Cars24 Services has rolled out its very first TVC featuring Boman Irani as its brand endorser. Developed by Happy mcgarrybowen, the TVC, a 360-degree campaign will run across all national TV channels with a strong presence across mediums.
Elaborating on the campaign, Vikram Chopra, CEO and Co-Founder, Cars24 , said: “Our research indicates that people are now selling their cars in 3-years, as against 5-6 years as was the case earlier. As we sit on the cusp of the next growth curve, the new TVC will help us support more customers get the best price for their cars. We are glad to have a brand endorser of Boman Irani’s caliber to be the face of CARS24″.
Added Kartik Iyer, CEO and Co-founder of Happy mcgarrybowen: “The second-hand car sales market in India is pretty complicated. With many horizontal players promising all kind of prices, the customer is often left in a state of disillusionment making the process of selling one’s car very painful. CARS24 is a focused and specialized player in this domain. They follow a scientific and unique process that allows the seller to get the right price for his car. We chose Boman as, he himself is a passionate car owner. Getting him to live out the doubts in the mind of the customer seemed like an authentic thing to do. This campaign is the first step for the brand. We look forward to aggressively growing their market share and creating value for the brand.”
Based on data received from 59 markets across the Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Dentsu Aegis Network’s Ad Spend Forecasts – June 2017 point to a more cautious economic outlook in 2017 than the previous year, with global ad spend growth falling from 4.8to 3.8 per cent. However, conditions are set to improve in 2018 with forecast growth in ad spend of 4.3 per cent. Events will play a key role in 2018, with events such as the Winter Olympics & Paralympics in South Korea, the FIFA World Cup in Russia and the US Congressional elections all expected to stimulate ad spend growth.
Despite concerns about the economic impact of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, UK ad spend growth held up better than expected in 2016 at 6.1 per cent. While there are signs of caution in 2017, with growth dipping to 4per cent, 2018 is forecast to see growth bounce back to 5.9 per cent. A similar picture unfolds in the United States, where a slowdown to 3.6 per cent is forecast for 2017, followed by a slight improvement in 2018 to 4.0 per cent. The United States also remains the largest market in the world, accounting for 37.7 per cent of global advertising spend in 2017. Advertising spend in emerging markets continues to outpace developed economies. For example, ad spend growth in India is forecast to grow at 13 per cent in 2017, while China is the second largest market in the world by share of advertising spend—remaining the only emerging economy to feature in the top five largest ad markets.
The forecasts show how digital technology continues to disrupt and drive innovation in the way brands connect with their consumers. In 2017, we forecast that advertising spend on mobile will overtake desktop, reaching 56 per cent in terms of share of global Digital advertising spend. In 2018, mobile ad spend will grow further to account for a total of US$116.1 billion. With smartphone subscriptions set to reach 4 billion by 2025 and about a third of consumers reporting that their smartphone is their primary source of entertainment, we can expect to see this trend continue to strengthen.
Furthermore, our forecasts suggest that in 2018 digital will be the top media in terms of global share of spend, taking over television for the first time. Digital’s share of total media spend is predicted to reach a 37.6 per cent share in 2018 (up from 34.8 per cent in 2017), versus 35.9 per cent for television (down from 37.1 per cent in 2017), amounting to a total value of US$215.8 billion. Reflecting the continued disruption by digital technology of the print media industry, Paid Search (advertising within the sponsored listings of a search engine) is forecast to overtake traditional print media (newspapers and magazines) in 2018. Print media has been on a downward trajectory for some years now, but will likely fall to a 13.8 per cent share of total spend in 2018 (down from 15.1 per cent in 2017) while paid search is forecast to grow to 14.6 per cent up from 13.6 per cent in 2017.
While digital ad spend is growing rapidly and set to overtake television, within digital there are a number of new sources of growth that point to the future of advertising. For example, in 2017, online video is set to grow by 32.4per cent; social by 28.9per cent; and programmatic (i.e. automated ad buying) by 25.4 per cent. Looking ahead, brands will need to embrace the potential of disruptive technologies such as virtual reality, artificial intelligence and voice activation. However, research suggests that only 8per cent of brands currently intend to use virtual reality for advertising purposes.
Commenting on the latest ad spend forecasts, Jerry Buhlmann, CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network, said:“We are reaching a tipping point in ad spend now as digital overtakes television, mobile overtakes desktop and paid search overtakes print. Digital and data must now be the default settings for advertisers. Evolving to people-based marketing rather than audience-based marketing and using data to increase address ability is essential for brands to manage tighter conditions in 2017 while positioning themselves for future growth.â€
“At the same time, the challenge for brands is to ensure that they are ready to embrace the potential of new innovation. As technologies such as virtual reality and voice activation become more prominent, brands must ensure that they remain relevant by creating new value for their consumers.â€
Commented Kartik Iyer, MD, Carat India: “India continues to be amongst the few countries seeing growth rates in double digits. While this may be slightly lower than past expectations owing to various market drivers like demonetisation and GST, the growth is clearly expected to continue. Driving this growth is digital with a growth rate of over 35per cent which is far in excess of that seen by other more traditional media. And with digital quickly progressing on its path of becoming the Go To media for entertainment, this trend is also expected to continue. Other media like TV and cinema are expected to grow at around 12per cent while Radio and OOH should see a growth of 10per cent and Newspapers around 8per cent. Another medium that is driving growth is that of ambient (at over 15per cent growth rates). Considering the changing retail environment, the medium, in tandem with digital is becoming pivotal for delivering quality engagement with consumers.â€
Figure 1: Growth in advertising expenditure 2016-2018 (selected economies)
Health-tech firm cure.fit has awarded its brand solution and creative mandate to Happy mcgarrybowen, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network.
Commenting on the partnership, Mukesh Bansal, co-founder, cure.fit said: “Happy mcgarrybowen has played a key role in helping us arrive at a very powerful brand identity and brand positioning. This is disruptive thinking in brand space and gives us huge advantage as we go about building a consumer brand. Happy team has also played a key role in helping establish cult.fit as a holistic healthcare brand in Bangalore with creative inputs for centre ambience and campaigns for the brand.â€
Added Praveen Das, MD and CCO, Happy mcgarrybowen: “We were excited and happy to partner with Mukesh to create a new brand of value together, right from ground upwards. Our talented design team first set out to create an international class brand identity, relevant to the digital world we live in, using global design thinking principles. Subsequently, we also created the look and feel of the world the brand occupies, its tone of voice, brand icons, environmental graphics and packaging that are not only unique but also express and communicate the soul of the brand at all touch points.”
The mandate includes mainline and digital communications and will be managed by the agency’s Bengaluru office. Said Kartik Iyer, CEO, Happy mcgarrybowen: “What Mukesh is doing with cure.fit is truly revolutionary and inspirational. Our country needs a movement like this. Thanks to technology, the vision to do something like this is possible today. We are honoured that he placed his trust in us from day one, where we were brought in to create the launch video of the concept itself. We partnered with him right through the design phase of the entire cure.fit experience and shall also be working with him on launching and brand building all the offerings from the platform. The recent launch of the cult.fit centres with HrithikRoshan was met with a resounding success.”
Happy mcgarrybowen has announced key structural changes to “further strategise its business approach and strengthen its top-line leadershipâ€.
As part of this change, Praveen Das, Co-founder and MD, Happy mcgarrybowen, will spearhead growth of the specialised units for Design, B2B and Social Behaviour Change Projects (SBCP).
On the path ahead, Das said: “The dream here is to use ‘design thinking’ to contribute something unique to design from India and create value for our clients. We also want to help B2B clients with solutions that fall between a digital and communication agency by leveraging technology and creating unique experiences with UI and UX, VR, AR, AI, Machine Learning, IOT (internet of things), etc. In SBCP too, we have been trying to use technology to solve communication challenges even as we patiently engage with continuous research and feedback to create and recreate communication for change. Yes, the process is slow but fulfilling and effective if done well. To accomplish this, we have put together a talented, top-of-line team of experts to deliver results.â€
Kartik Iyer, co-founder and CEO – Happy mcgarrybowen, will continue to oversee the advertising discipline for Happy mcgarrybowen. On the developments, Iyer said, “We have always wanted Happy mcgarrybowen to be a hybrid agency with multiple capabilities. Between Praveen and me, we are very clear what we want for Happy mcgarrybowen in the future. So it just makes absolute sense to split forces and give the attention each discipline needs.â€
Meanwhile, Happy mcgarrybowen has roped in Samarjit Choudhry as chief operating officer (COO), Advertising. Armed with more than 20 years of experience, Choudhry’s mandate will be to run and grow the agency’s advertising business across the country. Prior to this, Samarjit was with Ogilvy Bangalore where he held the position of chief growth officer. He was also instrumental in setting up Orchard in Bangalore and Black Pencil for the Leo Burnett Group. In his new role, he will report to Iyer.
In a bid to ramp up the fun factor, Wonderla Holidays has announced a comprehensive repositioning strategy with a new brand identity. Speaking at the unveiling of the Brand Refresh, Arun K Chittilappilly, Managing Director, Wonderla Holidays Limited said, “Over the last decade, Wonderla has gone from strength to strength. Our existing properties in Kochi and Bengaluru including our newly opened park in Hyderabad are immensely popular with a very strong customer equity. We are one of the best performing companies in our segment not only in India but also globally. We are very proud of what we have achieved so far. But, we have bigger ambitions – to make Wonderla a national hospitality and entertainment brand to reckon with. The idea behind the change is therefore set the Wonderla brand up for these bigger ambitions.â€
Said Saswata Das, Partner & Executive Director, WOW Design, the agency responsible for developing the new logo explained: “We had to rev-up the Identity of an extremely successful brand with a very well recognised logo to increase its relevance in current times. The primary challenge was to resonate with an audience of age bracket as diverse as 5 to 45 years. What we did was to crack an overarching theme for the Brand which laid the foundations of the Design Strategy. Then we recreated the logo for Wonderla to generate an engaging experience. I am sure the new brand positioning and refreshed look is going to create a lot of pull for the Brand in future.”
In keeping with the new positioning, Wonderla will also be rolling out a new brand campaign and a theme song that will be going on air from 6th April. Happy mcgarrybowen, the creative agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has developed this new campaign.
Speaking about the new campaign; Kartik Iyer, CEO, Happy mcgarrybowen said, “Wonderla is an iconic name for anyone who has lived in South India. The theme park has been a favoured destination in Kochi and Bengaluru for families and tourists alike. With the opening of a new park in Hyderabad, this was the perfect opportunity for a Brand refresh. Out with a spanking new identity and keeping Wonderla’s aspirations of becoming a national brand name, the teams worked together to come up with a positioning and brand idea that delivers on a simple insight that people get closer when they have fun together. A lot of effort has gone into capturing the essence of the Wonderla experience. The new campaign is only a first step to all the exciting things planned for the brand.”​
Following a multi-agency pitch, Bengaluru based mattress brand Duroflex has appointed Happy mcgarrybowen, now part of Dentsu Aegis Network, as the agency on record to lead the communication mandate.
Duroflex has focussed on offering superior sleep and comfort experience to its consumers by developing innovative products. Today, it has a portfolio of over 30 different products, catering to distinct sleep patterns and comfort requirements of the consumers. Duroflex is also India’s largest exporter of sleep and comfort products.
Mathew Joseph
Happy mcgarrybowen has been bought on board to manage the integrated communication mandate for Duroflex& fuel the brand’s aggressive growth plans.
On the partnership, Mathew Joseph, Director (Marketing) – Duroflex said, “Over the next few years, we have a range of new and innovative products made for the Indian market that we wish to introduce. It was therefore imperative for us to find a partner who could do justice to the vision we had for these products. We are happy to have found Happy mcgarrybowen, an exciting dynamic partner with who we are confident of achieving what we set out to do.â€
Kartik Iyer
Kartik Iyer, CEO – Happy mcgarrybowen said, “Duroflex is almost like the Amul of mattresses when it comes to its legacy in India. The founders shared with us their plans and vision to absolutely disrupt the category. Nothing excites us more than that. We thank the young team of third generation entrepreneurs for placing their trust in us. We look forward to some exciting new launches in the coming year.â€
Carat, part of Dentsu Aegis Network, has won the global remit for media strategy, planning and buying for Standard Chartered Bank, led out of Singapore across 60-plus markets including India. The win follows a competitive pitch process.
Said Sean O’Brien, CEO, Carat APAC:“We are very pleased to start the year with the win of this prestigious account out of our Singapore hub for the global Carat network. Our strength in strategic thinking, quality of product and consistency across markets enabled us to win this business. It’s also testament to Dentsu Aegis Network’s collaborative brand value that we have expanded from the pre-existing iProspect relationship. We’re looking forward to working with the team at Standard Chartered Bank and their agency partners.â€
Added KartikIyer, Managing Director, Carat India: “We are delighted to have been appointed the agency on record by Standard Chartered Bank. This is a prestigious account and we look forward to a long and fruitful partnership where Carat and Dentsu Aegis Network will bringstogether all their capabilities to create cutting edge communication solutions that deliver true business value for SCB in India.â€
The account will be handled out of the agency’s Mumbai office headed by HimankaDas, Executive Vice President –West. Said Das: “It’s a great way to begin the new year with such a prestigious business win.â€
Myntra has launched a new campaign to promote its annual ‘End of Reason Sale’ (EORS). The 360-degree campaign announces the fifth edition of EORS to be held between January 3 and 5.
At the centre of the campaign is an ad film that brings forward the essence of EORS that offers shoppers the perfect occasion to plan and stock up their wardrobes at the very beginning of the year. This is expressed by the tagline, “Jo chaho milega jab Myntra ka sale khulegaâ€, which loosely translates to “You can get whatever you want on the Myntra saleâ€.
Speaking about the campaign, Myntra’s CMO & Head, International Brands Business, Gunjan Soni, said: “The size and reach of our marketing campaign for the upcoming ‘End of Reason Sale’ is unprecedented. We have come up with an array of innovative activities to engage with our customers. We are doing a take on the Mannequin Challenge to reveal prices of products, gamification to drive traffic and a focused regional push on digital. EORS has emerged as the most sought after fashion sale event in the country and through this campaign we are reaching out to all our existing and new customers, urging them to prepare and make the most of the three day sale.â€
Said Kartik Iyer, CEO, happy mcgarrybowe: “ The mission has been to build enough excitement around the largest and most awaited fashion sale event in the country and it has been a great experience as always, with conceptualizing the film. We are confident that the film will rouse enthusiasm for the sale among all sections of consumers.â€
Ola is all set to help India ride cashless with a multi-channel campaign titled ‘Nahi rukega India. Cashless chalega India’ with which the company aims to motivate people not to stop riding; cash or no cash. Co-created with Happy mcgarrybowen, it addresses the average Indian commuter, urging them to look on the bright side of change.
The campaign is led by a TV ad, complemented by print and digital ads that reinforce the campaign message of – India won’t stop. India will ride cashless. On TV, the message is delivered through a soft and poetic, but compelling style, while print and digital media seek to keep spirits up by running the campaign slogans in prominence.
This is appended by offers that promise cashbacks from partners – HDFC Bank, a host of E-commerce and retail brands and of course Ola Money – Ola’s very own E-wallet.
Said Raghuvesh Sarup, CMO and Head of Categories at Ola:  “Ola‘s vision is to build mobility for a billion Indians, and this requires a deep understanding of the market. One such insight is that today’s young India rapidly embraces new technologies, perhaps faster and more enthusiastically than anywhere in the world, and keeps moving ahead. Further, the campaign comes at a time when a seamless payment option is the need of the hour for citizens. To make payments hassle-free, Ola is offering a range of payment options from cash to credit cards, debit cards and Ola Money, so that India can keep moving. The campaign also marks Ola’s support to the new demonetisation drive launched to eradicate black money and uphold the nation’s security.â€
Added Kartik Iyer, CEO at Happy mcgarrybowen: “Brands have always been a mirror to society. Given the trying times, we wanted to make sure we send out a positive message to Ola’s customers. Ola has always believed in delivering progressive change to society. With this opportunity we wanted everyone to know Ola is there as a trusted partner through every journey we embark on as a nation.â€
It’s been doing the rounds for many months, but when the news came in of Dentsu Aegis Network of acquiring Bengaluru-based creative agency Happy Creative Services, there was much happiness all around. Happy has being doing some spending work in the past and the Dentsu Aegis acquisition will ensure that it grows bigger. Plus with this, mcgarrybowen enters India and it will possibly carry some of its global mandates here. A few hours before complete the final legal formaties of the deal on Thursday, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia and Happy co-founders Kartik Iyer (also CEO) and Praveen Das (also Managing Director) took time off to speak with Pradyuman Maheshwari and Santosh Jangid. Excerpts from the interviews.
To me the most important thing in an acquisition is chemistry: Ashish Bhasin
One more acquisition?
Yes, it’s another global brand that we have managed to bring to India with this and now Happy Mcgarrybowen is going to be our fifth creative agency in the market.
While the Happy acquisition is significant, the big other story is that you have got a large full-service agency like mcgarrybowen to India. Tell us about that.
mcgarrybowen is one of the most creative agencies which started off in the United States. It’s really huge there and some most outstanding global brands that they have worked on. Their philosophy is that they don’t want to have 200 offices in 180 countries. They have picked up few centres of excellence of places where they will operate from – in Asia, that is China, India and Singapore and we are very proud that they have selected India as one of those markets. They are now present in several European countries and perhaps in South America and few countries they are gonna take on. So it is a very big opportunity for us that such an agency which is known to be one of the most successful and large creative agency networks, we are able to bring in to India with this partnership with Happy. So that’s going to be Happy mcgarrybowen
How will it be different than the other four agencies in the Dentsu Aegis Network fold in India?Â
Each agency that we have has its own independent leadership, its own independent creative directors and its own independent set of clients and they operate as completely separate agencies. Each of them has a different flavour and that depends to a large extend on the leadership, the creative directors and the business heads as well as on the flavour of clients that they have. So you will see each one of them having a very different flavour, different sub-culture. What we try to do is we allow each of our businesses to maintain their own sub-culture which they use to growing up with, which is healthy and which is why they have been successful. But we bring it under the over arching umbrella of Dentsu Aegis Network’s culture. We all subscribe to same vision, same values and that’s what binds us. But we don’t want to make any agency or any part of the business look like another part of the business.
So why Happy?
To me the most important thing in an acquisition is chemistry. When you meet somebody you must get that sense that these are people I want to wake up with every morning on a work day for next ten-twenty years. Their quality of work has to be superb because that’s what clients really want and value and their value system should be very similar to our value system. We had very straightforward meetings, we had two quick discussions and by the end of the second discussion itself both of us were very clear that we wanted to go ahead. Of course this being India and processes being what they are it takes a long time from that time to the acquisition to be finished but the actual decision-making process in my mind happened the fastest in this instance because the way the chemistry just stuck.
Are you going to grow the mcgarrybowen network in India in terms of more acquisitions?
I’m not sure in terms of more acquisitions but I’ll be happy if Kartik and Praveen are in an agreement, i would be happy for them to go to more bigger clients, I would be happy that we target some of mcgarrybowen clients which are there globally but we don’t have here in India because we are just setting mcgarrybowen now. I will also be happy if need be and if clients want more offices of Happy mcgarrybowen in rest of India I don’t think another acquisition is what we will go for mcgarrybowen but definitely we would like to go for different clients, different cities, different set of challenges we work it.
If you want to stay in business, stay relevant, you have to keep growing: Kartik Iyer and Praveen Das
Why the sell-out after nine years as an independent creative agency?
Kartik Iyer: We are not looking at it that way because we are still sitting here and doing everything we did up until now and in our perspective this is only going to help us do it better. Happy is an organically grown debt-free company and anybody who has been in business knows that at various stages of growth, money is what makes more money and we have done everything in our capability without pulling too many favours to bring this agency this far and our clients and campaigns have worked and our campaigns have brought to life the fact that what we are trying to do works and is correct in a lot of ways. It just came to a point where we had to give Happy everything it needs. We have always been very clear with that. We both are the founders of Happy and we are not Happy and to be able to compete in a market with the biggest guys we needed to equip the agency with everything that it could require. Happy has come to a point where we can’t turn away10 people especially because we are handling large clients saying that we can’t do this or you will have to find somebody else. We must have it all. Not saying that we provide every service that’s available but I think it needs that kind of muscle to pull forth from every angle.
Does your acquisition and that of various others in the past meant that there isn’t much of a future for independent agencies
Praveen Das: I don’t believe that. It’s a fact of life but when we started Happy we said we would just be 35 people and we will do some really kickass work but though we did that with that bit, there were a lot of people who wanted to join us and at that point we reached a stage where we were neither small nor big. So we thought why not just go to the other end and become a large agency with the same culture of a small agency.
Kartik Iyer: Let’s not forget there are independents in the industry today who have aspirations to buy networks. So there is no hard-and-fast rule that the network is the end-game. For some it could be end-game for some it could be means to the end.
Is acquisition the only way out to go to the next level?
Praveen Das: We had Flipkart and Myntra when they started off and as they grew bigger we also had to grow bigger.
Kartik Iyer: I wouldn’t look at it as a way out. It depends on what kind of business you are. Growth is the only law of business. So if you want to stay in business, stay relevant, you have to keep growing, at various stages capital is a very important ingredient. So far you can provide it yourself it’s fine but at a later stage you need that capital to be coming in and lastly it’s got to do with what is your vision, what kind of agency you are and what is it that you want. For some it could be a way out, for some it could be a way in.
At which point did you think this is the way to go?
Kartik Iyer: It’s a matter of perspective. Are we aligning ourselves with a large one or are we taking on the backing of a large one? Are we wiring into the nervous system or are we using their muscle? So it is a matter of perspective and that is the difference between different agencies. There is no single formula, there is no single perspective.
Why Dentsu?
Kartik Iyer : We met pretty much everybody. We have always had the belief that it doesn’t matter what organisation or brand who represents if long as the guy sitting on the other end is a monkey run. So it didn’t matter and it was all depended on the individuals we met. There was a certain no-nonsense, straight-to-the-point-kind-of person that Ashish is that we felt very comfortable about.
Praveen Das: We met a lot of people before we met Ashish who came to our office and met us but we never found any fire on the other side but when we met Ashish we knew there was a leadership that was on fire.
Kartik Iyer: We were very clear that at some point we would merge with someone. It wasn’t so much of a network but we wanted to merge with someone who would really bring in to the agency that would be a match in the philosophy and Ashish came speaking to us about mcgarrybowen. DAN was just the holding company. The brand and the philosophy that we were marrying into was mcgarrybowen and mcgarrybowen has a pretty much similar story as Happy. So we saw their work, we met them and there was a match in culture. At one end you have the DNA of a Japanese firm which we both are a big fans of Japanese culture and the work that they produce and on the other end there was a brand which was coming out of New York. It was a dream come true.
What would be tangible difference apart from a name and ownership change?
Kartik Iyer: One is opportunity, two is working with global units on global pictures, third is exchange of in talent which we had no one to ask, other agencies write to someone and dust it off and say, send me your presentation on this, but we had no one to send us any presentations.
How are you looking at growing the mcgarrybowen brand in India?
Kartik Iyer: We are not seeing Mcgarrybowen as a separate brand, we are not seeing Happy as a separate brand. How we are going to grow Happy Mcgarrybowen in ways that we didn’t till now. We plan to go and take a shot at bigger accounts.
Leading online fashion retailer Jabong launched its nationwide festive brand campaign – “You Are The Festivalâ€. Extending Jabong’s brand philosophy of ‘Be You’ to the festive season, this will be a part of a 360-degree marketing campaign across media.
Developed and executed by Happy mcgarrybowen, the story of the commercial is built around the concept of celebrating the festival that is you. The campaign combines the themes of festivity, colour, togetherness and homecoming with Jabong’s wide range of fusion wear to colourful and stylish effect.
Says Rahul Taneja, Chief Business Officer, Jabong, “This festive season we connect with our customers by evoking the essence of festivities by celebrating who we are – to proudly BE YOU! And no matter what your sense of style, Jabong is your go-to fashion destination. We are delighted to be able to be a part of this festival season with this vibrant presentation of Jabong and look forward to our customers connecting with the brand through this campaign.â€
Talking about the creative process involved in the TVC, Kartik Iyer, CEO, Happy mcgarrybowen said, “We’re really excited about working with Jabong on this campaign. As an agency we have always had a keen interest in fashion. It was also a challenge of sorts, because we wanted to bring something new to the campaign without losing the essence the brand already enjoys in the minds of followers. It was an absolute blast creating this campaign from the word go. It has all come together pretty well. I’m sure the uniqueness of it all will resonate well with everyone.”
Dentsu Aegis Network has announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire creative marketing agency, Happy Creative Services. Happy will join the global mcgarrybowen network of agencies and be rebranded as Happy mcgarrybowen. The acquisition will mark the first mcgarrybowen agency in India and expands its footprint in Asia – with other offices in Singapore, Hong Kong and China. The deal is expected to close in the next few weeks.
Established in 2007, Happy is regarded as one of the most promising independent creative outfits in India, Happy boasts a staff of 100 across three disciplines – Brand Design, Integrated Brand Communication and Digital, building and rejuvenating brands through media agnostic ideas, customised to deliver on key business and brand metrics.
Joining the Dentsu Aegis leadership team in India is Happy’s co-founder and CEO Kartik Iyer and co-founder and MD Praveen Das who will both report to Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia.
Said Ashish Bhasin, Chairman and CEO of Dentsu Aegis Network South Asia: “Happy has carved out a very strong digital and creative reputation in the Indian market. Founders Kartik Iyer and Praveen Das – who are among Fortune India’s 40 Under 40, are prominent and well-respected figures in the industry, and this acquisition will add creative bench strength to the wider team. This will enable us to launch mcgarrybowen in India and we will be another step closer to our mission of being the second largest agency group by the end of 2017 in India, overturning for the first time the existing ranking which has historically been in place for over 80 years in the market.â€
Added Gordon Bowen, mcgarrybowen Founder and Global Chairman: “India is an important creative market that boasts world-class talent and an enviable group of multinational clients, both of which represent untapped potential for mcgarrybowen. We knew that successfully expanding in this very competitive market required finding great partners that share our passions and values. With a respected reputation and well awarded creative offering, Happy is just that kind of partner and I am proud to welcome them into the mcgarrybowen family.â€
“Like us, Kartik and Praveen believe in the power of big organising ideas, collaboration and strong client partnerships. Together I am confident we will fuel even greater creative and business success for clients here in India and around the world,†he added.
Kartik Iyer, co-founder and CEO, and Praveen Das, co-founder and MD of Happy said: “It has taken us a good nine years to come this far in terms of talent, business and reputation. There comes a time in every business to take a big leap to propel it to the next level and being a part of Dentsu Aegis and mcgarrybowen supports this growth ambition and provides us with the right platform.We are presently working with a number of marquee clients that require the support of a global network and we have always been clear that Happy should to equip itself to compete with the biggest players on the largest stage. In mcgarrybowen, we found a true match in philosophy and belief and being a part of their vision makes us truly proud.â€
Most recently, Happy bagged the ‘Agency of the Year’ title at the 2016 edition of Maddys, organised by The Advertising Club Madras. Happy’s work on the ‘Ola Boat’, which was an emergency boat service set up by Ola Cabs, to help stranded people in the city of Chennai during the Nov 2015 floods, has also won numerous national and international awards for the effort.
Cars24 Services has rolled out its very first TVC featuring Boman Irani as its brand endorser. Developed by Happy mcgarrybowen, the TVC, a 360-degree campaign will run across all national TV channels with a strong presence across mediums.
In a bid to ramp up the fun factor, Wonderla Holidays has announced a comprehensive repositioning strategy with a new brand identity. Speaking at the unveiling of the Brand Refresh, Arun K Chittilappilly, Managing Director, Wonderla Holidays Limited said, “Over the last decade, Wonderla has gone from strength to strength. Our existing properties in Kochi and Bengaluru including our newly opened park in Hyderabad are immensely popular with a very strong customer equity. We are one of the best performing companies in our segment not only in India but also globally. We are very proud of what we have achieved so far. But, we have bigger ambitions – to make Wonderla a national hospitality and entertainment brand to reckon with. The idea behind the change is therefore set the Wonderla brand up for these bigger ambitions.â€
Leading online fashion retailer Jabong launched its nationwide festive brand campaign – “You Are The Festivalâ€. Extending Jabong’s brand philosophy of ‘Be You’ to the festive season, this will be a part of a 360-degree marketing campaign across media.