complexity of landing a creative thought is growing by the day given the audience segments, platform nuances and formats etc .. to land these creative ideas, partnerships, platform understanding and the skillsets of audiences becomes very critical.. which is where a media agency becomes critical. Addressability and addressable content is an example


While a media agency can never really compete with a creative agency, in pure craft and brand ideas they are more than equipped to take an idea from the creative agency and lift the ideas to stratospheric levels. But the sheer complexity of landing a creative idea is growing by the day given the ever evolving audience segments, platforms, formats and technology. To fulfill the potential of these brilliant creative ideas partnerships, platform understanding and the skillsets become very critical and here’s where the role of a media agency becomes critical. I am excited about the resources that are at my disposal at Wavemaker. The data, advocacy, tech and addressable teams are the creative teams of the future.


And that’s the transformation of the traditional media agency.



George Kovoor is Chief Creative Officer, Wavemaker India. Views expressed are personal.

Are media agencies the new creative agencies?

From whispers in agency corridors and pitch-room chatter to what's buzzing on clients' side, we've got the overheard and untold stories of the advertising industry and its people.

An unexpected crash

Turmoil continues at a home-grown social platform. There have been senior exits for a few months. Now, we hear that the multi-deals they made with brands are also being withdrawn. There are also rumours that a few senior executives from the company allegedly indulged in kickbacks. Does this story sound familiar to the deterioration of a major ad network? Oops! Did we spill too many beans?

Problem of plenty

Senior marketers and researchers are joining advertising agencies. We hear that many senior marketers from slow-growing categories are aggressively looking at joining agencies in advisory roles and CXO levels. There are also new agency CXOs who have come from different sides of the business. Most of these appointments are happening based on old friendships, is what we hear. However, we wonder what agencies will do with so many CXOs. As they say, too many cooks...

An unusual trade

Rumours are that a fintech player asked an ad network, that they are closely associated with, for an interesting deal. The deal, we hear, is to invest on the platform and bring in a certain percentage of advertising revenue for the fintech. The ad network didn’t commit to any such request. Taking advantage of the situation, a rival ad network has sealed the deal, said an insider. Business shuffles happen often in the advertising business. However, it looks like these days certain marketers have too many requests beyond the usual performance indicators.

Kaun banega celebrity?

Corporate head honchos and startup founders have all sorts of ambitions these days. They are reality TV stars, creators, celebrity authors and influencers on social media, devoting more and more time to cultivate their personal brands. Or, to be precise, now paying agencies to build their personal brands and create inspirational content. We hear one CXO even fancies himself a Steve Jobs of his industry (in this case, auto). Another has proclaimed he is not a celebrity founder and has no such ambitions, in a recent interview, but his close associates tend to disagree. They tell us there are divas in every industry. The latter used his skills of persuasion and clout to bring a particular creative to work on his campaign and, despite the reluctance of the team, they did.

Memes over portfolio

The times they are a-changin'. There was a time when portfolio was the most sacred thing in an agency professional's arsenal, embodying an amalgamation of all the work and ideas that are still to see the light of day. But now things are a bit different, for some at least. A senior creative chief of a global network agency no longer asks for portfolios from candidates he meets during recruitment meetings. Instead, he has intense conversations about trends, LinkedIn posts, memes and we're told, cryptocurrencies. They tell us the adman does this to gauge the realness of candidates as agency folks are looking to hire young people who have points of view about everything and anything. But we can't help but wonder if the said adman also wants to be in with the crowd and crypto kings.

Is newness bad news?

There are rumours that a legacy ad agency has plans of shutting one of its regional offices. It was one of the most active markets for the agency until a few years ago, and the hub had a solid team that stuck together through thick and thin. Since the coming of a fairly new CEO, the agency is moving towards a completely different direction and some long-term employees are not able to connect with all the newness. If true, this is the end of an era.

Note to readers: Chances are you love a juicy story as much as we hacks do and you might have one to share. So write to us at Storyboard18@nw18.com.

Storyboard18 Insider:  Memes over portfolio, an over-the-top founder celebrity and an unusual trade

Wunderman Thompson – or what was J Walter Thompson (JWT) – has completed over nine decades of operations in India, having started in 1929. The global agency first set up its India office in a room at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, primarily to handle the General Motors account.

It donned a new avatar after merging with global digital agency Wunderman in 2018 to form Wunderman Thompson (WT) in India. A couple of years and a pandemic later, the agency that created iconic campaigns for Air India, Maggi, Taj Mahal tea, Pepsi, Nike, and KitKat seems to be undergoing a change in both perception and composition.

There have been high-profile exits and some internal elevations as well. Raji Ramaswamy and Joy Chauhan were recently promoted to chief growth officer and chief client officer, Wunderman Thompson South Asia. Ramaswamy continues to be CEO of Contract Advertising, a Wunderman Thompson group agency while Chauhan also holds current responsibility as managing partner, WT Delhi. In November, old hand and senior creative resource Tista Sen moved out.

Finding the balance

Storyboard18 spoke to industry executives, many of whom said the agency "lost the plot" after its merger with Wunderman, having failed to achieve a balance between its digital and traditional advertising strategies. The broad idea behind the merger was to propel JWT India into a more digitally savvy future. However, the decision seems to have created internal fissures, leading to not only the loss of key talent but also some clients. 

Over the years, its heritage as a creative heavyweight has been eroded as some senior talent stepped away. Their departure led to the loss of deep knowledge and understanding on big accounts that had created a sense of trust among clients. Therefore, many clients decided to leave.






<blockquote>The iconic agency is undergoing a change both in perception and composition.</blockquote>






Last year, after the global realignment of the WPP universe, Wunderman Thompson lost Pepsi, one of its biggest clients in India, which moved to the Publicis Groupe and its creative agency Leo Burnett. WPP is the global communications giant that owns JWT and Ogilvy in India.

Pepsi’s departure was a jolt because JWT had been instrumental in building the brand with memorable and iconic campaigns such as "Yeh Dil Maange More," "Oye Bubbly" and "Yehi hai right choice baby—aha!"

Over the years, as the agency experimented with creative structures, invariably bringing in external talent through its infamous revolving doors, it also lost accounts such as Nike, Airtel, Kellogg’s, GlaxoSmithKline’s malt drink brand Horlicks and Hindustan Unilever’s shampoo brand Sunsilk.

“To get good work done you need a pipeline of good talent and look after them. If you lose your clients and people, what’s left? The challenge that big agencies are facing is regaining their relevance. It also boils down to having strong leadership and creating big brand work that clients get attracted to,” said ad veteran and former JWT South Asia CEO Colvyn Harris.

Rediffusion managed to edge out Wunderman Thompson in bidding for contracts a couple of times recently, said managing director Sandeep Goyal.

“We beat them on the BMW and Tata Power pitch in close succession in a couple of months. We obviously felt extremely good because beating Thompson was never easy. Being able to get the better of them on large accounts gave me the feeling that either we are extremely good or they are not as good as they used to be,” he said.

Best minds

Goyal started his career with Hindustan Thompson Associates (which became JWT in 2002) in 1986. Back then, he handled Horlicks, one of the most prestigious accounts for the agency.

In a chat with Storyboard18, he recalled HTA being the “University of Indian Advertising” where some of the best minds in servicing, account management and creative worked. He said that somewhere, over the years, the charisma of the people leading Thompson gradually waned.






<blockquote>Wunderman Thompson is essentially straddling two spaces. One is the brand and legacy that JWT stood for, and the other is the digital prowess and tech that Wunderman is globally known for.</blockquote>







“The leadership at the agency also makes a lot of difference… It is a leadership vacuum or a leadership dilution which is hurting Wunderman's brand,” he elaborated.

Tista Sen, JWT's former regional creative director who quit in November, has been synonymous with the agency’s creative team, having spent 22 years working on accounts such as GSK, ITC, Hindustan Unilever, and Godrej.

There have been other critical exits. In 2019, Jaibeer Ahmad, senior vice president and executive business director, left. He worked on the Pepsi and Tropicana, Kurkure, JK Tourism and Delhi Daredevils accounts.

The same year, Sambit Mohanty, national creative director, moved on. However, chief creative officer Senthil Kumar, who created some of the agency's most iconic campaigns including Nike's Cricket ad, continues to be with the agency.

Digital vs legacy debate

Wunderman Thompson is essentially straddling two spaces – brand and legacy that JWT stood for and the digital prowess and tech that Wunderman is globally known for. Executives said that while Ogilvy and Leo Burnett have struck this balance of creativity and technology, Wunderman Thompson still doesn't know which side it should hang its hat on. If it were to become fully digital, the transition is yet to happen, they said.

“JWT, a much bigger agency brand in India, was taken over by a relatively lesser-known agency brand, Wunderman. This perplexed all the stakeholders,” said a senior executive, seeking anonymity. “I'm not sure whether in the quest for being tech-oriented, one must change the 90-year-old legacy of a brand as many JWT clients have stayed on because of the agency's legacy and heritage.”

The executive added that big brands that made the agency what it is are not with it anymore. Digital projects do not add up to the agency's legacy. Clients also don't have trust when they see new faces at the agency, the executive said.

“They are hiring, but it seems like they are putting together a new agency with a new culture and temperament. The legacy part has just eroded. JWT has been an institute of learning where all the greats have gone. It is heart-breaking to see its current status,” the executive said.

Stalwarts who shaped JWT India include Morris Mathias, Subhas Ghoshal, Mike Khanna, Colvyn Harris, Gerson da Cunha, Subroto Sengupta, Syeda Imam, Ivan Arthur, Ram Ray and Sumantra Ghosal. Creative minds that came out of the agency include Swati Bhattacharya (currently at FCB), Bobby Pawar (now group creative chief at Havas), Agnello Dias (former founder and chief creative officer of Taproot Dentsu) and Anuja Chauhan (author).

According to a senior leader who was associated with the agency in the past, dumping the creative legacy of JWT wasn't a sensible decision because India is still a “big idea”-driven ad market where traditional media platforms such as television still occupy a significant share of the media pie.

“I'm not saying digital is not big, but if you look at properties such as IPL (Indian Premier League), it does really well on television… Similarly, big movies, especially in the South market, still attract viewers in the theatres,” the senior leader said. “At one time, JWT did own this space of creating big ideas and impactful TV ads with clients such as Pepsi or Horlicks. Even if they wanted to pivot towards digital, they could have done it without letting go of their legacy just the way their competitor agencies like Leo Burnett or Ogilvy are doing. They are still big idea agencies with digital capabilities.”

Client speak

A large FMCG company that worked with Wunderman Thompson for TV campaigns until last year is now looking for more digital-first agency partners. The company’ s objective is clear: find communication partners with ideas and formats that engage younger audiences who have a shorter attention span.

"Our focus is to find partners that are agile in their communication and help us find right solutions for more digital-first consumers. These ideas could come from both traditional or new-age digital agencies and that's why we always brainstorm with all our agency partners before starting a new campaign," an executive of the FMCG company said on condition of anonymity. 

Ajay Kakar, a brand and marketing strategist, spent 14 years at Ogilvy before moving to the client side. He is proud of his partnership with JWT India from the day he became a client almost 18 years ago. He worked with the agency during his stint at Reliance Capital and at Aditya Birla Capital.





<blockquote>Considered a flagship office once, JWT Chennai was merged with JWT Bangalore owing to a lack of business. Now the agency operates in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.</blockquote>






“The first and obvious pull towards a particular agency is the brand name and creative reputation. That’s where the top few agency networks have an edge… The next filter is whether an agency is constrained due to their existing client roster with direct competition and, therefore, a conflict of interest,” Kakar said.

Kakar said that over the years, he has come to realise that there is no ‘agency standard’ of delivery.

“Whoever the agency, or as reputed be their brand name, what you get out of that agency is totally dependent on or as good as the people who actually work on your account,” he explained.

Kakar added that it is time for a client to move on when the name of the agency becomes more of a reassurance than the team members. In recent times, the name of the agency has changed a few times, and possibly the DNA, too.

“I would like to hear more about the buzz at the agency and the people, who, in the final analysis, are entrusted with the client brands,” he added.

An email sent to CVL Srinivas, country manager of WPP India, on Wunderman Thompson India's growth and business remained unanswered.

From the horse’s mouth

Change, however, is inevitable. And it seems Wunderman Thompson's transformation continues and even accelerates. The big question is what is it transforming into?

In October 2021, Wunderman Thompson brought in Shamsuddin Jasani, Dentsu's head of creative and group MD for South Asia at Isobar, as chief executive officer to replace Tarun Rai, who moved to become executive director, strategic initiatives–APAC.

Jasani told Storyboard18 that 2022 was the year of “integration” for the group as more clients demanded a single-agency partner. In India, the group operates creative agency Wunderman Thompson, digital marketing agency Mirum, and Wunderman Commerce. It employs about 1,200 people, excluding the workforce at its Gurgaon-based commerce arm.

Jasani said he is fully aware that he helms an agency that comes with a rich heritage and legacy. However, he is not looking for Sen’s replacement because that was how the new structure was going to be.

“I have just come in as a part of Wunderman Thompson, but the legacy and the strength of the agency continues. People believe in it and the trust that the clients have will continue. There have been changes but nothing that an agency as deep-rooted as ours cannot deal with,” he noted.

His immediate focus is on upskilling the workforce on emerging tools like Web3, handling offline-to-online customer journeys, and learning how storytelling can be tailored for individual digital platforms. He is also looking to acquire capabilities that can strengthen Wunderman Thompson's offerings.

“We will be looking at acquisitions to augment our capabilities. An experience design agency (UI/UX) is something we are actively exploring,” he said.

The agency claims to have won 22 accounts last year including Skoda, Mahindra One, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Vedanta, and Barbeque Nation. Wunderman Thompson Health has won Abbott (Troponin), Dr Reddy’s Laboratories (Alfoo and Dutas T), GSK (Physiogel, Zovirax, Zimig and Zoderm), Sun Pharmaceutical Industries (Revital, Volini, Pepfizz and Abzorb) and Hindustan Unilever (Novology).





<blockquote>Wunderman Thompson’s target is to grow 50 percent in the next three years. Jasani says that his focus is on bringing more client wins across payments, automobile, consumer packaged goods (CPG)/ fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) business, D2C brands, pharma and health categories.</blockquote>





Wunderman Thompson’s target is to grow 50 percent in the next three years. Jasani said his focus is on bringing more client wins across payments, automobile, consumer packaged goods/fast-moving consumer goods, direct-to-customer brands, pharma and health categories.

Years ago, in the pre-Wunderman era, the agency's various creative chiefs used intriguing analogies to describe what it was like to implement any change at JWT. One likened it to steering the Titanic away from the iceberg. Another went out of this world to source his comparison. The creative chief said JWT is like Saturn - a planet with beautiful rings and a rigid core.

Lost wonder? Will Wunderman Thompson regain the glory of its JWT days?

A round-up of the agencies who have scored new clients and big businesses. Catch the key business wins and new accounts bagged by the country’s leading legacy and new agencies.


Wieden+Kennedy and Jio True 5G

Advertising agency Wieden+Kennedy has been appointed by Jio as the creative agency for its 5G business. The agency’s key mandate would be to create transformational experiences through 5G for individuals, homes and businesses. In October 2022, Reliance Jio Infocomm’s chairman, Akash M Ambani, announced the launch of Jio True 5G services. In the last four months, Jio True 5G has been able to reach 304 cities. It is rolling out 5G rapidly with pan-India 5G coverage, which is expected to be completed by December 2023.


Kinnect and Blue Star

Digital marketing agency Kinnect has bagged the digital mandate of Blue Star, a home appliance company. The account, which was won following a multi-agency pitch, will see the agency handle the brand’s digital strategy globally. This will be followed by managing its social media presence in the country. 


iCubesWire and PetStar

Digital marketing agency iCubesWire has won the digital media mandate for PetStar, Mankind Pharma’s dog food brand. The responsibilities of the agency will include boosting the brand's online presence, spearheading digital branding, search engine optimisation (SEO), media planning and designing social media campaigns.

 
Havas Media Group India and V-Guard Industries

Havas Media Group India has won the integrated media mandate of V-Guard Industries, a consumer electronics company. They will work closely to develop and implement an integrated media strategy that will reach and engage with the target audience. The mandate will be handled by the agency's Bengaluru team that will look into digital, television, print, radio, out-of-home (OOH) and cinema.


Compiled by Kashmeera Sambamurthy

Biz Moves: Wieden+Kennedy, Kinnect and iCubesWire

Tucked in the bylanes of Jawahar Nagar in Thiruvananthapuram is Stark Communications, one of Kerala’s oldest creative shops. Founded in the mid-‘90s, Stark Communications is known for its work for Kerala Tourism.

Kerala was the first state in the country to develop a brand identity as a sought-after tourist destination. In the 1990s, multiple leading advertising agencies, including Mudra, were involved in developing the iconic brand Kerala. TK Harshan, co-founder and chairman, Stark Communications, used to head Mudra Bangalore and Kochi at the time. He was instrumental in charting Kerala’s first steps as a fledgling brand. He quit and partnered with Swarup BR and Roy Mathew to set up Stark.

After years of closely working with Kerala Tourism the agency sees itself as an extension of its marketing team, Mathew tells Storyboard 18. He says that besides developing ads, they are also roped in for strategic advice, insight mining, planning for trade shows, etc. What makes agencies like Stark Communications a trusted long-term partner is the fact that they go above and beyond for their clients.

“Culturally, agencies in a state like Kerala are different. We may not have the glamour that creative hubs like Delhi or Mumbai have. However, we have a razor-sharp understanding of the market. Young marketers are slowly understanding the depth we bring to the table. That’s helping us move out of our comfort zone and partner with a variety of brands,” adds Mathew. 

The agency also works with brands like Ather, MILMA, and tourism boards like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and of course Kerala. Stark Communications currently has 129 employees, with offices across Trivandrum, Kochi, Bangalore, and Delhi.

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Breaking myths

Kochi-based Maitri Advertising was set up towards the end of the ‘90s. Similar to Stark Communications, Sajan Abraham, C Muthu, and Raju Menon, the agency’s founders, worked in the southern branches of top agencies. The trio decided to set up something of their own in their native land. Menon, who is currently the director of operations, is of the opinion that being an indie agency has its own advantages. “You work with all your team members up close. You can create an open culture. Take feedback personally and help the talent pool create a work-life balance they desire,” explains Menon.

Kerala as a consumer market is interesting. It’s a state fueled by remittance economy. Arindam Paul, founding member and chief business officer of consumer durable brand Atomberg, tells Storyboard18 that Kerala is one of the top markets for his company. He explains, “Malayalis are a well-aware consumer set. They are value-conscious. In a category like ours, it is important to understand the technology, energy savings, and its effects on the environment. Look at the adoption of solar energy in the state. It is beyond impressive and opens up new avenues for companies like ours.” New age brands like Atomberg are weaving specific advertising content in the state through traditional advertising and sponsorship deals through sports and reality shows. 

Entry of a new working class 

Post the pandemic, it is estimated that there is a steep drop in remittances as many emigrants have returned home, especially from the Gulf. There is also a new set of professionals moving into the state. 

A few years ago, Francis Thomas, a former Creative Director from Ogilvy, had to move to Kochi for personal reasons. He was exploring opportunities and had heard about Maitri and their work. He reached out to the founders. 

Thomas, who is originally from Chennai, arrived in Kochi without knowing a word of Malayalam. According to Thomas, being in a city like Kochi has its own charm. There is nature, good food, an abundance of creative talent, and great clients.

Menon says, currently, the agency has been getting applications from Malayalees who’ve been working for network agencies in the metros. Maitri hires most of its account management team directly from various B-schools. However, they don’t have a program in place to hire directly from fine arts schools. That’s something in the works, he indicates. 

The agency works closely with brands like Matrubumi, Muthoot Finance, AVT Tea, and LAZZA Ice Cream, among others. In the last quarter, Maitri’s campaign Muthoot Finance got attention on social media. The agency created a new mascot ‘Goldman’ for the brand to drive the message ‘Put your Gold to Work’ for their various credit needs. The purpose of the campaign was to highlight how idle gold at home can be put to use and how gold loans are all weather loans.

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Both Menon and Maitri told Storyboard18 that clients in Kerala are extremely easy-going. “Clients here don’t have any complex hierarchy, they interact with agencies as partners. They listen to ideas and strategies from everyone in the agency’s team. This culture is refreshing and creates an environment where all ideas are respected. In many cases, regional brands are open to experimentation,” says Thomas. 

Finding the missing puzzle 

Former senior executive of Wavemaker and current executive director - channel business of Asianet, Kishan Kumar, compares the advertising scene to KL Rahul. “Everyone knows KL Rahul has great skillsets but still hasn’t reached his full potential. That’s how I would like to view the advertising culture in Kerala. There is talent and scope to do far better work. Yet, there is a gap that needs to be filled,” he adds.

Interestingly, Kerala is a state that has pushed its boundaries when it comes to films, literature, art, and even music. It’s a state that understands the finer nuances of life. Kerala is known for being a highly socially and politically aware state. Yet, advertising as an industry hasn’t shined through. The main reason for it is that advertisers here playing safe. However, that’s changing too. 

In 2021, home-grown jewellery brand Bhima released an ad which broke stereotypes by featuring the journey of a transwoman. A first in the category, and also by a regional brand in the country. While the brand worked with a national agency, Animal, for that particular campaign, Navya Suhas, online operations head, Bhima Jewellery, tells Storyboard18 that 70 percent of the brand’s marketing work is done by their local agencies Media Mate and Turrino. According to Suhas, local agencies understand the essence of the brand. They are quick on deliverables because their structures are simpler. They also look at brands from a micro lens. 

A lot of brands, especially in the jewellery category, are a part of the culture in Kerala. Just like jewellery, categories such as ice cream, umbrella, masala, inverters and paint, have been experimented with advertising with local flavours. New generation marketers like Bhima’s Suhas and Atomberg’s Paul are adding freshness in the advertising you see in Kerala. However, experts believe, regional advertising in a culturally-rich state will only flourish if advertisers build up their risk appetite. 

Stark Communications’ Mathew says, it is critical that agencies start enabling strong regional brands to shed their local moorings and identify new consumer contexts and conversation sets that are more pan-India. This will open up lot of more opportunities for regional brands tap into new avenues. Same goes for national brands too.

Rise of new-age agencies

It’s not just agencies in Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram that are changing the creative landscape of Kerala. Blusteak, a Kottayam-based digital marketing agency, is making the right kind of noise online and offline. The agency was founded by Jaison Thomas and his brother Telson Thomas, a former memer-gamer duo. The pandemic accelerated their business. “You can run digital marketing sitting in any part of the world. That gave us all the more reasons to stay put in Kerala. We proudly call ourselves a homegrown agency. We may not have the nightlife of the metros but we have everything you need to lead a quality life,” says Jaison. 

He admits that there are challenges in convincing youngsters like him to stay back in his hometown. His pitch to the newcomers is the money they can save on travel and housing, and the quality of life they can enjoy by working in Kerala. Thomas admits that it’s difficult to attract talent, but business prospects are promising more than ever before. To fix that gap, the agency is launching its own digital marketing institute called Blusteak Academy. It will be an offline course with limited number of seats. “In the program, we will indulge the students in live client projects. The theoretical lessons will be covered by our department heads. After the course, top performers will be given an opportunity to work full-time with us,” he shares.

Kerala also has its own ad club. Much like the ones in Bengaluru and Chennai, the Kerala Advertising Agencies Association has 180 agency members. Maitri’s Menon, the president of KAAA, tells Storyboard18 that they actively working in the area of upskilling. In the recent past, they have conducted workshops on digital marketing. The 18-year-old association help small and mid-sized agencies, especially in area of payment issues. KAAA plans to bring younger members on board to add new freshness to the association and keep the advertising culture of the state colourful.

Creativity in God’s Own Country: What’s the advertising culture like in Kerala?

There are about 800 plus direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in India. In a country where there are more than 100 million online shoppers, the D2C category is poised to create a $100 billion market opportunity by 2025. The D2C way of doing business has pushed many legacy brands to open up new sales channels by either creating their own presence online or by acquiring existing digital businesses. Seeing that as the next big opportunity, digital shops, media agencies, and influencer marketing platforms are investing in providing D2C services in various ways. 

Home-grown companies set the ball rolling

In 2022, Qoruz, a home-grown influencer marketing company, started working on designing D2C-centric solutions. The firm is currently offering opportunities and making specific offers to D2C startups to help increase brand awareness, accelerate sales and streamline influencer campaigns.

Praanesh Bhuvaneswar, chief executive officer, Qoruz, tells Storyboard18 that creating new solutions and experimenting with D2C startups is easier. While the marketing investments for most new D2C startups are low, they don’t think twice to take a chance and try out new solutions. 

“If these solutions work for them, they start scaling fast. We test out several products at different points in time. To create this proof of concept, we have to onboard as many brands as possible to frame the thesis. It is easier to convince a startup to partner with, who will invest with you and give you the time for feedback and conversations,” explains Bhuvaneswar. 

According to brand experts, D2C startups are looking for solutions that will help their bottom line to grow, along with garnering simplified marketing strategies. Recently, home-grown independent agency network, Zoo Media, acquired The Starter Labs. This was done to strengthen Zoo Media’s D2C capabilities among consumer brands in India and is also aligned with the company’s accelerated global growth strategy. 

Global ad network companies also see opportunities

While home-grown marketing agencies and platforms are betting big on providing services to D2C brands, global advertising network companies are also seeing opportunities in this side of the business. 

WPP-owned media agency Wavemaker India recently launched a specialised D2C unit. As a part of the mandate, the agency will consult and implement its end-to-end solution toolkit for brands to simplify strategy and deployment for the many moving parts of a D2C channel. 

Vishal Jacob, chief transformation and digital officer, Wavemaker India, says while launching a D2C channel, brands are essentially setting up a new revenue stream from scratch. 

“It requires careful analysis of several business considerations such as product catalogues, pricing strategies, unit-cost economics, market coverage, technology stack implementation and such. This exercise can quickly overwhelm even the most established client teams who do not have deep expertise in the commerce space,” he adds.

The agency is already working with legacy brands like MTR Foods, Nokia and L’Oréal under the new service. While companies like Qoruz and Zoo Network are looking at providing D2C services to new-age brands, Wavemaker India is looking at both startups and legacy brands as potential partners. 

Jacob observes that legacy brands often need help in implementing the modern e-commerce technology stack and also in expanding the scope of their integrated marketing programmes to include a robust e-commerce strategy. 

However, D2C startups, on the other hand, are trying to solve a different set of problems. They are looking for ways in which they can unlock growth and scale their business by building a strong brand through a superlative experience. 

Given that agencies and marketing companies have varied experts on board who can handle commerce, media, and content to technology, brands are also seeking D2C solutions for them. Over the years, the expectations that brands have from agencies have changed.

“Traditionally, agencies have always helped brands to reach their consumers via the most culturally relevant touch points and played within the remit of advertising and brand communications. This remit has now evolved to working with clients as business partners and helping them scale business rather than just limiting the scope to advertising,” he says.

Future-ready thinkers, who have streaks of creativity are exploring D2C services, to provide solutions with agility for brands across the spectrum. This is a promising new business avenue, conclude experts.

Digital shops, media agencies, influencer marketing platforms bet big on D2C services

At the 23rd edition of the Emvies hosted by The Advertising Club, Wavemaker India and Mondelez India won big. WPP's Wavemaker India with 630 points was recognized as ‘The Best Media Agency of the Year’ and Mondelez India was declared as ‘The Best Media Client of the Year’.

With a focus on innovation, strategy, research, and seamless integration, The Advertising Club, this year, received 1469 entries with around 26 agencies participating in the competition to win the country’s most prestigious media award. More than 1000 professionals from the Media, Marketing, Advertising, and Research fraternities, witnessed 29 Gold and 53 Silver Emvie trophies being presented to worthy winners in addition to 55 Bronze winners receiving recognition. 

Wavemaker India also bagged the coveted Grand Emvie for Mondelez India Foods' Cadbury Celebrations’ Not Just a Cadbury Ad – 2.

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Mindshare with 340 points stood second and EssenceMediacom with 100 points stood third.

The Diversity Equality & Inclusion (DE&I) award was picked by Kinnect for Bausch & Lomb’s How Bausch + Lomb’s - #LookOfLove advocated for unbiased and unprejudiced love campaign.

Partha Sinha, president of The Advertising Club, said, “It is great to see this kind of energy at the Emvies. Each entry received was deserving and we encourage our industry folks to keep up this quality, which is par excellence. Many of the entries are of global standards and worthy of international acclaim. Many congratulations to all the winners for creating a mark at the Oscars’ of media awards once again.”

Aditya Swamy, chairperson of Emvie’s Committee, added, “It is very exciting and encouraging to know that each year, the quality of entries received only surpasses the previous editions of Emvies. Big congratulations to all the winners. We urge them to continue to put their best work forward and keep raising the bar.”

Emvies 2023: Wavemaker India and Mondelez India stole the show

Leo Burnett India became the agency of the year at Spikes Asia 2023. The agency also won two Grand Prix at the festival. The wins were for P&G Whisper's 'The Missing Chapter' and Mondelez’s Oreo's '#BringBack2011' campaigns. Along with this, the agency also bagged one Glass, two Gold, three Silver and five Bronze Spikes. The Gold wins in the 'Healthcare', 'Social and Influencer' category converted into the big awards.

On the big win, Dheeraj Sinha, chief executive officer, Leo Burnett, South Asia and chairman BBH India, said, “We are chuffed to be recognized as the ‘Asia Pacific Agency of the Year’ at one of Asia’s biggest platform for creativity. At Leo Burnett, we’ve been tirelessly working to create work for our clients that solves both business and human problems and makes real impact. And the fact that its work across seven brands that has been recognized across categories including Glass, Healthcare, PR etc, is a testament to the culture of creativity that we have managed to build. We are thankful to our client partners who have believed in our thinking. This is for all the awesome teams at Leo Burnett.”


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Rajdeepak Das, CEO and chief creative officer, Leo Burnett, South Asia, added, “Having our work across seven brands including P&G - Whisper, Mondelez - Oreo, MPL, Airtel, Spotify and Burger King being recognized across categories at Asia’s biggest creative award show tells us that we are doing something right. We believe in epic brands doing epic work. From bringing the missing chapter on periods to Indian textbooks so that 23 million girls don’t drop out of school to designing the jersey for the Indian cricket team using data, to creating the biggest social media frenzy to help India #BringBacktheWorldCup and giving India a chance to watch the unrecorded iconic 175 runs scored by Kapil Dev, we have been trying and will keep trying to push the boundaries of creativity. Cheers to our brand partners and the team.”

BBDO India became the Strategy and Effectiveness Agency of the Year. Altogether, India won a total of two Grand Prix, 13 Gold, 21 Silver, 25 Bronze and two Glass.

Spikes Asia 2023: Leo Burnett India becomes agency of the year

There is a new advertising agency in town. Recently, former senior executives of DDB Mudra, Pallavi Chakravarti, Nishant Saurabh and Anand Murty, joined forces to set up a new ad shop, Fundamental. Chakravarti, Saurabh and Murty will lead the agency as chief creative officer, chief executive officer, and chief strategy officer, respectively.

In an interview with Storyboard18, the trio spoke about the network agencies, keeping good old advertising alive, and more. Chakravarti tells us that before setting up Fundamental, she and her partners spoke to several entrepreneurs in the advertising business. All of them had warned them: “it’s not going to be easy.”

Saurabh agrees there is way too much pressure on people who have just about dipped their toes in the ocean of entrepreneurship. “But the truth is we love advertising way too much and have really enjoyed our journey till now,” he adds. Murty says, “The power of the independent will always be un-fancy truth-telling.”

Edited excerpts:

What urged Anand, Nishant, and you to go independent? What are you trying to solve through your set-up, Fundamental?

Chakravarti: What the three of us discovered as we worked together over the past two years is that we bring the same kind of energies to the table, and we would like to believe it's the good kind. Of course, we also disagree violently while working and argue till one of us drops dead. Or eventually buys into the other's point of view. But, we also agree on the things we feel really matter - the way we approach briefs and business problems, the body of work we want to create, the sort of culture we want to build, the type of people we want to work with. 

And I guess when you want to do things your way or in a manner that you collectively believe works for the brands and businesses you work on, the decision to go independent writes itself. 

How was the first founders meeting like? 

Chakravarti: I don’t think we knew it when we first held one. We talk every day - about work and life and everything in between. So, at some point, in our heads, we probably shifted gears from being colleagues to founders, but it’ll be hard to put a finger on exactly when. But to answer your question, all our meetings are candid, searching, informal and unpretentious. A bit like us. 

Did you seek advice from other indie agency founders or your former colleagues? What stood out in those conversations?

Chakravarti: Yes, absolutely. We spoke to some people who have been there and done that, and many who are being it and doing it. Varied perspectives and learnings came our way, all of which were useful to us as fledgling entrepreneurs. 

Some key takeaways were, “it’s not going to be easy. You need to be clear about your vision, what sets you apart? What’s the kind of scale you’re looking to achieve? What’s the exact nature of your offering? It’s not going to be easy. You should know that everything is now your problem, including processes and tasks you never knew existed. You need to prepare for having a completely different experience vis-a-vis being an employee. It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be the most rewarding event of your professional life, in terms of what you will learn and what you will unlearn.” 

We’re grateful to all the people who took time to speak with us and share their experiences and advice. 

Are we seeing a resurgence of the indies in India? Why do you think that is the case? And what do your clients or prospective clients want these days?

Murty: The power of the independent will always be un-fancy truth-telling. Whether it is a news network or a creative agency. Not over-complicating matters or glossing over the truth. Not mindlessly chasing awards but gunning for commercial impact. Not foisting a meandering 300-slide deck but focusing on the insights that really matter. Not succumbing to group think or follow the leader but questioning and disagreeing. From numerous conversations over a period of time, this is what we feel our clients, present or prospective, want. And being independent gives us the freedom to do just that and more. 

Read more: <a href="https://www.moneycontrol.com/storyboard18/brand-makers/former-ddb-mudra-execs-pallavi-chakravarti-nishant-saurabh-anand-murty-launch-new-ad-agency-fundamental-5962.htm">Former DDB Mudra execs Pallavi Chakravarti, Nishant Saurabh, Anand Murty launch new ad agency, Fundamental</a>

What are network agencies not getting right about modern clients? How can indie shops fix those gaps? 

Murty: The client C-Suite and marketing teams are already dealing with many challenges, like making the brand experience ecosystem more responsive to current expectations from people, collaborating with a number of specialists and partners, managing the brand P&L and more. 

The last thing they need is an agency (network or not) that adds to these complications or is unresponsive to their needs. More importantly, they need strong directional thinking on brands and businesses and partners who can bring this kind of work to the table. 

Indie shops have the advantage of having a flat, tight-knit group of senior leaders who can take on these problems without the noise, the fads or the faff. 

What clients are you looking to on-board?

Murty: Clients who want business, brand and creative partners, who are looking for a close-knit team to run with them and lead directional thinking. They are the clients we would love to work with.

Nishant, you mentioned that you guys are here to keep good old advertising alive. Could you explain more on this?

Saurabh: That’s way too much pressure on people who have just about dipped their toes in the ocean of entrepreneurship. The truth is we love advertising way too much and have really enjoyed our journey till now. So it just stands to reason we want to create a place that exudes the same love for the profession. If we manage to bring some of the magic and madness back into the business, it will be an added bonus.

Have you set a target for yourself? What’s on the to-do list for year one? 

Saurabh: The idea is to grow slow, yet strong and steady. As independents, we don’t have the revenue pressures that network agencies have, which allows us to be more focussed on the work we do and its impact on clients’ brands/businesses. 

Our focus and energies will be going into making our clients and their businesses grow, which, we are sure, will lead us to grow, too. Hopefully, by the end of year one, we will create some kickass work, which we are all very proud of and gets more clients to want to work with us. 

Also, in terms of talent, who do you want to work with?

Saurabh: The ones who aren’t afraid to argue and question, to laugh at themselves. The ones who roll up their sleeves in their quest for answers that work the best. And yes, while we all keep hearing that there isn’t much talent left in the industry, we believe the truth is far from it. Advertising is alive and kicking, because there are still people who are extremely passionate about it. We are looking to work with just those people. And we’re hoping that, by building a culture where people are happy with what they’re doing, we’ll be able to attract the right kind of talent as we grow.

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