MxMIndia

Tag: Mudra

  • Many youngsters in the agency have applauded Omnicom’s present move in Mudra, hoping that it would give the agency a fresh lease of life.

    Analysis: Will Omnicom upset the applecart?

    By Tuhina Anand

    Now for years, Omnicom has been trying to gain a greater share in the Indian market, but it has finally managed to get it right with the Mudra acquisition.

    It has been making moves recently to gain a foothold in the Indian market by debuting in the country its media agency OMD and then by bringing creative agency BBDO. Omnicom also acquired 100 per cent stake in TBWA but the coup is definitely getting Mudra and the talks of majority stakes turning to 100 per cent stake, Omnicom will in one sweep manage to pocket a sizeable chunk of the advertising pie in India.

    In fact, the seriousness of India as a market could be gauged from the fact that Tim Love , the Chief Executive Officer of Omnicom, Asia Pacific India Middle East Africa (APIMA) region has always pointed to his business card which puts India separately and not club as part of Asia or APAC as is the norm. He had stressed during his meetings that this showed how important is India as a market for Omnicom and its commitment to the country.

    Many youngsters in the agency have applauded Omnicom’s present move in Mudra, hoping that it would give the agency a fresh lease of life. Not to forget that Mudra has been on an overdrive in the last two years, with the agency winning awards at the national festival. Recently the network (DDB) also won at SpikesAsia so there has been a buzz. Its sub-brands Water, its strategy and design consultancy unit and Terra, bottom of pyramid marketing had also been launched earlier with much fanfare.

    In fact, with Mudra’s acquisition, Omnicom gains in getting hold of a fully integrated advertising services agency which otherwise would have been difficult if the latter had gone doing things on its own. Currently, Mudra has- Mudra India, DDB Mudra, Mudra Max and Ignite Mudra and each of these have their own strategic business units like Mudra India has 5 SBUs including Mudra West, Mudra South and Mudra North & East. Water, a strategy & design specialist, and Maatra, a localization & pre-media specialist. DDB Mudra comprises four strategic business units, DDB India, Tribal DDB India, RAPP India and DDB Health & Lifestyle. Mudra Max consists of 16 strategic business units that provide clients seamless solutions across a wide array of media touchpoints.

    In the months to follow, it would be interesting to see how Omnicom would try to bring its own flavour to Mudra. Also how would its other agencies like BBDO, TBWA and OMD be placed in the scheme of things and continue as independent units would be worth the watch. But one thing is sure with this move Omnicom has suddenly leapt in the big circle as there is no denying that Mudra has the pedigree that can give Omnicom though a late entrant, a name and grip in the industry that it has been trying for long but had not succeded ealier.

    More importantly, will this move shake the WPPs who have well-settled in the Indian industry? After all, any new player comes with the big intentions which if not shakes the sedentary life of the oldies but definitely puts them on their edges. Only time will tell.

  • It’s official! Omnicom to pick up majority stake in Mudra

    Omnicom Group Inc announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority stake in the Mudra Group. As part of the agreement, Omnicom will extend its partnership with the Reliance ADA Group.

    Mudra will significantly expand Omnicom’s service capabilities and presence in India. The Mudra Group comprises: branding and communications agency Mudra India; marketing and advertising agency DDB Mudra; integrated engagement and experiential agency Mudra Max; and Ignite Mudra, an agency that caters to entrepreneurs. Mudra has 26 offices across the country and an extensive field activation network.

    In conjunction with the strategic partnership, Reliance Group Chairman Mr Anil Ambani will join the Omnicom International Advisory Committee. “This acquisition is an important step in achieving Omnicom’s strategy to extend and deepen our presence in rapidly growing markets,” said John Wren, President and CEO of Omnicom Group in a communique. “Our vision is to be a source of innovation in every market we serve. Mudra is widely acknowledged as an outstanding company with impressive creative product and expertise in a broad range of disciplines. Mudra’s innovation and depth of talent will strengthen our business capabilities not only in India but around the world.”

    “DDB has been an excellent partner over the years. We have benefited immensely from the collaboration and transfer of knowledge from around the globe. We are proud to belong to such a storied network,” Mudra Group CEO Madhukar Kamath said. “Omnicom and DDB have clearly been the inspiration for Mudra Group’s transformative growth over the last five years. My colleagues and I look forward to the next decade of explosive growth in the Indian market.”

    DDB Worldwide President and CEO Chuck Brymer noted, “This acquisition will further unite two companies that have long held the same values, creative goals and ambitions. Under Madhukar’s leadership, Mudra is the original challenger brand of the Indian communications industry, and it shares DDB’s culture of creative excellence. Together, we will create even greater growth for our clients in this rapidly changing, technologically driven region.”

    DDB and Mudra Group’s shared history is rooted in a relationship that began in 1988 and has grown tremendously since the formation of DDB Mudra in 2007, which established DDB India, Tribal DDB, Rapp and DDB Health & Lifestyle in the Indian market.

    John Zeigler, CEO, DDB Asia Pacific, added, “Mudra has an impressive history as both creative leaders and strong believers in integrated solutions making them one of the most innovative companies in India.”

    Omnicom Group EVP and CFO Randall Weisenburger also noted, “In addition to significantly expanding our service capabilities in the region, this partnership will bring with it an exceptional Shared Services and Operations Center in Ahmedabad that will help Omnicom more efficiently expand its other operations in India. Additionally, Mudra recently moved into a new headquarters facility in Mumbai called Mudra House, a sustainable building and one of the few in India to be awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification. Mudra House is widely acclaimed for its conservation features and state of the art technology.”