MxMIndia

Tag: Gautam Reghunath

  • She has remarkable drive to make everyone at Talented succeed, say co-founders Gautam Reghunath and PG Aditiya

    Binaifer Dulani is now founding partner at Talented

    Binaifer Dulani
    Binaifer Dulani

    Talented creative agency gets a new founding partner Binaifer Dulani.

    Co-founders Gautam Reghunath and PG Aditiya of the agency add to their leadership team Independent agency Talented has promoted Binaifer Dulani to the role of Founding Partner.

    Said Reghunath ad Aditiya: “Binaifer’s promotion reflects what the founders note as her “remarkable drive to make everyone at Talented succeed”. “It really makes us happy when amazing things happen to amazing people. Binny is a champion creative but more importantly she’s a champion ally for everyone here, obsessed with bringing the best out of those around her. While we’ve always relied on her for counsel and advice as part of our leadership team, with this, she now becomes the third person and our first creative colleague to officially join Talented’s partner track. This is us merely providing her more of the stage she deserves to be able to continue having the incredible impact she’s already had on our company, colleagues and clients.”

  • A new specialised social & culture marketing agency

    Talented Agency launches The New Thing

    By Our Staff

     

    Gautam Reghunath & PG Aditiya’s indie agency, Talented, have launched of a new specialised social & culture marketing agency, ‘The New Thing’. Viren Noronha who previously led the social charter at Swiggy & Tinder joins as co-founder of the new entrepreneur-operated creative shop. Staffed entirely by creators, The New Thing’s primary focus for their brands will be to help them create cultural conversations and moments on social – something they believe very few brands are getting right. And true to their name, the agency does not want to shy away from keeping up with the ever changing landscape of the internet.

     

    On the launch of the new venture, co-founder, Viren Noronha said: “Getting social right is hard. And, the way agencies and brands look at it needs a desperate refresh. My experience at Swiggy & Tinder showed me evidence of a crucial shift – it’s not about what your brand is saying, it’s about what people are saying about your brand. To keep yourself relevant you need to lean into those conversations. You need to contribute to internet culture with your content. And, you need creators who do that for themselves every day, as part of your team. Look at some of India’s most popular campaigns over the last few years – It’s not that people hate advertising, they just hate boring ads. Great advertising or social doesn’t force your audience to talk about you, it invites them to. And it certainly doesn’t need ‘30 posts a month’ to do that. The New Thing wants to help brands be in charge of those conversations, whether it’s ‘daily social’ or ‘spike campaigns’. We want to make brands work for the internet, not the other way around. I’m now excited to begin with colleagues and partners who, like me, believe that social done right is a growth function, not a cost centre.”

     

    Talented’s founders, Gautam Reghunath & PG Aditiya added: “Viren has executed some of the most talked about social-first campaigns in India but we think he’s been masquerading as a brand-side marketer & an agency-side creative these last few years. Now in his avatar as a creative entrepreneur, we simply want to liberate him and his founding team and help them launch the social and culture agency of their dreams. There’s a clear reason why we’re launching this as a separate agency. Right from the kind of talent needed to workflow and processes, it’s become evidently clear that specialised social-first creative mandates for brands have to be run very differently from wider creative mandates. It’s equally exciting to see what an agency staffed & run entirely by creators looks like. It gives our clients a direct line to people who are shaping internet culture. All of this means we now believe we have a disruptive take on the business behind social-first creativity.”

     

  • Gautam Reghunath & PG Aditiya to launch their own venture next year

    Sidharth Rao takes direct charge of Dentsu Webchutney

    By Our Staff

     

    Dentsu Webchutney has announced that Gautam Reghunath, CEO and PG Aditiya, CCO will be leaving their positions early next year to set up their own venture.

     

    With this change, the agency will now be back under the direct charge of Sidharth Rao, CEO, DentsuMB Group. Rao, founder of Dentsu Webchutney, will front the agency’s leadership team. Reghunath and Aditya will continue to work with Rao through this period to ensure a smooth transition for a team that has broken all records nationally and internationally as India’s most successful creative agency over the last few years.

     

    Commenting on the news, Rao said: “Gautam and PG have been the two most defining hires in our history. As a founder, you want your people to find their calling at the company you build, and the legacy the two of them leave behind is the best possible example of this. From joining at entry-level positions in 2010 and 2012 respectively, and rising to the very top through hard work, passion and just simply being the best in the business at their jobs. It’s a story that makes me believe that we’ve created an organisation where anyone can shine. And now, they have a chance to do it for themselves as creative entrepreneurs.”

     

    Said Reghunath and Aditya: “There is no other agency or network in the country where we would have had the chance to build our careers like we have at dentsu and at Webchutney. We’ve spent nearly 90% of our careers here, so moving on is not a decision we’re taking lightly. Our personal views of what success, failure, and everything else in between looks like have been shaped at Webchutney and the people that we’ve had the privilege of working with & leading here. We’re so proud and thankful for how it’s all panned out.”

     

     

  • Partnership aims to create a new language of fashion in the world of premium menswear

    Dentsu Webchutney bags creative mandate for Blackberrys menswear

    By Our Staff

     

    Dentsu Webchutney has won the creative and media duties for the menswear brand, Blackberrys.

     

    Gautam Reghunath, CEO, Dentsu Webchutney said: “Blackberrys is an iconic Indian brand that has been innovating in menswear for decades. A true homegrown giant in premium fashion. We want to bring the best of Dentsu Webchutney’s unique brand of creativity while also staying true to the brand Blackberrys’ legacy and ethos.”

     

    Added Nitin Mohan, Director, Mohan Clothing Company (MCCPL): “Blackberrys Menswear focuses on innovation, precision and a keen eye to detail. Our apparel leans heavily on being fashion forward and tailoring our clothes to the needs of our audiences.”

     

  • Agency aims to create all-new behaviour around good financial habits through digital content

    Webchutney wins Uni Cards mandate

    By Our Staff

     

    Dentsu Webchutney, Dentsu India’s digital creative agency, has won the digital mandate for the new age fintech brand, Uni Cards.

     

    Gautam Reghunath
    Gautam Reghunath

    Commenting on the win, Gautam Reghunath, CEO, Dentsu Webchutney said: “We are in the era of fintech, which has proven to be the great equalizer in a short time. India has millions and millions of credit-eligible consumers waiting for unique, tailored financial solutions. Uni Cards is leading innovation here, and along with them, we are on a quest to redefine how credit is consumed in India.”

     

    Nitin Gupta
    Nitin Gupta

    Added Nitin Gupta, Founder & CEO, Uni Cards: “Uni is set to disrupt the credit industry by innovating and making extremely customer-centric products.  As a creative agency is known to successfully mold brands with iconic ideas, it was a no-brainer to partner with the best in business. It is the beginning of a long and exciting road for us at Uni Cards, and we are glad to partner with a team that has a nuanced understanding of the category that can lead us into long-term success.”

     

    Sidharth Rao
    Sidharth Rao

    Said Sidharth Rao, CEO, DentsuMB Group India commented, “This is an exciting win for all of DentsuMB Group. We want to bring the best creative minds from across Dentsu and Webchutney to create memorable work in this very interesting category. Our teams have only just begun working together with Uni Cards and we can already feel their incredible passion for innovating for India and building products that will boost the country’s credit industry.”

     

  • To make connections in other markets over food, music, sport, travel, books, etc

    Dentsu APAC launches Common Ground to unite employees

    By Our Staff

     

    Dentsu international has launched a new internal initiative for its 11,000 employees in 17 markets in Asia Pacific, entitled “Common Ground”. Notes a communique: “It is a way for employees at Dentsu to make connections in other markets and regions based on their common interests, whether that’s food, sport, music, travel, books, film or as obscure as stamp collecting. By using common interests as a way to reflect diversity, dentsu believes its people will shine through. Dentsu’s DEI lead in APAC, Merlee Jayme partnered with Gautam Reghunath, CEO, Dentsu Webchutney, to bring this initiative to life for diversity month believing that building strong relationships by understanding each other’s backgrounds is a big step to diversity.”

     

    Said Jayme: “People are at the heart of every great creative business and dentsu is a hallmark of that. With a clear strategy on how we want to build our identity in the region, bringing our people together in a fun, informal way is a meaningful start. We’re thrilled with Common Ground volunteers in Japan, Thailand, India, Philippines, and Australia exchanging Instagram handles and making travel plans to countries already. Common Ground has something for everyone at dentsu, and we’re proud to launch during diversity month. I can’t wait to see how it will bring people together in new ways across our network.”

     

    Added Ashish Bhasin, CEO, Dentsu APAC: “Our talent is as ingenious as they are diverse. Dentsu has always bet on the serendipitous connections across regions and fostering that kind of networking in such an organic manner is going to take us to new places. In a data-rich world, I’m proud all the pairings will happen based on actual interests and actual people. The team has asked me to be patient before I get to meet my dentsu twin!”

     

     

  • In his new role, Reghunath will continue to report into Sidharth Rao

    Gautam Reghunath to lead Dentsu Webchutney as CEO

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Webchutney has named Gautam Reghunath as its new Chief Executive Officer. The news comes post the elevation of Sidharth Rao as Chairman, Happy mcgarrybowen (HMB) India and Dentsu Webchutney last week.

     

    Prior to this, Reghunath was Executive Vice President (EVP) and Branch Head for Dentsu Webchutney, Bengaluru. In his new role, Reghunath will continue to report into Rao and will now lead the agency, nationwide.

     

    Sidharth Rao

    Commenting on Reghunath’s appointment, Rao said: “Gautam’s remarkable and much-deserved rise from within the ranks of Dentsu Webchutney is one of my favourite stories from the agency’s 20-year-old legacy. He started out as a junior servicing executive in 2010 and earned his stripes through sheer hard work and creative brilliance. He is a homegrown leader, someone whose impact on our people and business is unparalleled. Nothing exemplifies this better than our success with Bangalore – an office that he built from ground zero to the stature it commands, now. He understands our history. He cares for our legacy. He has more than an eye on our future. I am so proud to have him lead us on our next journey!”

     

    Gautam Reghunath

    Added Reghunath: “In my time at Dentsu Webchutney, I’ve had the opportunity to work with incredible colleagues who inspire me and, for us, to find purpose, success and joy in our work along the way. I’ve grown up here. I’ve had my best years here, and today, I’m so proud to be the leader of this remarkable group of talent. Dentsu Webchutney started the digital advertising market in India as we know it. Our incredible client roster with some of the most globally consequential companies gives us a foundation to continue industry-leading creative work across branches in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Gurgaon. Sidharth is a tough act to follow. But he remains a keen advisor, well-wisher and a mentor I’m thrilled to have as we take on our biggest years of growth.”

     

     

  • ‘The Ad Fellows’ promises sweeping changes to internships

    Dentsu Webchutney launches ‘The Ad Fellows’

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Webchutney is accepting submissions for The Ad Fellows, designed for ambitious entrants in the creative business.

     

    Anyone above the age of 18 is open to applying for an exhaustive two-month programme, with a chance to work on live projects at the Bangalore office. Suited for anyone from students to freelancers and current employees, every application needs to be accompanied by a two-minute video about the applicant by September 21 on the site. A rigorous selection procedure will determine the first set of Fellows to be a part of the programme.

     

    Said Gautam Reghunath, EVP & executive sponsor of The Ad Fellows: “The industry is waking up to the economic reality of grooming its best and brightest from multiple dimensions. It’s about learning on the job with copious responsibility that belies your age. With inclination to work in advertising dampening, Dentsu Webchutney’s track record of adapting to change is a distinguishing reason for our success with our people. Creativity and communications over the next decade is not going to be shaped just by those who went to ad school or those strait-jacketed under traditional advertising job descriptions. Our best applicants have little-to-no inclination to advertising, but they love problem solving. That’s who we are excited to welcome.”

     

    PG Aditiya (ECD), Binaifer Dulani (Creative Group Head) and Ishtaarth Dalmia (Associate Director – Strategy) are the Fellowship mentors for the programme.

     

     

  • The account will operate out of the agency’s Bengaluru office

    Uber awards digital mandate to Dentsu Webchutney

    By A Correspondent

     

    Following a multi-agency pitch, Dentsu Webchutney has won the digital and social media duties for Uber in the India & South Asia region. The account will operate out of the agency’s Bengaluru office.

     

    Sanjay Gupta

    On the new development, Sanjay Gupta, Head of Marketing, Uber India SA commented: “Dentsu Webchutney is an agency that has a track record of working on some of the most dynamic and impactful digital campaigns. We believe they have the right expertise for a brand like Uber. Uber’s journey in the region is only getting started and we are excited to partner with Dentsu Webchutney to tell the story of how Uber is shaping the future of urban mobility in India.”

     

    Gautam Reghunath

    Added Gautam Reghunath, Executive Vice President, Dentsu Webchutney: “We long for opportunities to partner with consequential companies that shape society. More and more, technology brands expect dexterity in understanding their core vision, for solutions that marry the future to the present. This chance to work towards realising Uber’s vision is a true privilege. Our interactions with the team here have been a wonderful bonus and we see both sides challenging each other in our quest to create meaningful, effective work.”

     

     

  • Digital agency decides to #PauseTheResume

    Dentsu Webchutney discovers novel way to discover resumes

    By A Correspondent

     

    DentsuWebchutney has launched an innovative hiring programme that selects candidates based on their browser history. The agency has launched #PauseTheResume, a website page that lets you upload voluntarily selected links of your browser historyas an official way to kickstart your career with DentsuWebchutney.

     

    “For me, soft skills and overall personality matters more than a formal skillset in a workplace environment- especially for creative-led workplaces such as ours,” said PG Aditiya, Creative Director – Copy, DentsuWebchutney. “More often than not, a resume is a web of glorified statements and words meant to sound right when strung together and that makes for the most boring first impression ever. Even though companies have evolved digitally, this technique has remained the same. Being a digital agency, we wanted to give our applicants a more interesting, internet-friendly way to kick-start the conversation,” he added.

     

    An interested applicant has to log on to the agency’s website and upload up to one month of their browser history which contain the links to the websites visited by the applicants and other basic details. Applicants are free to edit their browser history and remove links that they do not want to upload. Basis their submissions, they may be called in for a formal interview.

     

    “It is a little cheeky, we get that. But the truth is, we are what we internet. We’ve got over 300 entries already and there are candidates who have found fun ways to game the system. Those are exactly the kind of responses we were hoping for. Interview calls are going out as we speak. Pause the resume is just the start of how we’re hoping to disrupt the entire process of finding the right creative talent,” said Gautam Reghunath, Senior Vice President, DentsuWebchutney.

  • The account will be handled by the agency's Bengaluru office

    Dentsu Webchutney bags digital mandate for Swiggy

    By A Correspondent

     

    Dentsu Aegis Network’s digital agency, Dentsu Webchutney, has won the social and digital marketing mandate for food ordering and delivery start-up – Swiggy, following a multi-agency pitch. The account will be handled by the agency’s Bengaluru office.

     

    Said Srivats TS, Vice President – Marketing, Swiggy: “By bridging the gap between restaurants and consumers, it’s our mission to completely change the way India orders and eats food. We’ve always put consumers first, bringing benefits such as fast deliveries, innovative product features like live tracking of your order and ordering without a minimum price cap. Now, with Dentsu Webchutney on board, we aim to move the graph forward on the brand side by communicating our proposition strongly to our consumers.”

     

    Commenting on the news, Gautam Reghunath, Senior Vice President and Branch Head, DenstuWebchutney – Bangalore, says, “Here’s a great home-grown product competing in an exciting category and a team with an ambitious vision for it. Swiggy is ubiquitous in our everyday life, almost a habit to us. We’re thrilled at the opportunity to create some truly memorable work for them and help establish Swiggy as a passion brand across India. Both sets of teams have discovered great synergies over the last few weeks and now we go forward together – full steam. 2017 looks exciting already.”

     

  • After a competitive on-boarding process, the two companies finalised their contract

    Dentsu Webchutney is Rentomojo’s digital agency

    By A Correspondent

     

    Furniture and appliance rental firm Rentomojo has signed Dentsu Webchutney to shape its digital agenda.

     

    Geetansh Bamania

    After a competitive onboarding process, the two companies finalised their contract. Dentsu Webchutney’s Bengaluru team will now take the startup brand to the urban, young, working audiences and their mandate includes social media, digital content, video, and acquisition programmes. “Rentomojo is building a category and in this process, connecting with our audience & engagement is the prime objective,” said Geetansh Bamania, founder – Rentomojo, “It’s imperative to not just talk but also to listen to our audience. We look forward to establishing communication pegs in an interesting way that connects with the audience – something that Dentsu Webchutney was able to showcase during their introduction with us. We are confident that together, we will create great work.”

     

    Gautam Reghunath

    “Rentomojo and the growing rental economy excite us a lot. Consumer behaviour in this category is very counterintuitive from the typical consumption culture and the concept of owning one’s own. We’re thrilled at the opportunity to helping establish Rentomojo as a key player in the space.” says Gautam Reghunath, Senior Vice President and Branch Head, Dentsu Webchutney Bangalore. “We have great admiration for Geetansh and his team’s vision and in a space as short-lived as digital, we’re two teams now working as one – ready to roll good, effective ideas when they strike.”