Tag: Geometry Encompass

Geometry Encompass launches Pro.digi – Enabling human connections in a virtual world

MUMBAI: Geometry Encompass, an end-to-end creative commerce agency of WPP, has recently announced the launch of its DLX (digital live experience) practice Pro.digi, to help brands connect with their consumers in the virtual space. Pro.digi creates virtual experiences by leveraging technology and helping brands drive impactful campaigns for engagement. Through Pro.digi, Geometry is taking its legacy of expertise in experiential, retail design, and innovation from the real to the virtual. With its data driven and measurable approach the practice sees an evolution of the traditional experiential practice and extends the agency’s ability to drive growth across all touchpoints.

Pro.digi has already worked on a wide range of virtual engagements. ‘Lockdown Love’ – a live, virtual play on Zoom was a collaboration with the artist collective Kommune. Since its premier the play has been performed more than a dozen times in both English and Hindi. Directed by Sheena Khalid, the play was an initiative by Kommune and Pro.digi to support Covid2019 relief. It also produces ‘Spirit of HP’ – a series of live virtual events brings together the community of HP, The series has seen performances by celebrated vocalists Rahul Deshpande, stand-up comic Amit Tandon and HP brand ambassador Sidhanth Chaturvedi. Pro.digi also launched the independent music label TM Music with its debut track AFSOS. During the past month, three new independent artists have been launched as part of the campaign.

As part of WPP, Pro.digi also manages the digital learning and engagement initiatives like ‘WPP Learning series.’

Geometry Encompass founder Roshan Abbas said, “Given the seismic shift that experiential marketing is witnessing, it is imperative to create new and engaging environment for our consumers. The digital screen is the new currency for experiential, through Pro.digi we create data driven and digital experiences to create lasting brand engagement for our audiences.”

Geometry Encompass CEO Ranjit Raina said, “The pandemic has ushered in digital transformation at a scale never seen before. Through our early experiments in the virtual space we are convinced that it is possible to stay real in the virtual world and enable human connections. Commerce is so much more than just a transaction and Pro.digi aims at creating solutions for real growth.”

June 15, 2020
How Covid2019 is fast-tracking digital transformation in experiential marketing

Consume or connect ? We didn’t know it at the time but somewhere in the middle of March we all got enrolled in a digital bootcamp. Covid2019 didn’t fast track digital transformation, it literally beamed us into the future. I have never witnessed such far-reaching change at such a pace.

For an industry built on enabling human connections, Covid2019 rudely hit pause and with little warning. For those who will get the reference, it felt like Mr Freeze was on a rampage in real life. And when things thawed, we were in the future. Engagement changed overnight, calls were replaced by zoom/teams/blue jeans and webex. In a few short weeks we had already graduated to zoom fatigue and realised blue jeans were fading fast. And it wasn’t just about video messaging, the humble WhatsApp became part of the retail renaissance as the mom and pop stores leap frogged into the future and Ludo rivalled call of duty for family time.

As isolation and social distancing become the norm for now, engagement and interaction has moved to our devices. The buzz in the experiential industry is all about pivoting to digital events. The tech jargon is flying fast and furious and it’s all about innovating or becoming irrelevant.

Digital transformation isn’t about the adoption of technology, video conferencing has been around since the 80s and live streaming since the 90s. Most of the tech being adopted has been around for a while now and the first virtual conferences were held more than a decade ago. Digital transformation is all about staying real in a virtual environment, looking at screens not as devices to consume but as spaces to create live engagement. The screen is the new experiential touchpoint. Not just a place for content consumption but place to enable real human connections through live digital experiences.

I am not sure if it was insight or instinct ( or maybe a combination of both) but the lockdown pioneers of digital engagement seem to understand the difference between creating digital content and producing live digital experiences. They understood that being present on the other side of a screen is not the same as participating with the on-screen experience.

Vir Das hit a home run (no pun intended), with At Home, his online comedy tour for Covid2019 relief. A brilliant and effective use of zoom creates live engagement with the audiences. They are not watching a Vir Das special on their screens, they are part of a live experience. Kommune, the artist collective did something very similar when they created Lockdown Love , a play performed live on zoom. With every performance the experience became more engaging, with audience interaction seamlessly made part of the narrative. These early experiments by creators like Vir and Kommune clearly show that it is possible to connect with people on the other side of the screen.

Almost every pre-pandemic human engagement has moved online. From fitness to education and everything in between. A recent article in Forbes states that virtual events are up 1000 per cent Since Covid2019, with 52,000 on just one platform called 6Connex!

Take a look at some of the virtual events scheduled during the next few months. This July, Nintendo will host its flagship event, Pokemon GO Fest in a virtual format. XBOX is following suit with the XBOX 20/20 launch through a series of virtual events. From gaming to finance, with digital payments on the rise, June has seen the opening of Virtual bank branches across the globe from TSB in New Zealand to the Al Salam Bank in Bahrain. Hong Kong is going to see more than five different virtual banks open shop in the coming months. Commerce is not just going digital, it is going virtual. Closer home, the iconic Lakme Fashion week is going digital with the launch of “Virtual Showroom”. A digital engagement platform for designers and artists to showcase their collections to buyers and suppliers. The showroom is set to launch in Q3 with the upcoming LFW.

We are seeing similar transformations across industries; each is an opportunity for digital experiential marketing because commerce is more than just a transaction. Digital experiential has the ability to elevate the experience and create human connections across the screen and there lies the real transformation. So while we navigate the new and wait for some of the old to return, remember it’s not just about pivoting, it’s about persevering.

(The author is Geometry Encompass CEO. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

June 14, 2020
Challenge status quo through experiential marketing

MUMBAI: As brands around the globe are grappling with the Covid2019 pandemic, it has also raised questions about the future of experiential marketing, also known as the touch-and-feel marketing.

In this new age of experiential marketing, the challenge before brands is to showcase that their products are better than the rest in the most creative and unique manner. It is more about engaging with your audiences on a personal level. But with social distancing and lockdown can anything be experiential? How is the industry redefining itself and what are the skillsets that industry practitioners need to equip themselves with?

To discuss all these scenarios, The Advertising Club of Bangalore hosted a webinar with a theme "Experiential Marketing – The Next Pivot." The panellists included Group M APAC head experiential marketing Dalveer Singh, Geometry Encompass Roshan Abbas, Brand Aid Events and FanTam Brands founder and director Vipul Mathur, DEIVEE co-founder Darshan M.

About how experiential marketing will reinvent itself, Abbas said: “As experiential marketers we need to embrace the change quickly. If you are just entering into this industry don’t jump into it directly. Take a pause and understand this situation, challenge the status quo and let the creator play with their mind. This is how television, radio and Netflix came into play.”

Darshan said that it was always about being Instagram-ready. Marketeers have been wary of adapting this but now there is no choice but to adopt this. He adds that the second screen has always existed but now it has become the primary screen.

Elaborating more on the changes seen in experiential marketing during pandemic, Dalveer says, “I think now home will become the epicentre of everything. It is not like everything in experiential will become digital, you may be able to do many things which are physical. The way to look at it is not purely virtual or digital but what is the best way to connect with the needs of the consumer.”

Vipul Mathur who comes from an apparel background where touch and feel is the most important thing feels that even if people are buying stuff online, differentiating between products is still a challenge.

Everything from artificial intelligence to virtual reality to augmented reality is being tried out, but we need someone to orchestrate well between industries and create that 360 degree experience and urgency for consumers to buy the product.

Abbas explained that while some of them had the fear of technology, others were ready for the experiment. They wrote a play that is contextual with Supriya Pilgaonkar and Radhika Madan. After the show Abbas focussed more on the interactivity process. They included chats, poll and multiple other formats in their system. From the experiment stage Abbas has now come to the revenue stage. The company now has close to 12,000 people interacting on Instagram which has invited a lot of brands to invest.

Dalveer who has done a lot of work at the rural level said that the last two to three months were very challenging for the rural audiences. It has been difficult for people staying in the rural market as well as those migrants who have been on the move.

“The next transformation in the rural experiential market is pin code marketing. We have got 21000 pin codes across the country. And we use the simple formula of three V. The idea is how I can reach the people who use smartphones through video, voice and above all you put the vernacular piece to it. Because there are 14 languages and many dialects. We have done a couple of pilots which is helping brands reach the audiences,” he further added.

The panellists agreed upon a point that this pandemic will also bring a lot of event technologists and people who will increase time span, who will build loops and feedbacks within their programme which will eventually help others. They were of the opinion that people who have fresh ideas and can produce cost-effective solutions will survive.

June 1, 2020
Geometry Encompass collaborates with Ankur Tewari and Clinton Cerejo to co-create a lockdown anthem ‘We Got This’ with the team

Geometry Encompass, India’s largest Creative Commerce agency and a part of WPP, recently collaborated with leading Singer, Song-writer Ankur Tewari and music director and composer Clinton Cerejo to co-create a song called ‘We Got This’. The song is an anthem that captures the spirit of team Geometry Encompass during these trying times of the global lockdown.

The song was conceptualized during an inspiring 2 hour long session between the team at Geometry Encompass with Clinton Cerejo and Ankur Tewari. Roshan Abbas, who originally thought of the idea as fun way to engage with the team invited everyone to share their thoughts and experiences during the lockdown. The thoughts that were shared were developed as the lyrics and hook words for the song. While Roshan and Ankur guided the creation of the lyrics, Clinton worked his magic with the music.

The song ‘We Got This’, is all about being a resilient and reiterates the power of unity and hope.

Commenting on the same, Roshan Abbas, Founder and Managing director, Geometry Encompass said, “We are faced with an unprecedented situation and therefore it is imperative to work together as a team and combat the crisis. The whole idea behind this composition was to capture the spirit of hope and resilience during these difficult times and boost the morale of our employees. I can’t thank Ankur and Clinton enough for being part of this creative collaboration”.

Ranjit Raina, CEO, Geometry Encompass said, “As an agency we have always strived to stay idea first and people focused. The collaboration was a great way to stay creative and connected. It’s a great way to celebrate the team and the work that we have managed to pull off even during the lockdown. Like the song says, “We Got This!”

Commenting on their collaboration, Ankur Tewari, Singer and Song-writer said, “I have always believed that words in a song bring in the most human element sort. It was quite amazing working with the whole geometry encompass team to work on the words for ‘we got this’. Despite of being probably the first time that most of these people working on a song, they showed amazing initiative, imagination and Enthusiasm to come up with extraordinary words for Clinton’s beautiful composition.”

Clinton Cerejo, Music Composer, said, “In these trying times, it’s all about innovation and breaking boundaries in your head. If we truly find ways to challenge ourselves, we can overcome anything. We got this.”

Here is the link to the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmG342JwACo&t=1s

May 18, 2020
Geometry Encompass enables unsung heroes of Magh Mela with Omnigel’s Rahat Ratna

MUMBAI: Geometry Encompass, India’s largest experiential marketing agency and a part of WPP Group, has conceptualised a one of a kind on-ground activation for Omnigel – India’s no.1 pain recovery gel from the House of Cipla Health. Acknowledging the spirit of the helpers and workers at the Magh Mela event held every year, the campaign highlights their selfless service, while equipping them with a unique solution that facilitates them with Omnigel to recover from everyday pain.

The annual event is held in the pristine city of Allahabad which hosts millions of devotees. The large gathering is managed by arduous efforts of policemen, boats-men, cleanliness crew and volunteers who come together to make the event a grand success. While the devotees perform their religious duties at their own convenience, it is the Sahayaks that exhibit selfless devotion by making it easier for others to find salvation. Through this activation, Geometry Encompass throws light upon these true ‘Ratna’s’, jewels, of Magh Mela, helpers and workers, hidden in plain sight by bringing out their story and recognising their efforts.

Geometry Encompass envisaged ‘Rahat Ratna’ – an amulet holding the pain recovery gel that is being facilitated to the workers to wear around their neck. Giving them easy access to Omnigel at the very moment of pain. The activation also involves a support system facility called ‘Dard Mukti Kendra’, Pain Recovery Centres, to distribute ‘Rahat Ratna’ to ‘Sahayaks’. These centres also have a team of licensed physiotherapists that recommend Sahayaks stretching exercises for pain relief.

Commenting on the campaign, Cipla Health CEO Shivam Puri said, “We feel privileged to be a part of the Magh Mela, and to have the opportunity to service the undeterred Sahayaks. Our initiative aimed at generating greater awareness about the brand and informing a larger audience about its multidisciplinary uses, especially the community that usually suffer from body pain but end up overlooking it due to lack of knowledge. We are happy that we could be their ‘friend’ all through the mela.”

Geometry Encompass creative group head Madhurya Alankaar said, “Inspired by ornaments, keeping in mind the cultural significance a ‘Ratna’ holds in every Indian’s life. ‘Rahat Ratna’ serves as an innovative medium of sampling and ensures that Omnigel is always available in times of need for our real-life heroes, Sahayaks." Adding to this Sandeep Gaur, Associate Creative Director, said -"It was pivotal we bring out the Sayahak’s contributions within the journey of devotees in its natural environment and this is what we have tried encapsulating in our film."

Geometry Encompass business director Utsav Parekh said, "The campaign is conceptualised in a way that addresses what is less obvious to the eyes. We wanted to appreciate the real heroes of a massive rural event like the Magh Mela. We and the brand, both believe in the power of storytelling and connecting with our consumers on a deeper level. It is all about using a platform to bring about a change, both from awareness as well as an application perspective."

The entire campaign has been further encapsulated into a digital film which gives a first-hand experience of Magh Mela to the viewers showcasing the true spirit of Sahayaks and the impact the Rahat Ratna is making in enabling their everyday.

February 10, 2020
Geometry Encompass wins network agency of the year at Dragons of Asia 2019

MUMBAI: Geometry Encompass had a glorious year at Dragons of Asia 2019, securing 5 Dragons under various categories. Its campaign "Beginning of Togetherness" for Brooke Bond Red Label dominated the awards by winning the best in India title – the Blue Dragon, along with a gold, silver and black Dragon. The campaign was inspired by real-life stories and it reveals what happens when a cup of tea makes people question their deep-rooted prejudices. It focuses on communal brotherhood and encourages everyone to find common ground.

Geometry Encompass also won a Bronze Dragon for its campaign, “The Mirror Image”. It highlighted the efficacy of Vim dishwashing soap by replacing mirrors in public restrooms with thalis (steel plates used for having Indian meals) washed with the product. The thalis were so clean and shiny that the reflective surfaces acted like mirrors.

Geometry claimed its ground for the fourth time in a row as the Network Agency of the Year. The winners were announced on 7 October 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

‘Dragons of Asia’ has recognised excellence in results-driven marketing communications by agencies and clients across all countries in the Asia Pacific region since the year 2000. Its Network Agency of the Year Award was conceived in 2016 and been bestowed to Geometry ever since.

Geometry Encompass chief executive officer Ranjit Raina, speaking on behalf of Geometry Encompass India, said, “We’re thrilled to see that our hard work has been recognized by a body as prestigious as the ‘Dragons of Asia’. Arpan and his team have consistently delivered great work for our clients and it is this commitment that has shone through for us. This body of work is especially important as it demonstrates our creative strength across categories for HUL. The intense spirit of competition pushes us to perfection and keeps the industry dynamic and creative.”

Commenting on the victory, Geometry Encompass managing director Roshan Abbas said, “This is a great achievement for us as we have won across a wide range of categories. This was made possible thanks to our hard-working team and our brave client partners. These awards are a testament to our dedication to creating meaningful work that has an impact and pushes the envelope of creativity and effectiveness.”

Geometry Encompass managing partner Shankar Shinde commenting on behalf of Geometry Encompass said, “It is been a great year for Geometry Encompass, we did some excellent work around the largest human gathering Kumbh Mela 2019. And now it is humbling to see our work getting recognition at the international forum!”

Dragons of Asia marketing communications recognition programme director Mike Da Silva commented, "This year’s Dragons of Asia was the closest Programme in our 19 years, in terms of quality of the execution and effective, measurable results. With this closeness, winning a Dragon of any colour this year, has been truly well deserved. Geometry Encompass’s “Beginning of Togetherness’ for the Brooke Bond tea brand, successfully encouraged Indians to open their minds to existing deep-rooted religious differences, becoming a catalyst for positive outcomes, whilst successfully addressing the brand’s marketing objectives.”

October 9, 2019
Geometry Encompass ropes in Ranjit Raina as CEO

MUMBAI: India’s leading experiential marketing and brand activation agency, Geometry Encompass recently announced the appointment of Ranjit Raina as the Chief Executive Officer. Raina will commence his new role from August 13, 2019. In his earlier stint with the agency, he served in the capacity of Chief Operating Officer.

Raina holds an experience of over 27 years across production houses, experiential industry and television. He first joined the agency in 2004. In his decade long stint with Encompass, he was involved with the bottom line functions primarily Finance and Corporate Operations of the organisation. He has worked with clients across sectors like Nokia, Pepsi, Hyundai, GSK, Mercedes Benz, Palmolive and Gillette. He has also played an eminent role in the acquisition of the agency by global giant WPP in 2008.

In 2014, he moved on to lead his own business venture, an engagement design consultancy company.

“Ranjit has witnessed the growth of Geometry Encompass from the very beginning and now will bring his expertise and experience back to the organization,” said Diana Cowley, CEO – APAC, Geometry Global. “The team of Geometry Encompass has always played a key part in Geometry’s Asia Pacific growth. I am confident that Ranjit will lead the team to even greater heights in the months and years to come.”

Speaking on the development, Roshan Abbas CEO and MD said, “We are happy to have Ranjit back as the leader of our team. He has proven time and again his strong understanding of the market and his expertise in live engagement experiences. He is bringing with himself the agility of a start-up and a new-age thinking that will lead Geometry Encompass to newer heights.”

Taking up the new role, Ranjit Raina said, “Geometry Encompass has always been experimental and industry-first in its approach and is driven by passionate individuals who are always working to create a new experience for brands and its consumers. Being digitally-charged and data-driven, the agency ensures best returns for its clients and the most impactful conversations with consumers. I am glad to be back with the force and hope to achieve new milestones in the near future.”

August 12, 2019
Geometry Encompass elevates Tanu Randhawa as COO – north

MUMBAI: Geometry Encompass, the leading experiential marketing and brand activation agency under WPP Network, has elevated Tanu Randhawa as chief operating officer – north. She will be operating out of the Gurugram office. Earlier, she was managing partner, a position she has held since 2015.

Randhawa joined Geometry Global Encompass, then Encompass, as an executive in 2000 straight out of college in Chandigarh. In her 19-year long stint with the company, she has grown to specialise in large format live experiences that span across events, exhibitions and brand activations. She has played a pivotal role in some of the award-winning special projects that the company has executed including the BMW i8 launch, opening ceremonies like the South Asian Games and Khelo India School Games and more than 6 Auto Expos for clients like Hyundai, FIAT, Eicher and Mercedes.

Randhawa has also handled a corporate portfolio of clients like Hyundai, Eicher, and luxury automakers like Mercedes and BMW. She continues to lead the BMW relationship for the agency. As part of the Special Projects team she has worked on several major events like the BRICS Summit and The India Africa Forum Summit among others.

Taking up the new role, Tanu Randhawa said, “The bigger role comes with bigger responsibilities. I am delighted by the faith Geometry Encompass has shown in me. My years at the agency have helped me carve a niche for myself in crafting live experiences and large format events. I look forward to taking the legacy ahead while leading an extremely talented and innovative team and to further strengthen our brand position.”

Speaking of her new role, CEO and MD Roshan Abbas said, “Experiential agencies need people at the top who can combine their expertise while embracing the new age world of digital and data. Tanu has been a passionate advocate for this world and for empowering her young and passionate team always. Since April she has been actively leading our new business development efforts while executing our large format projects. She has been instrumental in creating an environment where we embrace new ideas and has helped build a solution-centric approach with brands focused on long term partnerships.”

July 4, 2019
Rahul Karwa joins Geometry Encompass as COO – west

MUMBAI: Geometry Encompass, India’s leading experiential marketing and brand activation agency, a part of WPP, recently appointed Rahul Karwa as their Chief Operating Officer (COO) – West. He will operate out of the Mumbai office.

In the past, he has worked with the agency in the capacity of Managing Partner. During his last assignment at Geometry Encompass he took up the responsibility of setting up a new-age activation agency called Engage at Encompass. Within the short span of one year, Engage became the fastest growing strategic business unit within the Geometry Global Encompass Network (GGNE) and soon after, established Encompass as a leading Activation Specialist for clients.

With over 19 years of experience, Rahul has worked with numerous companies and media agencies. Before rejoining Geometry Encompass he headed The Bucketlist, a full-service experiential marketing agency, as the Chief Executive Officer. In his previous stints, he has worked as a specialist Rural Marketer at Ogilvy Action, as Brand Head at DDB MudraMax (Experiential Marketing, West) and Senior Vice President at WPP. He has also worked as Planner at Reliance Capital (2007-2008).

On joining Geometry Encompass, Rahul said, “I am happy to be able to come back to Geometry Encompass, in many ways it’s almost like coming back home. In my new role, I hope to support the agency in its growth journey and to drive operational excellence across the portfolio of services. I look forward to leading this team of innovative disruptors.”

Welcoming Karwa aboard, Roshan Abbas, Founder and Managing Director, Geometry Encompass said, “In our attempt to build the agency of the future we are always on the search for new talent and sometimes we find people who have been on a journey with us before. Rahul has delivered exceptional results in the past while leading Engage. Now that he has rejoined us in this journey, I believe we are now stronger than ever. I welcome him aboard.”

June 24, 2019