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Tag: Dentsu Aegis Network

  • Isobar India announces key elevations and leadership changes

    Isobar India announces key elevations and leadership changes

    MUMBAI: Isobar, the digital agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network, has announced key leadership changes across the country.

    Anadi Sah has been promoted to executive creative director, in addition to his current role of lead innovation, technology & creative. As part of this new mandate, Sah will now spearhead Isobar’s innovation and creative unit at a national level along with Isobar India chief creative officer Anish Varghese.

    Business head Gurgaon Himanshu Arora will now be associate vice president, taking in charge of the agency’s business for North region.

    Aakriti Sinha, currently director, social media, will now be national head for Isobar’s social media practice and will be responsible for scaling up the agency’s social media solutions.

    Director, business Madhura Ranade will take charge as head – branded content & partnerships, Isobar’s new service offering. She will be responsible for driving content consulting and strategy with an all-encompassing data-led approach towards platform and content recommendation to drive business results. Her role will also look after content consulting towards branded IP creation to create properties that are brand-safe, drive the brand vision and generate value.

    On the appointment, Isobar South Asia group MD Shamsuddin Jasani said, “We are preparing for the next stage of growth for Isobar India. We have identified the leaders of Isobar who will work with us to take the agency to greater heights. Anadi, Himanshu, Madhura, and Aakriti have played an important role in developing the vision and leadership needed to shape our business and brand strategy across our creative, marketing and technology functions. Their promotions will ensure we continue to power our India agenda and drive excellence in our experience-led transformation proposition.”

    The elevations will boost an accelerated growth by forging stronger ties between the agency, partners and clients, along with streamlining business verticals and fortifying operational efficiency. With these elevations, Isobar will further drive the global agenda of experience-led transformation across its practices.

  • Dentsu Grant Group launches Amnet operations in Sri Lanka

    Dentsu Grant Group launches Amnet operations in Sri Lanka

    Dentsu Grant Group has announced the launch of Amnet, the programmatic expert from Dentsu Aegis Network, in Sri Lanka. Amnet is a trusted source for programmatic buying and audience management solutions. Amnet comprises a team of programmatic experts from the Dentsu Aegis Network, who specialize in programmatic buying, programmatic media planning, data analytics and audience data. Amnet’s mission is to build and leverage data, in order to deliver more meaningfuland personalized messaging insights.

    With the launch of Amnet, Denstu Grant Group is once again set to disrupt the status quo of digital advertising through expanding local media inventory and offering more sophisticated, customized campaigns to clients. Among othermarkets, Amnet has a presence in India, USA, UK, France, China and Hong Kong. For the record, Dentsu Grant Group is the oldest serving advertising group in Sri Lanka that was acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network, the global media and marketing communications conglomerate, in 2017.

    Speaking on the launch, Shamsuddin Jasani, Group MD, Isobar South Asia and Executive Sponsor AMNET South Asia states, “Sri Lanka’s advertising trends have considerably shifted from traditional to digital advertising behaviour within a short span of time. As a leading global player in digital, we wanted our clients to get the best of global standards in this important area; hence, the decision to bring Amnet to Sri Lanka.”

    "It's been an incredible year for Dentsu Aegis Network in Sri Lanka…constantly innovating and disrupting the local advertising industry. After successfully becoming the fastest growing digital agency in the country this year, we asked ourselves, what could we do next? Embracing data is in the DNA of our network and what we have been spearheading here in Sri Lanka as a business. So, we are thrilled to announce the launch of Amnet, one of the premier programmatic platforms available in the world to-date. This is the next wave in media planning and buying in this country and is yet another achievement we can add to our long history of establishing industry firsts," commented Neela Marikkar, Chairperson and Managing Director, Dentsu Grant Group. 

    "With client needs evolving for quicker turnarounds and data-driven marketing at scale, we needed to get the best of global standards in this important area; hence, the decision to bring Amnet to Sri Lanka. This is head-and-shoulders above anyone else in the market on Programmatic media buying," said Chamith Buthgumwa, Director Isobar, Sri Lanka & Response at Dentsu Aegis Network.

    Nisal De Silva from the Dentsu Grant Group will head the operations for Amnet in Sri Lanka and will operate from the Colombo office.

  • Digital transformation, not hitting short-term metrics must be the primary role of marketers, say APAC CMOS

    Digital transformation, not hitting short-term metrics must be the primary role of marketers, say APAC CMOS

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Aegis Network’s 2019 global survey of 1,000 CMOs and senior-level marketers in 10 markets – including Australia, China, and Japan in Asia Pacific – highlights a growing challenge for marketing leaders, as they seek to move beyond optimisation and drive business transformation through digital.

    Globally, 8 out of 10 surveyed recognise the imperative to transform the business in the face of digital disruption, as well as taking more responsibility for product and service innovation over the next 2-3 years. China, in particular, comes out leading this trend with 98% and 96% of respondents respectively prioritising these areas as key elements of the marketing function.

    However, global CMOs are finding it difficult to achieve this vision with ‘Business Transformation’ and ‘Disruptive Innovation’ at the bottom of the list for the second year running in terms of functional priorities, and current capabilities beginning to lag behind future needs as short-term metrics dominate their focus.

    Within APAC, CMOs are beginning to lead a shift away from this trend, with China, Japan and Australia ranking Business Transformation within the top 3 priorities for the marketing function today, as well as over the next 3 years. CMOs in China and Japan also notably outperform global counterparts in their expectations for Disruptive Innovation to rise among marketers’ top 3 priorities in the next 3 years, at 61% and 47% respectively, well above the global average of 36%.

    Marketing functions risk lagging the digital race as performance gaps emerge

    Across a spectrum of marketing capabilities, CMOs were asked what they believe to be important to future success, versus their current ability to execute. The data shows a significant gap emerging between the two:

    85% believe creativity is critical to future business success, 54% believe they are delivering well today 83% identify the importance of seamless customer experience and commerce across channels, yet only 60% believe they are developing this capability well But the divide is most stark in data management and analytics, where 84% identify these capabilities as important to future success, yet only 49% are confident in these capabilities today

    The divide between existing capabilities in data skills and the importance these skills will have on future business performance is perhaps the greatest risk CMOs must address as the growth of the global digital economy shows no signs of slowing down.

    Digital transformation challenges emerge as key barriers in APAC rather than access to long-term investment

    Globally, an inability to secure long-term investment is cited as the most significant barrier to delivering on marketing strategy (rated as a top three concern by 50% of all CMOs).

    At the global level, the outlook for the next 12 months is mixed with 41% of CMOs reporting budgets as flat or declining, despite growing revenues (64% of respondents reported revenue growth over the same period). China stands out as a rare exception here, with only 17% of CMOs reporting budget as flat or declining (against 87% of same respondents reporting revenue growth for their businesses).   

    In contrast with their global counterparts, top barriers faced by CMOs in APAC are linked to the challenges associated with digital transformation as opposed to securing long-term investment.

    For Australia and China for example, the inability to transform the business quickly enough is the number one barrier to delivering on marketing strategy. Also cited among their top 3 challenges is insufficient control over digital investments or programmes across the company. In Japan, the lack of access to requisite talent emerges as the top challenge.

    While globally, two-thirds (64%) say they expect to come under further pressure to demonstrate tangible short-term results, marketers in China (84%), Japan (71%), and Australia (49%) are more likely to plan their marketing strategy over the longer term, at least 2 years in advance. 

    Takaki Hibino, APAC Executive Chairman, Dentsu Aegis Network said:

    “Brands globally have invested heavily in digital but have yet to reap the rewards as short-term metrics rather than driving digital transformation continues to dominate the marketing function’s focus and priorities.

    In Asia Pacific however, CMOs are leading the curve with business transformation now firmly positioned as function’s top 3 priorities, and CMOs in the region being more likely to plan their marketing strategies over the long term. This creates a real opportunity for CMOs in this region to truly embed the digital transformation agenda and drive the future capabilities the region depends on for growth.”

  • DAN Programmatic launches AI-powered audience insights engine ‘DAN Explore for Programmatic’

    DAN Programmatic launches AI-powered audience insights engine ‘DAN Explore for Programmatic’

    MUMBAI: DAN Programmatic, empowered by the data sciences division of Dentsu Aegis Network, has collaborated with AMNET, the network’s programmatic arm, to launch ‘DAN Explore for Programmatic’. It is an Artificial Intelligence-based insight engine for programmatic audience performance, which merges with its flagship insights Engine – DAN Explore.

    Despite being one of the fastest-growing components of digital media investments, the programmatic advertising ecosystem is still plagued with the common challenges – that of transparency. With a view to address these mounting concerns and to provide insight into the performance of programmatic audience segments for better buying and optimisation prospects for clients and the agency, DAN Explore for Programmatic endeavours to take cutting-edge AI algorithms and statistical modelling to the programmatic environment. It represents audience performance for programmatic cohorts in line with campaign and brand objectives.

     Commenting on the launch, Amnet India vice president Salil Shankar says, “Despite the obvious benefits of the ecosystem, when it comes to programmatic advertising, the environment is mainly opaque. With the tech still being very much of a black-box, the lack of transparency still remains a major point of concern for publishers, brands and marketers. With its unique ability to provide more understanding to audience cohort performance, DAN Explore for Programmatic will be one step closer to our vision of making this ecosystem more transparent as well as providing us with the insight to sharpen our audience buys and set new performance benchmarks.”

    Keeping true to its motto for providing actionable insights, the data sciences division of the network aims to connect DAN Explore for Programmatic with its proprietary insights engine (DAN Explore) and audience activation layer (DAN Planner).

    “Armed with the right algorithms, DAN Explore for Programmatic aims to become a translator in conversations by bringing trust between industry stakeholders in the programmatic space. With its unique access to data and proprietary logic frameworks, DAN Explore for Programmatic will help classify programmatic audiences accurately and reliably to analyse the performance of audience cohorts in line with marketing objectives based on thousands of real-time data points – forming a base for future planning and real-time optimization of programmatic campaigns,” adds DAN Programmatic CEO & Dentsu Aegis Network chief data officer- south Asia Gautam Mehra.

  • Dentsu Aegis Network takes majority stake in Ugam, a global leader in data and analytics

    Dentsu Aegis Network takes majority stake in Ugam, a global leader in data and analytics

    MUMBAI: Dentsu Aegis Network has acquireda majority stake inIndia-based Ugam, a leading next-generationdata and analytics company serving both business-to-business and business-to-consumer enterprises. Ugam will join Merkle, a leading data-driven, technology-enabled, global performance marketing agency and part of Dentsu Aegis Network. Withmore than 1,800 employees in India, the United States, and Australia, Ugam represents one of the largest transactions in Merkle’s history.

    Ugam’s comprehensive set of solutions are highly complementary to Merkle’s existing capabilities. Itsanalytical sophistication andproprietary frameworks and toolswill add new capabilities to Merkle’s existing service lines. It will bring scale to Merkle’s analytics business, provide a platform for Dentsu Aegis Network and Merkle’s shared analytics services, and offer a complete and scaled analytics-based services layer for M1, Dentsu Aegis Network’s people-based insights, planning, activation, and measurement platform.Ugam is focused on the same target markets and Fortune 500 companies as Merkle and Dentsu Aegis Network. 

    The business will now become Ugam, a Merkle Company, led by Sunil Mirani, co-founder and chief executive officer, reporting to Craig Dempster, president, Merkle Americas. Reporting structures for the rest of the management team of Ugam will remain unchanged, as they and the rest of the senior leaders will play a key role in the growth plans of the company.

    Founded in 2000, Ugam helps global corporations make smarter business decisions to accelerate their digital transformation. Its IP-led, bespoke solutions use a unique blend of data, technology and expertise, resulting in impactful and long-tenured relationships with more than 75 Fortune 500 companies. Itsanalytics and digital solutionsincluderetail analytics, survey analytics, technology implementation, data engineering, and digital product content solutions.

    “Ugam is vital to the execution of Merkle’s multi-year analytics strategy of creating a scaled on- and offshore shared analytics service across Dentsu Aegis Network.”said Craig Dempster, president, Merkle Americas. “With its experienced management team, highly-educated workforce, scale, and vertical market expertise, Ugam will bring high-end analytics capabilities, along with a broad spectrum of analytical decision support. Their focus on the U.S. market and Fortune 500 companies will create many synergies and strengthen our existing relationships, opening opportunities for each of our client portfolios.”

    Sunil Mirani, co-founder and chief executive officer, Ugam said: “We have found the perfect partner in Merkle. We complement each other’s strengths, with Ugam bringing advanced analytics capabilities at scale, and Merkle bringing a diverse client base with a largely in-country presence. Most importantly, the cultural fit was evident from day one, and the effects will be immensely positive for all our stakeholders – customers, employees, and shareholders. This deal marks a significant milestone in Ugam’s journey, and I look forward to this new phase with renewed vigor.”

    “The U.S. marketing and media analytics industry is growing increasingly competitive, diverse and global. With artificial intelligence and machine learning entering the mainstream, the range of services required to maintain and extend growth requires both complexity of services and efficiency of delivery,” said Alex Yoder, executive vice president, analytics for Merkle. “As the analytics business becomes increasingly commoditized, the pressure to expand capabilities into predictive and prescriptive methodologies simultaneously intensifies. Merkle’s majority stake in Ugam and its resulting enhanced scale and capabilities will be instrumental as we scale to effectively compete with top analytic consulting firms over the next three to five years.”

    Merkle continues to grow strongly in the Americas and around the world. This is the fifth transactionin 12 months for Merkleand the thirteenth since joining Dentsu Aegis Network in 2016. 

  • iProspect India ropes in Anil Kotian as AVP – Client Servicing

    iProspect India ropes in Anil Kotian as AVP – Client Servicing

    MUMBAI: iProspect India, the digital performance agency from the house of Dentsu Aegis Network, has roped in Anil Kotian as AVP – Client Servicing. He will be based out of Mumbai and will report to Rubeena Singh, CEO, iProspect India. As AVP – Client Servicing, his chief mandate will be to help drive strategy for iProspect clients.

    Prior to joining iProspect India, he was Client Lead at Wavemaker India where he handled clients such as Mercedes Benz – Daimler AG, Rolex GA, Singapore Tourism Board, Infiniti Retail – Croma, First Cry, IDFC Bank, Reliance ADAG, ASUS India and many more.

    An effective communicator with excellent relationship building & interpersonal skills, Anil has a knack for tapping new markets and prospective clients with excellent planning & seamless implementation. With over 13 years of experience, Anil has worked at Standard Chartered, rediff.com, Zee Entertainment and GroupM. His diverse portfolio includes senior roles in various media verticals like media planning, monetization of OTT platform, strategic planning and client servicing.

    Commenting on Anil's appointment, Rubeena Singh, CEO, iProspect India said, “We are excited to have somebody with the calibre of Anil in our team. Given his diverse experience, I believe, he will add a lot of value to our clients’ business. With him on board, we look forward to strengthening our core team and keep up the growth momentum.”

    On his new role, Anil said, “I believe in the 'Do What You Can’t' thinking, which means fearlessly thinking of the impossible and removing the improbable. Everything I have done so far, had a first in the market mission, ensuring client delight. I am excited to join iProspect and to continue my journey of innovation in media, content and technology together with a great bunch of people!”

    Anil, an MBA graduate, is an explorer at heart and an avid traveller. He has won numerous awards at various industry events to his credit.   
     

  • Hercules Cycles, Dentsu Webchutney launch action-packed TVC #MadeForMore

    Hercules Cycles, Dentsu Webchutney launch action-packed TVC #MadeForMore

    MUMBAI: Hercules, one of India’s most iconic bicycle brands, has teamed up with Dentsu Webchutney to unveil a brand new nail-biting television spot #MadeForMore.

    This legacy brand from the house of TI Cycles, has always appealed to the social construct of the Indian male teenager – adrenaline-fuelled, rough-and-tumble, in high need for bravado. However, it was time to reassess what the Indian teenager of 2019 stood for. A qualitative study conducted by the agency portrayed today’s teenager as someone who is empathetic, who feels the need to build a better society and form deeper relationships. From this emerged its new positioning #MadeForMore.

    Commenting on the film, Dentsu Webchutney associate vice president GD Prasad said, “Re-positioning a brand that caters to the Gen Z audience can be rather tricky. Our team spent weeks conducting their research and testing multiple versions of the script to see which would work best for the India of tomorrow. In the end, we believe we’ve created a film that doesn’t just appeal to them visually but also captures their pulse and personality.”

    Conceptualised and produced by Dentsu Webchutney, the creatively-led digital agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, in association with CATNIP Productions, the film captures how the rugged & fierce Hercules bicycle enables the protagonist to do more and push his boundaries.

    TI Cycles head – design and marketing Sushant Jena said, “2019 is a very exciting year for us. As market leaders, our objective is to keep surprising our consumers with the next big thing. We’ve put in a lot of effort into creating our most aggressive range of Hercules bicycles yet, and we needed a bold commercial that does our cycles justice. For us at TI Cycles, #MadeForMore isn’t just a brand proposition, we treat it more as a brand truth that enables us to stay ahead of the game.”

  • Dentsu Aegis Network India Launches ‘CCS 2019’

    Dentsu Aegis Network India Launches ‘CCS 2019’

    MUMBAI: In its continuing focus to mine consumer insights and deliver sharp intelligence, Dentsu Aegis Network has launched the third round of its proprietary consumer-based system, widely known as CCS (Consumer Connection System). This proprietary and in-depth research has robust consumer understanding as it unfastens the power of consumer behaviour by comprehending their mindset & interests.

    This edition, CCS 2019, is the most comprehensive single source study available, which enables discovery of the consumer insight and identifies the most valuable consumers and their relationship with communications. CCS provides completely unique actionable insight into communication usage and engagement across 60+ bought, owned, and earned digital, experiential and media channels.

    Speaking on the launch of CCS 2019, Dentsu Aegis Network president- media brands Kartik Iyer said, “It’s amazing what CCS has thrown up over the years. It has enabled us to understand consumers and predict trends well before the Industry. In fact, the results of the last round a couple of years ago already showed that we needed to plan across video screens, which is why we set up the Video Stack practice for multiscreen planning for our clients in 2016. This round has already started throwing up surprises like the increasing Social media and Newspaper readership for women which if looked closer definitely have a relationship. We are most excited with CCS’ latest round and I am sure that all of the DAN agencies and their clients will benefit hugely in keeping ahead of trends and connecting with their most valuable consumers.”

    The latest fieldwork has been conducted across 24 cities which includes representation of tier 2 towns as well and covers a sample of over 17,000 respondents representing 83 Mn people in urban India. The study also covers the younger audience aged 12-14 as they are the key influencers for many categories today and driving the future purchase.

    Through this large scale research-based system, Dentsu Aegis Network will continue to provide the most advanced understanding of the consumer behaviour on their path to purchase across several categories, with a deeper understanding of the media impact in their decision making, thereby enabling the most efficient selection of media focused on delivering to marketing KPIs.

    Overall, CCS has a global sample size of over 400,000 across 52 markets, making it the world’s largest research of this nature. CCS is offered exclusively to DAN clients and is applied both internationally and locally to deliver enhanced communications strategy and planning, benefiting brands with improved targeting, precision and efficiencies.

    The research design is based on CCS globally and adapted locally keeping in mind India’s dynamic landscape, while the field work was managed through Hansa Research using the CAPI methodology with the questionnaire available across 10 languages and rendered on tablets. Extensive use of technology with aspects like GPS tracking of field teams, daily quality checks, audio recording of field interviews ensured that the data quality & authenticity was maintained. Since the questionnaire is intensive, global best practices and techniques were used to ensure that the data doesn’t get compromised by respondent fatigue.