MxMIndia

Category: ADVERTISING

  • WATConsult will become part of Isobar, Dentsu Aegis Network's global digital marketing agency and will be referred to as 'WATConsult – Linked by Isobar'

    Dentsu Aegis Network acquires majority in social & digital media agency WATConsult

    By A Correspondent

     

    Left to Right: Ashish Bhasin, Heeru Dingra, Nipun Kapur Dingra and Rajiv Dingra.

    Dentsu Aegis Network has announced the acquisition of WATConsult, a leading social and digital media agencies, with over 160 professionals in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kolkata. WATConsult will become part of  Isobar, Dentsu Aegis Network’s global digital marketing agency and will be referred to as ‘WATConsult – Linked by Isobar’.

     

    Founded in 2007, WATConsult, which is led by CEO Rajiv Dingra, has evolved from being a social media agency to a full-service digital agency. WATConsultalso provides its client base with creative and technology services across mobile, digital and video. Clients include the Godrej Group, Nikon, Tata Chemicals, Bestseller Group, Bajaj Allianz and more than 70 other national and global brands. According to a newspaper report, the valuation of the company is in the region of Rs 180 crore, a figure dismissed by a few industry professionals MxMIndia spoke to as way too high even for a future-ready digital agency.

     

    Said Nick Waters, CEO Dentsu Aegis Network Asia Pacific: “The acquisition of WATConsult marks another significant step for our group in India.  This is a high quality award winning market leader specialising in one of the fastest growing and critical segments of the market.  Alongside Isobar, iProspect, and WebChutney we have created the largest and highest quality digital services capability in India.  We view India as a priority market and will continue to seek scaled and quality investment opportunities here.”

     

    Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO South Asia Dentsu Aegis Network added: “Having WATConsult, a leader in social media, as a member of our family will further enhance our digital offering to our clients and support our growth in the market. WATConsult, will join iProspect, Isobar and Webchutney in making our digital offering the most comprehensive in India.”

     

    Said Rajiv Dingra, CEO WATConsult: “We are delighted to join hands with Dentsu Aegis Network, and our entire team are looking forward to taking WATConsult – Linked by Isobar to even greater heights. We are confident that by becoming a part of a digital focused network like Dentsu Aegis Network we will gain a competitive advantage in the fast consolidating Indian market. As an agency we see huge growth opportunity in digital advertising, particularly social media, digital video and mobile, and we are geared to capitalising on it.”

     

    Rajiv Dingra will continue as CEO ofWATConsult – Linked by Isobar, reporting to Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia. His key management team, including Nipun Kapur, COO of WATConsult and HeeruDingra, CFO of WATConsult, will also continue in their respective roles. Mr Dingra will also join the Digital Council of Dentsu Aegis Network India, alongside the CEOs of Isobar, iProspect and WebChutney. This ensures that digital specialists at Dentsu Aegis Network in India now exceed 600 professionals.

     

  • The company will unite 11 independent agencies with 40 offices in 17 countries

    Mirum to drive business transformation for JWT

    By A Correspondent

     

    J. Walter Thompson announced the launch of Mirum, a global company uniting 11 digital agencies spanning 17 countries and 40 offices. Former Digitaria Chief Executive Officer Dan Khabie will take charge as Mirum Global and North America CEO. In this role, Khabie will have oversight of Mirum’s overall growth strategy, including P&L responsibility, managing key client relationships and aligning resources to service clients globally. He will report to J. Walter Thompson Company’s Global CEO, Gustavo Martinez, and be based between the West Coast and the East Coast.

     

    Mirum is a new company created with a pioneering spirit, built by bringing together successful regional companies that have a deep understanding of local market needs. Mirum’s principles are rooted in innovation, design, data, marketing and technology to drive business transformation in a world of constantly evolving behaviors and expectations.

     

    “The launch of Mirum is an integral part of our strategy to continue building on J. Walter Thompson’s many assets and capabilities in order to drive business transformation,” stated Martinez. “Mirum is poised to deliver both the technology and creative solutions that global brands demand.”

     

    “Dan’s natural entrepreneurial instincts and passion will foster Mirum’s startup mentality as he drives growth forward across our global network,” said Stefano Zunino, Head of Digital Worldwide, J. Walter Thompson, and Chairman of Mirum.

     

    Mirum’s capabilities are organized around Strategy & Consulting services, Creative & Content, User Experience & Platforms, Analytics & Insight and Product Development & Mobile. Additionally, Mirum has deep vertical service offerings in Digital Retail, Behavioral Media and Financial Services.

     

    Current clients include CBRE, Cyrela, Daum Kakao, Finnair, HSBC, Magazine Luiza, Mazda, Microsoft, Nokia, Petco, Singapore Tourism Board, TD Bank, Walmart and XL, among others.

     

    Mirum companies include Digitaria (U.S.), XM (Asia Pacific), CASA (Brazil), ActivearkJWT (Finland, Sweden, India and U.K.) and Twist Image (Canada). Lunchbox (U.S.), i-Cherry (Brazil), HeathWallace (U.K.), Quirk (South Africa and U.K.), Clarus (Mexico) and X-Prime (France) will also join Mirum.

     

    Daiga Atvara will be Chief Design Officer; Matt Webb, Chief Technology Officer; Dave Wallace, Chief Operations Officer; Nick Read, Chief Financial Officer; Sarah Kotlova, Global Head of Agency Services; and John Baker, Chief Marketing Officer. Khabie plans on naming a Chief Creative Officer, Chief Strategy Officer and Global Head of Data & Analytics over the next six months.

     

    Khabie has also named his global leadership team, which includes Robin Bade and Markus Hakala, Europe; Rob Stokes, MEA; Guilherme Gomide, LATAM; Nanda Ivens, APAC; Mark Goodman, NA; Alex Kavinski, Behavioral Media; and Kevin Weisberg, Digital Retail Marketing.

     

  • Mindshare appoints Prasanth Kumar as CEO, South Asia to take over Ravi Rao who is rumoured to be moving to sandier pastures

    It’s PK as the new Mindshare South Asia boss!

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    The poster of the Aamir Khan film PK was the first thing that came to our minds when one of the A&M media’s favourite sources alerted us of the winds of change that were blowing across the GroupM South Asia headquarters in North Mumbai.

     

    Expectedly, the otherwise very responsive dramatis personae clammed up. Calls and text messages received no reply. Whatsapp messages got those two blue ticks, but not even the ‘typing’ indicator in response. But while we were sure of the news, we couldn’t carry it without a confirmation. So it waited from Wednesday to Thursday to the weekend.

     

    There were also other things that were also grabbing our attention.

     

    Prasanth Kumar
    Ravi Rao

    And then on Sunday evening, our inbox alert beeped. The message curiously asked us to embargo the news till 9pm. The news confirmed our earlier info: Leading media agency network Mindshare has appointed Prasanth Kumar as CEO, South Asia. He will take charge with effect from March 1, 2015. Ravi Rao, who is currently CEO, will be transitioning into a new role within GroupM, the details of which are to be announced soon.

     

    So where’s Ravi Rao going? Back to the Gulf, we were told. If not within the fold, outside of it. The communiqué says he will transition to a new role within GroupM, but which clearly means negotiations are still on.

     

    CVL Srinivas
    Gowthaman Ragothaman

    Kumar or PK, as he’s known in the fraternity, is currently Head of WPP-owned GroupM’s Central Trading Group and a member of the South Asia Executive Committee. As Mindshare South Asia leader, he will report into CVL Srinivas, CEO GroupM South Asia and Gowthaman Ragothaman, COO of Mindshare Asia Pacific. And who takes over from him, we asked the GroupM spokesperson. There are no names yet, but last year Jai Lala and Sidharth Parashar were elevated in the CTG team.

     

    Meanwhile, this is what Srinivas on the announcement: “Prasanth was a unanimous choice for this role.  In the past 10 years, he has played a stellar role in ensuring GroupM’s scale is leveraged to maximise value for our clients. I’d like to thank Ravi Rao for his contribution and wish him the very best in his new role within the network.”

     

    And here’s what Ragothaman (better known as GMan) commented on the change: “Ravi has done a fantastic job in growing our business in India in the last three years. India is at the inflexion point on digital, content, analytics, e-commerce and measurement and in Prasanth we have a seasoned veteran to lead Mindshare to the next level. And I am particularly happy that we continue to groom and grow talent from our larger GroupM ecosystem with diverse talent and experience to leadership positions, which speaks highly about our talent in the market place. In the past 10 years Prasanth Kumar has done a tremendous job scaling up GroupM’s CTG practice in South Asia, and developing strategic partnerships for GroupM that contribute to the successes of all GroupM agencies.”

     

    Big Story image inspired by poster of the Raj Kumar Hirani film PK. Imaging by Rafiq, Poster courtesy: PK, the film, poster

     

  • The Call for Entries has been good but many agencies have requested an extension of the deadline

    Entry deadline for Olive Crown Awards extended to Feb 15th

    By A Correspondent

     

    Neeraj Roy

    The India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) has announced deadline extension of the Olive Crown Awards that salute excellence in communicating sustainability.

     

    Neeraj Roy, Chairman, Olive Crown Awards Committee said, “The response to the Call for Entries has been good but many agencies have requested an extension of the deadline, and so we have extended the last date to receive entries to February 15th 2015.”

     

     

    Srinivasan K Swamy

    IAA President Srinivasan Swamy said, “The Olive Crown awards are our contribution to Planet Earth. They are run as a cause and we do not charge any entry fee. The awards ceremony is also an exclusive “invite-only” show. Last year Sri Amitabh Bachchan was the Chief Guest and Smt Maneka Gandhi received the Green Crusader Award. Further, Hindustan Unilever and Mathrubhumi Group of Newspapers shared the Corporate Social Crusader Award and McCann World Group bagged the Agency of the year award.”

     

  • Gowthaman Ragothaman (better known as GMan), COO of Mindshare Asia Pacific, speaks on the priorities ahead of Mindshare South Asia’s CEO-designate Prasanth Kumar

    Structure, Talent and Innovation are action points for PK at Mindshare, says GMan. Exclusive to MxM

    Gowthaman Ragothaman

    Given that both CVL Srinivas, CEO GroupM South Asia and Prasanth ‘PK’ Kumar, Managing Partner, Central Trading Group, GroupM South Asia and CEO-designate Mindshare South Asia were busy with the presentation of the ‘This Year Next Year’ report, they preferred to not speak on the latter’s appointment to the top job. But since PK will also report into Gowthaman Ragothaman (better known as GMan), COO of Mindshare Asia Pacific, Pradyuman Maheshwari spoke to GMan in Singapore and requested him to respond to a few questions via email.

     

    It’s been three years since you moved out from direct responsibility of South Asia. From a regional perspective, what are the broad challenges facing the India office?

    We have to treat India/South Asia as a region. No other market/office in the world has so many offices. We have Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Lahore, Dhaka and Colombo. While all other markets are structured for a “one office leadership”, as we have expanded and grown across offices, our “speed to market” was significantly tested in the last few years – this is an internal dynamic. As an industry, I realised, when I moved out into the region, India is very inclusive and try to do/invent all things inside when a lot of best practice can be just replicated or brought into the country. I also realised that the talent drain from India to the region, has sort of depleted some good quality talent in the country. So Structure, Talent and Innovation – are the three broad challenges.

     

    Prasanth Kumar is a seasoned GroupM hand. What are the specific targets you have for him?

    Pretty much the above 3 points. And you will see some of these happening quite fast and quick.

     

    In your statement on PK’s appointment, you speak about getting leadership talent from within the group. But, don’t you think that for achieving something out-of-the-box or hat ke, as they say in India, you need to bring in talent from the outside?

    Totally agree with you. We continue to diversify out talent pool at all levels – and the constant churn in the industry helps us to manage this, especially when you flip it as an opportunity instead of a problem. Almost all the recruitments we have made in Mindshare in the past 2-3 years are external talent. And at the same time, if you look at the challenges that I have mentioned in the first point, our considered view is to groom local talent to leadership positions as they come with tremendous insights of the organisational issues. It is  a considered choice…but not necessarily a permanent choice for all the times.

     

  • The Wagh Bakri TVC places the brand at a higher pedestal and the imagery is totally contemporary and relevant, writes Sanjeev Kotnala

    Sanjeev Kotnala: A lot can happen over a cup of tea

    By Sanjeev Kotnala

     

    I was introduced to ‘Wagh Bakri – Risho Ki Garmahat’, a four-minute film via a link from Manish Bhatt of Scarecrow Advertising. I liked the flavour of it. It was really warm. It made me see lot of parallel and believe that this is some work that I would want to share. This is a simple communication that touches your heart. It is how communication should be.

     

    I personally see ‘Wah Taj’ as an iconic communication that is beyond its use by date. The recent efforts to rejuvenate it are a waste.  It is just not relevant to current generation. ‘Jaago Re’ is a new and interesting take. Though it may not be considered functionally effective, as it does not speak of the normal triggers that drive tea buying decision like taste, aroma etc. Yet, it places the brand at a higher pedestal and the imagery is totally contemporary and relevant.

     

    It was heartening to realise that this was presented as an audio version (narration + song) during the pitch, answering the brief ‘Help Wagh Bakri, the third largest tea brand in India connect with young Indians in newer markets. Esp North’, and got converted into a long format film and TVC without a single word being changed. I see it as a perfect amplification of the brand thought ‘Hamesha Rishtey Banaye’. And for a change, I am seeing a pitch work finally seeing the screen.

     

    It is not an extraordinary film. At one level, it simply tells you what goes in to give you the taste and flavour you want. Additionally, it layers that with the warm relationship between husband and wife. That’s where it scores. I like that little touch of wife not looking into camera while she shares her directions to tea in kitchen. That emotional shake works as a visual device.

     

    I like the simplicity in communication and got chatting with Manish Bhatt and I could see where he was coming from. He said “The new TVC gives this central thought a contemporary dimension. Our research revealed that today relationships are suffering. The young India is ambitious; works round the clock and hence can’t give the much-needed time every relationship needs to sustain its warmth. In this, we saw a perfect statement for Wagh Bakri to connect with the new India.” And one would agree that they have done a good work with it.  The whole film is treated well and leaves you with a nice warm thought.

     

    I do not share Manish Bhatt and team’s confidence in banking on the digital format to connect with the mobile generation. Though his argument stands that when AIB 30-minute shows and 3-hour films can be watched on mobile, a good film/ music video will be watched too. In his defence of the long format film, he adds: “The beauty is that there are two components – one is the story, and the other is the song. While the song complements the story, it also works in isolation. It will help promote the TVC like a music video, and also create shorter edits. It will be amplified on radio too”. I do hope that he is proven correct.

     

    Sometime the passion and artistic elements overpower and we forget some minor points. I am not sure if that is like picking bones but what the hell. Ok, the pan being used for making tea is too new. I hate that freshly bought-for-the-shoot look in props. Milk is added after straining tea. That surely is not the way North Indians like their tea. Sugar in the cube format seems a mismatch. And I am not sure if tea in taken out from packs or from cans. It seemed they just bought the tea and the tea pan. This jarred  in an otherwise well-conceived and created TVC

     

    Yet, the overall feeling is what matters at the end. For Wagh Bakri, it is all positive. The best part is that the brand name remains with you unlike another tea TVC that works well as a story. So much so that the brand name is missed out.

     

  • Native advtg has been much discussed and debated. Presenting top findings of a study by the Association of National Advertisers, in the US

    Native, and liking it?

     

    Native Advertising spending is set to substantially increase as marketers rapidly enable the strategy. Sixty-three percent of marketers are planning to spend more on native advertising over the next year according to the ANA’s (Association of National Advertisers) 2015 survey report ‘Advertising Is Going Native’, the executive summary of which we present here.

     

    Background and Methodology Native advertising has been one of the hottest and most controversial terms of the past year.

     

    Native advertising is an advertising method in which the advertiser attempts to gain attention by providing messaging in the context of the user’s experience. Native ad formats match both the form and function ofthe user experience in which they are placed. The advertiser’s intent is to make the paid advertising feel less intrusive and increase the likelihood users will engage with it.

     

    Native advertising is a subset of content marketing, which can consist of paid, owned, and earned media. Native advertising is paid media. Owned media could include a brand’s website and email newsletters.

     

    Earned media includes online word of mouth via social media posts, reviews, recommendations, etc.

     

    In the fourth quarter of 2014, the ANA surveyed members to understand how they use and budget fornative advertising, manage its implementation internally and externally, and measure its success. The survey was also meant to reveal marketers’ opinions on questions of disclosure and ethics.

     

    In total, 127 client-side marketers are represented in this survey. Of those, 57 percent are “senior marketers” (director level and above) and 43 percent are “junior marketers” (manager level and below). On average, respondents to this survey have 14 years of experience in marketing.

     

    Key Findings

    1. Among ANA members surveyed, almost three in five (58 percent) say their company has engaged in native advertising during the past year, with spending on native adverting increasing.

    }Past year budgets for native advertising increased for 55 percent of respondents.

    }In the next year, 63 percent of respondents expect to increase budgets allocated to native advertising.

     

    However, native advertising currently accounts for a small percentage of overall advertising budgets – 5 percent or less for 68 percent of respondents.

     

    2. Both B-to-C and B-to-B marketers use native advertising.

    }Sixty-seven percent of B-to-C marketers and 54 percent of B-to-B marketers have engaged in native advertising over the past year.

    }Forty-eight percent of B-to-C marketers and 75 percent of B-to-B marketers said their native advertising budgets increased in 2014.

    }Sixty-eight percent of B-to-C marketers and 59 percent of B-to-B marketers expect their native advertising budgets to increase in 2015.

     

    3. The main benefit of native adverting is the ability to create extremely relevant associations between the brand and consumer via content. Given today’s media landscape, where consumers can avoid ads more than ever, advertisers are looking for new ways to get their messages noticed and acted upon.

     

    4. Native advertising is most commonly associated with digital/online and social media, and usage is highest across both. Eighty-five percent of respondents who engage in native advertising do so via digital/online publishers, and 71 percent through social media. To a secondary extent, native is associated with print media, and has amodest level of usage there.

     

    5. Eight in 10 marketers employ native advertising via articles, and roughly six in 10 use native video and photos.

     

    6. Many external resources have roles in helping marketers manage native advertising: media agencies, mediaowners/publishers, creative agencies, specialized digital agencies, public relations agencies, and content marketing agencies. Media agencies have the highest incidence of usage and are identified as the “most valuable” resource.

     

    7. Measuring the impact of native advertising is a challenge. Multiple metrics are employed, but no metricstands out as “most important.”

     

    8. Only 19 percent of respondents believe that native advertising warrants premium pricing.

     

    9. Disclosure and ethics are key issues.

    }Two-thirds of respondents agree that native advertising needs clear disclosure that it is indeed advertising.

    Only 13 percent feel that such disclosure is not needed.

    }Both the publisher and the advertiser have a responsibility to ensure disclosure.

    }Three-fourths of respondents feel that there is an ethical boundary for the advertising industry when it comes to native advertising.

     

    10. Disclosure and transparency are major concerns about native advertising that keep respondents up at night.

     

  • The BARC CEO tells us why his roadshows are a must-attend for all stakeholders

    5 Reasons why all members of the broadcast ecosystem must attend the BARC India roadshows

    By Partho Dasgupta

     

    With a new audience measurement system expected to be in operation in a few months, the Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) is conducting roadshows across major media centres to introduce the new user software to the fraternity. The roadshows happened in New Delhin on Monday, Feb 2 and in Bengaluru yesterday (Feb 3). Chennai is scheduled to happen today (Feb 4) and in Mumbai on Friday, Feb 6 at 2 and 4pm. We asked BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta to tell us why it’s a must-attend for all stakeholders.

     

    Sharing, listening, answering queries, Meet and Greet… and doing all this under one roof is what every BARC India Roadshow is all about. Currently we are hosting the roadshow to preview our user software which we have christened as the BMW – BARC India Media Workstation.

     

    The roadshow will travel across Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai and is being attended by broadcasters, media agencies, advertisers and even consultants to know more about our BMW offering.

     

    Here’s listing 5 Fab Reasons why all members of the broadcast ecosystem must attend the BARC India Roadshow to preview the key features of our User Software – BMW, as listed below…

     

    1. Graphical representation

    To brighten up your analysis, BMW offers a unique feature of creating your own graphical representation of analysis. BMW also offers the facility to create dashboards, charts and audience movement analysis (switching in and switching out) with interesting layouts.

     

    2. Generating reports and analysis within the User Software without exporting to excel

    Weekly average ratings, brand ratings, top programmes and any other complex analysis can be generated within BMW itself without having to export to excel, cutting down on the cumbersome and time consuming process.

     

    3. Drag and Drop Feature

    BMW also facilitates quick and user-friendly navigation with its ‘Drag and Drop’ feature. At the click of a key, the user can simply pick and choose from the various sections of the home page and create a customised work book to generate reports.

     

    4. Meta-Tagging Entities for Advertisers

    Another fab feature of the BMW is the depth of meta-tagging reporting by Sector, Category, Product, Sub Product, Brand, Sub Brand, Variant, Advertiser, Advertiser Group, Master Program, Position and Language. Providing the meta-tagging information proactively into the software helps the user with micro-analysis while saving time.

     

    5. Built-in Planning and Optimiser

    BMW planning module offers a built-in Planning and Optimiser which gives you various media plan options basis pre-defined audiences, markets, period, strategy in terms of Ratings or Reach.

     

    So, we look forward to meeting you at the BARC India Roadshow

     

  • The product is thanks to an arrangement between Crain Communications of the United States and The Times of India group here

    AdAge launches in India. Perfect Timing, says editor

    By A Correspondent

     

    If you thought the Indian media marketplace has just too many publications tracking the ad and media world, pause a bit. Advertising Age, the world’s most respected advertising and marketing fraternity publication, launched in India yesterday.

    It will essentially be an online edition (http://www.adageindia.in), though one could well see a print avatar in future.  The product is thanks to an arrangement between Crain Communications of the United States and The Times of India group here.

    The office is located in the Times building in Noida. Ad Age had a tie-up with the exchange4media group for a few years but that never converted to a full-fledged edition of the magazine locally.

     

    The online publication will be edited by Satrajit Sen, formerly editor of with Afaqs and earlier with digital website Indian Digital Review (eka AlooTechie.com) and a slew of other online and print brands. Sen told MxMIndia that he is working with a small team currently but it will be expanded with time.

    A launch event is planned next month . “We are excited to launch Advertising Age India. And it could not have been at a more opportune time,” writes Sen in a signed editorial on the site, adding: “Ad Age India will integrate the authoritative status of this marquee publication with the rapidly growing and evolving Indian media and marketing ecosystem to create a vibrant platform for the industry. We will strive to make Ad Age India a trusted marketing communication brand and one that the industry follows.  We also plan to roll out the regional versions of the iconic and coveted Ad Age Lists.”

     

  • Carat has also been named as the No 1 media agency across the Asia Pacific region

    R3 ranks Carat the No. 1 media agency in 2014 India Business League

    By A Correspondent

     

    Carat has been named the No. 1 media agency in India in the 2014 New Business League table, published by R3. Conducted across 14 of the Asia Pacific’s leading media agencies, the New Business League is a market-wise monthly tally of the agencies’ new business acquisitions. In India, the tally was conducted across 17 of the region’s leading media agencies.

     

    Ashish Bhasin

    For the record, R3 is a global marketing consultancy, focused on improving the effectiveness and efficiency of marketers and their agencies. Founded in 1972 in the U.S., and 2002 beyond the U.S., it works with eight of the world’s top 20 global marketers. Herein, R3’s methodology for New Business League is a compilation of the most recent data supplied by 26 multinational agencies on a monthly basis. The report is balanced against client estimates, Nielsen ADEX (advertising expenditure), discounted to appropriate levels and then converted to revenue estimates.

     

    Commenting on the announcement, Ashish Bhasin Chairman and CEO South Asia Dentsu Aegis Network said, “This is a very proud moment. Carat has been steadily gaining scale in India and I congratulate Kartik and his team for this achievement. New business is the best indicator of the health and vitality of an agency, and this should give us encouragement that Carat is in a good place across the region.”

     

    Kartik Iyer

    Kartik Iyer, MD India – Carat Media said, “2014 has been a watershed year for Carat in India. Thanks to the great work by the teams and huge support from our network, we have won quite a few very large and important businesses. With a healthy mix of Local and Global pitches, the wins are a result of some great strategic work by the team and outstanding support from our network. We are absolutely delighted by the response received from our clients on the innovative solutions and strategic thinking we presented to them. We look forward to continuing in the winning ways and a great year ahead.”

     

    Also, Carat has been named as the No 1 media agency across the Asia Pacific region. Here, apart from India, the agency has been adjudged as the No 1 media agency in Thailand, Korea, Japan, Hong-Kong and Australia.

     

  • Kavita Kailas also is promoted to Chief Strategy Officer and will continue to be the lighthouse resource for clients and brands

    Rediffusion Y & R announces leadership changes

    By A Correspondent

     

    Rediffusion Y & R has announced the elevation of Kavita Kailas as the new Chief Strategy Officer while Prithviraj Banerjee has been promoted as the Strategy Planning Head Everest Brand Solutions. This in addition to his current role.

     

    Dhunji S. Wadia
    Kavita Kailas

    Speaking on the development Dhunji S. Wadia, President, Rediffusion Y & R said: “For quite some time Gautam Talwar has been nurturing the idea of pursuing interests beyond advertising. And I think the time has come to allow him to follow his passions. So after a hard working stint Gautam is taking a well-deserved break before deciding what his next chapter should be. I thank him for all his help and support and wish him the very best in whatever he chooses to do.”

     

    Kavita Kailas also is promoted to Chief Strategy Officer and will continue to be the lighthouse resource for clients and brands. “She is meant for this role. For the last few years she has been heading the Strategic Planning Function across our Delhi, Kolkata and Southern operations. She has been exemplifying every day what it means to be a client’s most valued partner. Kavita has a great love of our business, our clients and our people that infuses all that she does,” added Wadia.

     

    Also, Prithviraj Banerjee has been appointed Strategy Planning Head, Everest. This would be in addition to his current responsibilities.

     

  • All the accounts put together are estimated to spend about 100 crores

    Madison Media Omega bags slew of accounts in Bangalore

    By A Correspondent

     

    Madison Media Omega, the Bangalore office of Madison Media Group has been on an account winning spree, having won key accounts including J G Hosiery, the makers of Amul innerwear, Metro Cash and Carry, Zivame, Ashirwad Pipes and Total Environment. All the accounts put together are estimated to spend about 100 crores.

     

    Dinesh Rathore

    Commenting on this development, Dinesh Rathore, Chief Operating Officer, said, “Over the last one year our endeavor has been to increase our client portfolio by providing sound strategic advice to our clients and being their trusted communication partners in building their brands and business in the country.”

     

    Madison Media Group has been on an account winning spree, having won a host of new businesses in 2014 including Lafarge Cement, EPIC channel, Nirav Modi, Senco Gold, Wockhardt Hospitals, Cordlife, Lenskart, DHFL, Viber and the mother of all media accounts of 2014, the media mandate for BJP for the national elections and for Maharashtra, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and the current Delhi election.