Tag: Amit Wadhwa

  • Dentsu Creative unveils CMO report

     

     

    By Our Staff

     

    ‘The Power of Modern Creativity: Insights for Today and Tomorrow’ report was unviled by Dentsu Creative with results from survey of CMOs in the UK, US, China, India, and Brazil asking what them what they need and want most from their agencies. The report identifies eight key themes that define the future of modern creativity, and what clients most want from their agencies 85% of clients agree that while consumer behaviour has undergone rapid changes in the last 5 years, the agency model is yet to adapt. 78% say that the silo-ed agency model is no longer fit for purpose in today’s world.

     

    Clients are seeking a new agency model, where creativity is a horizontal not a vertical, with 82% agreeing they “want to see creative solutions across every aspect of my business – Media, Commerce and CXM – just as much as in campaigns” India is the market where CMOs are most likely to have invested in creating their own TV programming.

     

    China and India dominate for the creation of Branded Entertainment and IP, with 53% of CMOs in these markets investing here, while China is the global leader in creating Branded Characters and IP As many as 78% of CMOs feel that the silo-ed agency model is no longer fit for purpose while 82% want to see agencies seamlessly combine capabilities to deliver new and innovative solutions, agreeing “I want to see creative solutions across every aspect of my business- Media, Commerce and CXM – just as much as in campaigns.”

     

    When asked what is needed to engage the next generation of consumer, 63% of CMOs say that brands need to create rather than borrow from culture. The vast majority, at 84%, believe that to connect with younger generations brands now need to “entertain and engage” to earn attention through entertainment properties or rich virtual experiences, most importantly, they believe that connecting the right diverse talent around their challenges, regardless of silos or geographies is the only way to deliver work that will resonate in culture.

     

    Said Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative India: “We all know that the business landscape is rapidly changing and so are the expectations from agencies on how and what we deliver. It’s extremely essential for all of us to be in tune with the requirements and expectations in this changing environment. With this very objective, the CMO survey was conducted. What really excites me is that the responses augur extremely well for the direction we took when we launched DENTSU CREATIVE based on the philosophy of Modern Creativity. Excited with the way we are moving ahead.”

     

    Eight key themes identified and unpacked in the report:

    1. FROM COMPLEXITY TO SIMPLICITY

    Today’s clients reject artificial divisions and binaries, seeking simple but powerfully integrated solutions to their problems.

    73% of marketers agree that the modern comms landscape, and by extension their roles, have become increasingly complex.

     

    2. INVENTING THE FUTURE

    Investment in gaming, virtual technologies and social commerce continues as clients believe the online space is where their most meaningful customer interactions take place.

    84% agree that an online store should feel as immersive as an offline store.

     

    3. BIG IDEAS, BOLDLY EXECUTED

    The big organising idea is more important than ever but today big ideas must be executed in bold new ways, to connect in personal, contextually relevant ways.

    84% agree that Modern Creativity creates culture, it doesn’t just interrupt.

     

    4. RADICAL COLLABORATION

    Delivering Modern Creativity means rejecting traditional silos and traditional definitions of scale, using data and technology to nimbly connect the right talent around the right brief.

    76% want agencies to connect the right talent around the right brief, wherever it sits in their networks.

     

    5. CREATING CULTURE

    CMOs across the globe are investing in content marketing, entertainment and IP as never before, building their own audiences and creating their own properties.

    84% of respondents are implementing or have implemented Entertainment platforms and IP as a strategy

     

    6. HORIZONTAL CREATIVITY

    To thrive in the modern world, networks must embrace creativity across every touchpoint; content to commerce, media to CXM. Creativity is no longer a vertical or discipline but a horizontal.

    82% want to see creative solutions across media, commerce and CRM, just as much as in campaigns.

     

    7. CHANGING SOCIETY

    CMOs speak with one voice on the vital importance of using their platform for good and the imperative to pivot their business model in response to the climate crisis.

    84% agree that real change is only possible through sustained collaboration between businesses, consumers and policy makers.

     

    8. EMBRACING DIFFERENCE

    Designing for the modern world means investing in teams that reflect the modern world. Today’s agencies must embrace difference as the only true way to deliver work that makes a difference.

    95% agree that it is a brand’s responsibility to change behaviour and change society.

  • Saare Jahaan Se Achcha

     

     

    By Our Staff

     

    If it was the Olympics, it would’ve merited a call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But this is just an advertising festival, where work are recognised for commercial work, so perhaps expecting a call from the PM would be a bit much.

     

    The victories of the Indian contingent last week though are worthy of that call. Indian creative agencies brought home 47 metals, and this does not include the shortlists.

     

    Dentsu Creative Bengaluru was named Cannes Lions 2022 Agency of the Year, as well as awarded a Titanium, three Grand Prix, two Gold Lions and three Silver Lions for ‘The Unfiltered History Tour’ for Vice Media. This also makes the campaign the most awarded campaign ever. Note: it’s an agency from Bengaluru and not Mumbai or New Delhi NCR.

     

    Said Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative India. “When you begin Cannes Lions with a Grand Prix, you think you have already hit a lifetime achievement, but this week just got better and better. It is hard to describe how we feel on receiving three Grand Prix, let alone a Titanium and to top it all off, Agency of the Year – it is a moment to rejoice for each one of us at Dentsu Creative India. The team is just so proud of the work, but also the outcome too,” adding: “We got the world talking about something which really matters deeply, something which will change the way that historically important artefacts are handled in the future, and in turn could change the way that history is taught to millions around the world. Now that is very special indeed.”

     

    Added Ajay Gahlaut, Group Chief Creative Officer India, Dentsu Creative: “Winning the Agency of the Year is an emotion I cannot even begin to describe. When I used to watch other agencies win the title I often wondered if I ever would get that same honour. What they say is true. Dreams DO come true! I’m over the moon with the Titanium win along with the hat trick of Grand Prix and a whole lot of other metals. Not just me I think no one in the entire Indian ad industry has been part of such a huge haul of Lions ever before. And I do believe we are the first full-service Indian agency to win the title of Agency of the Year. I doff my hat to the entire team responsible for the Unfiltered History Tours. Those who are with us now and those who have moved on. Congratulations all. For now, it’s party time!”

     

     

    The other Grand Prix this year went to VMLY&R India’s ‘The Killer Pack’ campaign for Maxx Flash in the Health & Wellness Lions category to Leo Burnett for its ‘The Missing Chapter’ campaign for P&G India’s Whisper. This was a Grand Prix for Sustainable Development Goals Lions, again a first for India.

     

    Meanwhhile, Ogilvy India also brought home a Titanium Lion for  Mondelez  India’s ‘Shah Rukh Khan My Ad’ campaign. The work also bagged two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze.

     

    Said Piyush Pandey, Chairman Global Creative & Executive Chairman India, Ogilvy: “I am delighted that the people’s choice is also the jury’s choice. I am very proud of the team that worked on it.”

     

    As the table indicates, FCB has continued its winning spree and netted as many as 14 metals.

     

  • Isobar’s releases annual Creative Experience Survey

    By Our Staff

     

    Global creative experience agency Isobar has published its annual study of over 800 global CMOs assessing the evolution of customer experience design. Titled ‘Isobar CX Survey 2021: The Rise of Connected Experience’ the report indicates clear agreement between CMOs globally of a permanently transformed approach to marketing post-covid.

     

    The results reveal a ‘new normal’ for marketers, with the overwhelming majority in agreement that innovation, design and experience technologies are needed to meet consumer expectations post-covid. Overwhelmingly the results show an increase in creating new sensorial experiences, delivered through experience technologies and demanding a new set of craft skills that are imperative to creating differentiation. Touch-free technologies, gestural technologies, voice interfaces and virtual brand properties including avatars, idols, products experiences and configurators are all being increasingly adopted. This is an extension of the findings of the report from 2020 that saw significant marketer adoption of ‘experience technologies’ such as Voice, AR and IoT alongside a significant increase in the value CMOs placed on ideas and innovation in shaping CX strategy.

     

    Sven Huberts
    Sven Huberts

    Said Sven Huberts, Head of Innovation and Design, Dentsu and Managing Partner, Isobar: “What stands out is that experience has become an even bigger focus for how consumers are making choices around the brands they invite into their lives.  The connected future has arrived—innovation and new experience technologies are now critical in creating differentiation and growth. But it’s a connected experience – creativity that crosses touchpoint, senses and communities, and that is driving this future.  This survey is a call to arms for everyone in the industry to step up or be lost in a sea of sameness.”

     

    Amit Wadhwa
    Amit Wadhwa

    Added Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative India: “The term ‘Experience’ has changed forever. In a post-pandemic world, for a brand to lead from a customer-centric position, experiences can no longer afford to be one dimensional. The findings of the survey published in ‘The Rise Of Connected Experience’ report, will give readers a more comprehensive view of a customer’s journey and deep insights into what is driving customer experience.”

     

  • Dentsu India 2.0 merges digital, experiential & PR within Isobar, Heeru Dingra to be CEO

    By Our Staff

     

    Heeru Dingra
    Heeru Dingra

    Dentsu India has put its Digital, Experiential and PR capabilities under the Isobar India group. This means that Isobar India, WatConsult, and PR agency Perfect Relations will be under this head. Heeru Dingra,  Chief Executive Officer of WatConsult, will lead the group as its CEO, reporting into Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative India.

     

    Jean Lin
    Jean Lin

    Said Jean Lin, Global CEO, Creative and Executive Officer, Dentsu Group Inc: “Strategically, India is one of our largest and most important markets for Isobar. Heeru joined us through the acquisition of WatConsult and has gone from strength to strength, cultivating a culture of creativity and innovation. Heeru will strengthen Isobar’s growth story, bringing together the best specialists from different creative disciplines to create the next wave of transformative experiences for our clients and in turn, accelerate our brands into the Dentsu India 2.0 vision. I am certain that with Heeru at its helm, the Isobar India group will continue to grow and deliver excellence for our clients.”

     

    Amit Wadhwa
    Amit Wadhwa

    Added Wadhwa: “Heeru’s appointment to lead the Isobar group as its Country CEO takes the Dentsu India 2.0 journey a notch up. The decision is also in alignment with our global ambition of transforming into the most integrated network by 2024. We aim to deliver the best of our offerings to clients with pathbreaking ideas and solution-led strategies, making our headway into excellence.”

     

    Said Dingra: “The Isobar India group houses some of the best agency teams in the country…and I feel humbled to lead this brilliant bunch. As I take this new leap, my aim is to offer world-class integrated services and top-notch expertise that bring value to our current and future clients. People and creativity are at the core of our business, and I assure our clients will only be served with the industry’s best.”

     

  • Dentsu elevates Amit Wadhwa to CEO

    By Our Staff

     

    Amit Wadhwa
    Amit Wadhwa

    There’s a hardly a day or a week when we don’t receive a communique from Dentsu India. Like this one which informs us of a new structure for its creative service line in India. The restructure will bring together the creative agencies along with their digital and PR capabilities – all from the house of Dentsu – under one umbrella with an aim to provide a more collaborative and aligned offering to clients. The brands that will come together as part of this redesign as Dentsu Creative include Dentsu Webchutney, Taproot Dentsu, WatConsult, Perfect Relations, Isobar, Dentsu One, Dentsu India and Dentsu Impact.

     

    With the eventual consolidation under the two strong global brands – Dentsumcgarrybowen (DentsuMB) and Isobar, Dentsu Creative will provide digital-native, brand-led, customer-centric, creative, and strategic solutions to clients, effortlessly.

     

    In India, the Dentsu Creative service line will be led by Amit Wadhwa as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He will be reporting into Anand Bhadkamkar and the regional dentsu Creative leadership.

     

    Sidharth Rao
    Sidharth Rao

    Sidharth Rao, in addition to his current responsibilities, will now also be in charge of the brand DentsuMB Group in India as its CEO. He will work with the leadership team on DentsuMB’s brand strategy for the market. Shamsuddin Jasani, who continues to oversee the Isobar brand in South Asia as its Managing Director (MD), will also take on an additional role at Dentsu Creative. He will now work with the regional and global leadership teams to support the Isobar practice area and will work closely with the Isobar Global leadership team on the same.

     

    Anand Bhadkamkar
    Anand Bhadkamkar

    Speaking on the new development, Anand Bhadkamkar, CEO India said: “This global restructure is about consolidation of capabilities across our brands and businesses with an aim to bring the best of our services to our clients and provide those specialisms without any hassles. The idea is to ultimately stand true to our #OneDentsu strategy and thus, transform into a sharper and leaner business partner to brands. The changes in the India leadership team only reflects a step ahead in bolstering and scaling up our market ambitions. Amit, Sid and Shams are amongst the strongest creative leaders not just within Dentsu but across industry; and with the kind of experience and knowledge backing them, I am certain that they will steer Dentsu towards excellence not just in India but beyond.”

     

    The network has elevated Narayan Devanathan as President – Strategy & Integration for India, in addition to his current role as CEO, Dentsu Solutions. He will continue to report into Anand Bhadkamkar for his additional responsibility as part of the India market leadership team. Meanwhile, Devnathan will now also don a regional hat as APAC Head for the Dentsu Creative Strategy & Consulting practice.

     

    “Narayan has been instrumental in driving integration across our units and, as part of the South Asia integration initiatives, he will be supporting the Sri Lanka team in strategy and integration across the two markets. He will now be moving away from his current additional role as Chairperson, Creative Service Line for India and will take up a regional leadership role as APAC Lead – Strategy & Consulting Practice in the creative service line. In this role, he will be working with the Regional and Global leadership teams within the creative service line to help develop the area of Strategy & Consulting Practice in the APAC region,” Bhadkamkar added.

     

  • Dentsu Impact creates campaign for 2021 Swift

    By Our Staff

    Maruti Suzuki has launched its latest campaign for the 2021 Maruti Suzuki Swift. Conceptualised and executed by Dentsu Impact India, the campaign introduces the latest edition of Maruti Suzuki hatchback. The film has been released on television supported by a longer edit on digital. Additionally, it is backed by elements in print, OOH and social media.

    Said Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director (Marketing & Sales), Maruti Suzuki India Limited: “Pure performance is thrilling. But when it looks good, it’s even more thrilling.  That is what makes the experience truly limitless. This is the idea behind the campaign which introduces the new 2021 Swift. After all, this widely popular hatchback not only highlights its well-known performance legacy but now also brings a world of enhanced style, all thanks to the powerful Next Gen K-Series 1.2L Dual Jet Dual VVT Engine, Sporty cross mesh grille, and stylish dual-tone exteriors. The new Swift is perfectly poised to take the breath away of those who like a wow drive, and also of those who have an eye for great designer looks. Swift has always been a car that has challenged all kinds of limits. With the Limitless Thrill campaign, we look forward to set new benchmarks, and win even more hearts and minds.”

    Added Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact: “Swift is synonymous with car enthusiasts who love to push themselves beyond limits. With the new 2021 Swift, Maruti Suzuki has taken the pedestal a notch higher with new looks to match the aspirations of a modern-day customer. As their partners, we are excited to be a part of the Swift’s launch and create newer milestones with them.”

    Said Anupama Ramaswamy, Managing Partner and National Creative Director, Dentsu Impact: “Performance always has a wow factor. And when it meets a world of style, it truly becomes a head turner. Swift has always been a thrill to drive, and now it has taken the experience one step further, by thrilling us with its all-new style. This campaign is a testament to this.”

     

  • Dentsu Impact, Maruti Suzuki launch ‘Move Up’ campaign

    By A Correspondent

     

    Maruti Suzuki has launched its latest campaign, ‘Move Up’, for its brand – the 2020 Dzire. Conceptualised and executed by Dentsu Impact, the campaign introduces the latest edition of the Dzire car.

     

    Speaking on the all-new 2020 Dzire, Shashank Srivastava, Executive Director – Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India said: “With over 55% market share in its segment, Dzire is the preferred sedan of over 20 lakh customers. Building on an overwhelming customer response, the 2020 Dzire offers next generation K-series engine with segment-first idle start-stop technology (ISS), an upgraded premium exterior design, refreshed interiors, and advanced features. As a company, we have believed in bringing technologies that benefit the customers. The 2020 Dzire will help us to continue with our brand promise, to offer products with state-of-the-art designs and advanced technology to delight our customers. The introduction of the advanced K-series Dual Jet, Dual VVT BS6 petrol engine with idle start-stop (ISS) function makes it more desirable, low on emissions with best-in-class fuel efficiency.”

     

    Added Anupama Ramaswamy, National Creative Director, Dentsu Impact said:  “When it comes to Indian families, moving up never happens alone. Right from our childhood, we have seen our fathers work tirelessly, selflessly and go to any length to make every little wish, every little desire come true. With the ‘Move Up’ campaign, we celebrate this emotion and, also tell all fathers that the 2020 Dzire is by their side to see each and every desire of their loved ones come true.”

     

    Said Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact: “The idea of ‘Moving Up’ together with your family is one that resonates with every Indian. And when it comes to cars – moving up and togetherness is exemplified quite well in a sedan, especially by Dzire, which is the top choice for millions of people. The communication created around the car reflects just that and if I may add… quite beautifully!”

  • Dentsu Impact to handle digital business for tea brands under TGBL

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Impact’s Bengaluru branch has bagged the digital mandate for Tata Global Beverages from its tea portfolio including Tata Tea Premium, Tetley, Kanan Devan, Chakra Gold to name a few.

     

    Said Puneet Das, Vice President – Marketing, Tata Global Beverages India: “At Tata Global Beverages, it is our endeavour to remain at the cutting edge of digital marketing through innovative use of the medium.  We are successfully driving the digital agenda on our brands, which is, to continuously engage with today’s audience 24×7, in the environment which is most convenient to them. As we continue forward on our digital journey, we are happy to sign up with Dentsu Impact as our digital creative partner. We believe that their strategic and creative capabilities are a good complement to our digital agenda and we look forward to creating exciting work that will resonate strongly with today’s digital consumer.”

     

    Speaking on the win, Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact added: “With the consumer and the media landscape changing rapidly, brands are evolving too. With this evolution, it is extremely important for agencies to re-invent through expertise and ideas and, when you win businesses through this fresh thinking, you know you are on the right path. This new partnership is a big step for Dentsu Impact, especially the Bangalore branch, in truly being the new age agency. We are extremely excited and look forward to partner TGBL in creating some interesting work together.”

     

     

  • Dentsu Impact bags creative mandate for Antara Senior Living

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Impact has bagged the creative and social media mandate for Antara Senior Living. The brand and the agency had engaged in a partnership earlier to launch Antara Senior Living’s first community in Dehradun.

     

    Amit Wadhwa

    Speaking on the win, Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact said: “This is our second innings with Antara and it’s a matter of extreme pride for us that they decided to partner with Dentsu Impact once again. With Antara Senior Living expanding into a larger audience space and moving into a new and exciting phase, coming back couldn’t have been sweeter. The interesting thing here is that we are looking at the brand holistically, which includes digital at the core of it.”

     

    Renuka Dudeja

    Commenting on the partnership, Renuka Dudeja, Head of Marketing and Communications, Antara Senior Living added: “We are very happy to re-engage with Dentsu Impact. The first time around was very different as we were just bringing in a whole new dimension to senior living. The category was very nascent, and we had a huge task at hand to launch Antara Dehradun. Now that we are a well-recognised brand within the category, the focus is to make Antara Way of Life more relatable to a much larger audience and touch many more lives. Team Dentsu Impact with their vast and varied experiences seemed just the right partners in this journey. We look forward to a great partnership.”

     

     

  • Dentsu Impact bags digital mandate for HT’s radio biz

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Impact, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has added the mandate to its recently established Social Media Division, Dentsu Impact Digital.

     

    The agency has been awarded the digital mandate for all three radio businesses of the HT Media Group –  Fever FM, Radio Nasha and Radio One. Dentsu Impact also handles the creative duties for Hindustan Times and Hindustan Hindi – the two leading dailies from the HT Media group.

     

    Rajan Bhalla

    Speaking on the development, Rajan Bhalla, Chief Marketing Officer, HT Media said: “We have been associated with Dentsu Impact for a long time and have immense trust in the capabilities of the team. The agency’s forward-thinking approach in embracing the evolving market today, and the intent of giving us synergised solutions for digital and offline is something that helped us come to this decision. We hope to see some great work being rolled out soon.”

     

    Amit Wadhwa

    Added Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact: “At Dentsu Impact, we have a clear vision of becoming a truly digitally enabled agency, and that was the thinking behind setting up our social media division. It is extremely encouraging to see clients embrace our vision and see the kind of value we bring in.  Our relationship with HT Media is an old one and one that we really cherish, and we are thankful to them for placing their trust in us once again.”

     

     

  • Dentsu Impact wins digital & creative mandate of Subway

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Impact has bagged the creative and social media mandate for Subway Systems India. The social media mandate will be serviced by the agency’s recently set up digital division, Dentsu Impact digital.

     

    Amit Wadhwa

    Speaking on the win, Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact said: “The QSR (Quick Service Restaurant) segment is one of the most exciting segments in the F&B industry today. The competition is stiff and constant shifts are happening in the segment with technology playing a major role in tapping customers and their preferences. More than ever the brands in this segment need to constantly engage with the consumers to stay relevant. This is exactly what we, along with the brand team at Subway, would strive to do and create an even more relevant and stronger brand in India. It is an exciting brand to work on and we can’t wait to begin creating some great work together.”

     

    Shuchi Monga

    Talking about the new association, Shuchi Monga, Head of Marketing, South Asia – Subway Systems India added: “We are excited to work with Dentsu Impact as our creative & strategic communication partner. We have consciously made an effort to have both digital and mainline business together to have seamless flow of communication across channels. We look forward to leveraging their creative talent to deliver work that will resonate strongly with audiences across markets.”

     

    Soumitra Karnik

    Added Soumitra Karnik, Chief Creative Officer, Dentsu Impact: “At Dentsu Impact, our focus is to grow our clients’ business through innovative creative solutions. We have a great track record in that. We hope to carry this on with Subway as well and look to continuously create exciting and talk worthy work for the brand.”

     

     

  • Dentsu impact wins creative and digital mandate for Editorji

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Impact has won the communications mandate for Editorji, a personalised news app for snackable news content created by Vikram Chandra, until recent a senior editor with NDTV.

     

    Amit Wadhwa

    Commenting on the win, Amit Wadhwa, President, Dentsu Impact said: “Consumers at large are clearly spending more time with their phones today than TV. Therefore, it’s appropriate that video-based news broadcasting reorganizes itself to cater to the changing audience. I want to congratulate Vikram and the team at Editorji on developing such a unique AI-based platform, which will surely change the way news is consumed and give many the much-needed respite from watching news on TV. We couldn’t have been happier to partner them on this interesting journey.”

     

    Biswajit Borkataky

    Added Biswajit Borkataky, Head of Operations & Platform Relations, Editorji: “Watching video news on a mobile device can be a frustrating experience. The news clips are usually short, leaving the users to constantly search for clips that interest them. Editorji aims to improve this experience by creating a linear video stream from non-linear video clips curated to the users’ interest. Users can not only watch a curated news playlist but also curate their own and share. To take this experience to the consumers, we are excited to partner with team Dentsu Impact, who’ll help us power our growth trajectory.“