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Tag: Harish Bahl

  • SVG Media acquires Networkplay Media for over Rs 92 crore, turns India's largest adtech firm

    India’s all-new Adtech Superpower

     

    By Krithika Krishnamurthy

     

    Adtech company SVG Media has acquired Networkplay Media, the digital media unit of German firm Gruner + Jahr for Rs 92 crore(over $15 million), making SVG Media one of the largest independent mobile advertising networks by revenue in India.

     

    Manish Vij

    SVG has platforms that can work on mobile, web and banners and is on track to earn revenue of Rs 210 crore this fiscal, according to a company executive who did not wish to be named “After consolidating our position in India with this deal, we hope to become the largest digital advertising platform in Asia,” said Manish Vij, 36-year-old cofounder of SVG Media who claimed his company has a 7% market share in India.

     

    The digital advertising spend in India is estimated to touch Rs 3,575 crore by March 2015, according to Digital Advertising in India Report.

     

    The deal, SVG’s second since inception, will expand its outreach to over a 100 million users in India. As part of the deal, Haryana-based startup Seventynine, which was acquired by Gruner + Jahr in November 2012 will also move to SVG. Seventynine will add the video ad-serving capability to SVG’s portfolio.

     

    In 2012, SVG bought out another ad network DGM India from AIM Listed Asia Digital Holdings.

     

    And more consolidation in the space is on its way, said experts. “The Indian digital market is going through a boom phase, with all aspects of digital media showing strong growth from e-commerce right to messaging services,” said Neha Dharia, research analyst at Ovum, who was not able to validate the SVG’s claim of becoming the largest ad network in India.

     

    “As with any boom period, we will see the growth of a multitude of advertising networks (innovating and disrupting established ad tech companies), after which we can expect a wave of consolidation to occur about a year or two down the line.”

     

    Manish Vji

    Founded in 2007 by Harish Bahl and Manish Vij, the ad tech firm has access to markets in South East Asia, Australia, and Middle East. So far, SVG Media has raised $2 million from Accel Partners, Whatsapp’s Neeraj Arora and Silicon Valley-based VC firm, Xplorer Ventures.

     

    And Gruner + Jahr’s exit from the digital media business in India seems to be SVG’s gain.  “Those at the headquarters have decided to exit the digital media play to concentrate on other markets. SVG proved to be a good option,” said Alexandra Harrop, director of Business Development Asia at Gruner + Jahr.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2014, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

  • The jv will also set up a Global Media Delivery Hub to service Neo@Ogilvy's Global Media Operations

    Neo@Ogilvy enters into JV with Smile Group, Sanjay Ramakrishnan named Country Head

    By A Correspondent

     

    Sanjay Ramakrishnan

    Ogilvy India today announced a joint venture between Neo@Ogilvy and the Smile Group to strengthen its Performance Marketing, eCommerce and Mobile offerings. The jv will also set up a Global Media Delivery Hub to service Neo@Ogilvy’s Global Media Operations.

     

    Sanjay Ramakrishnan has been brought on-board as Country Head, Neo@Ogilvy India. Mr Ramakrishnan moves in from Vizury where he was the GM for India, South East Asia and MENA prior to which he was SVP Marketing at Myntra. He has also held senior marketing roles at Google, Intel, Geodesic and Worldspace.

     

    While OgilvyOne drives all Digital Strategy and Creative Services for clients in India, Neo@Ogilvy’s specific focus is on Digital Media, Performance Marketing, eCommerce and Mobile Marketing. Neo@Ogilvy’s client roster in India includes IBM, Diageo, British Airways, The Economist and The Which Group, among others. The Smile Group is headed by Harish Bahl and has already a relationship with the WPP Group with the media giant acquiring a 75 per cent stake in Smile’s Quasar in 2008 and two years later the digital media part of Quasar was integrated with Group M.

     

    Piyush Pandey

    Said Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, Ogilvy South Asia: “This JV is one more step ahead in our digital journey. Harish’s experience in Digital Media and eCommerce will help drive rapid growth in these areas. And Sanjay Ramakrishnan is a fantastic young business leader with the right skills to lead Neo@Ogilvy in India.”

     

    Added Mr Bahl: “The vision of the partnership is to be able to offer world class services to local and global clients of Ogilvy and Neo respectively, using the expertise and experience of Smile in the areas of Performance Marketing, eCommerce and Mobile.”

     

    Boht Vikram Menon, President & Country Head, OgilvyOne India and Mr Ramakrishnan expressed happiness with the jv.