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Tag: Media Agency

  • OMD India taps Iti Kaul to spearhead digital practice

    OMD India taps Iti Kaul to spearhead digital practice

    Mumbai: Media agency network OMD has announced the appointment of Iti Kaul to spearhead its digital practice in India, effective from April. Kaul will take charge of this new role from PHD Media, where she currently leads digital planning as its general manager.

    Further building upon elevations within the group, Kaul is yet another leader to be promoted within Omnicom Media Group, spotlighting the company’s sharp focus on driving growth for its people, stated the agency. “In her new role, she will be reporting to OMD India CEO Anisha Iyer,” it added.

    “The story of OMD India’s growth and success is one that is driven by our people and their unwavering commitment to delivering better decisions for our clients, unapologetically and innovatively,” said Anisha Iyer. “Iti’s role will add significant leverage to our digital practice as we create the next wave of transformative experiences for our clients. We are thrilled to have her on board and are confident that her expertise and future-ready perspectives will elevate our work to drive greater impact and successes for client growth.”

    Kaul has over 13 years of experience in the industry, having lent her digital strategies on global mandates across industries for Fortune 500 companies. She is adept at creating media plans that foster growth opportunities for brands – a practice she spearheaded at PHD’s digital planning division out of the Gurugram office. 

  • dentsu X tops global RECMA rankings for third time in a row

    dentsu X tops global RECMA rankings for third time in a row

    Mumbai: RECMA, the independent research firm that evaluates media agencies, has launched its ‘overall activity volume rankings’ report for July 2021. According to the report, dentsu X has been acknowledged as the ‘fastest-growing media agency globally’. With 8.8 per cent Year-on-Year (YoY) agency growth and a growth of 81 per cent over time, dentsu X has won the title for the third consecutive year.

    “To be recognised in this way for three years straight is a great endorsement of our proposition, ‘experience beyond exposure’, which places consumer delight back at the heart of marketing,” said dentsu X global client & brand president, Sanjay Nazerali while commenting on the RECMA ranking. “It is a testament to the long-held dentsu edict of ‘servant leadership’ – we only win when our clients, teams, and partners win too,” Nazerali added.

    Additionally, basis the qualitative parameters, the agency also secured the title of ‘#1 dominant agency’ by RECMA in February. The agency has bagged this recognition for the second time in a row.  

    dentsu CEO, media – South Asia and dentsu X India CEO, Divya Karani shared, “Our trajectory is a reflection of sharply identifying marketers’ needs and partnering them in driving real outcomes. Creating sustainable value, prizing the enduring over the short term is how we have become trusted partners.

  • MediaCom wins media mandate for Aqualite

    Mumbai: MediaCom India, a GroupM media agency has been awarded the media mandate for Aqualite, manufacturer of men’s and women’s footwear.

    The mandate was bagged after a multi-agency pitch and will be serviced out of MediaCom’s Gurgaon office. The media duties include media strategy, planning, buying and implementation for TV, OOH, Activation, Cinema et al.

    Aqualite director marketing Avichal Gupta said, “We are happy to team up with MediaCom as our media partner as the agency brings the quality of experience and execution with them. For Aqualite, we always look for a partner who can understand and resonate with the brand as well as understand our consumer offerings and we saw this in the team and the work they put forward. We are confident that MediaCom will be able to develop a robust strategy for our media planning and buying to add impetus to all our marketing initiatives and help us be the best for our consumers. We look forward to working with them.”

     MediaCom South Asia CEO Navin Khemka said, “We, at MediaCom are very excited and proud to partner with a brand like Aqualite – an organic homegrown start-up which became one of India’s largest footwear companies through the years. Their dedication to providing their customers with multiple product choices and staying rooted in their objective has driven them to become one of the market leaders. We understand how Aqualite is committed to its consumers. Similarly, we want to be committed to deriving a very focused consumer-driven 360-degree media approach across all media platforms and help the brand reach their business goals.”

  • Mediacom wins media mandate for Ozone Overseas

    MUMBAI: MediaCom India, a GroupM media agency, has bagged the media mandate of Ozone Overseas, an integral part of Ozone Enterprise group that offers Architectural Hardware solutions.

    The mandate was awarded after a multi-agency pitch and will be handled out of MediaCom’s Gurgaon office. The media duties include full planning and buying across all media platforms.

    Ozone Overseas director Alok Aggarwal said, “We believe that security and hardware as a category has always been around us. At Ozone, we are always looking at creating a brand that is more consumer-centric. We are happy to have MediaCom as our agency partner because of their enthusiasm towards our vision and purpose and their years of expertise in this industry, we hope together we can find solutions to all the requirements.”

    Established in 1999, Ozone Overseas has expanded its business expertise in the fields of Architectural Hardware, Urban Street Furniture, and Digital Safes and Locks and has a global presence across 21 countries, four R&D centres, and four modern manufacturing facilities.

    MediaCom South Asia chief executive officer Navin Khemka said, “Security is a growing category and Ozone Overseas is one of the largest players in the security locks category and has a strong presence in India. We are excited to partner with Ozone Overseas in their journey. Our effective media solutions and digital-first approach will complement the strong strategy, planning, and buying to further strengthen the integrated media solutions. We look forward to delivering strong business outcomes for them.”

  • Karima Zmerli is Edelman’s new global head – performance & predictive intelligence

    Karima Zmerli is Edelman’s new global head – performance & predictive intelligence

    NEW DELHI: Communications firm Edelman has tapped Karima Zmerli as global head of performance and predictive intelligence for its data and intelligence unit (DxI). 

    In the new role, Zmerli will lead performance and predictive intelligence globally and oversee media buying and marketing strategies for clients. She will be based in New York and report to Edelman DxI global chief data & analytics officer Yannis Kotziagkiaouridis. 

    The hire is part of Edelman’s effort to grow its media, data and technology capabilities as clients adapt to digital transformation and major changes to the media ecosystem, such as the loss of Apple’s IDFA mobile identifier and third-party cookies phasing out.

    Zmerli joins Edelman from the media agency world, as chief data sciences officer at GroupM’s Wavemaker since 2016, where she helped generate over $1 billion in new business. She joined Edelman to help clients adapt to new use cases for data and technology as privacy becomes top of mind.

    “We have to open our horizons and think about the consumer relationship with the brand differently than in a transactional way,” Zmerli said. “Edelman is in a very unique position to understand consumer trust in corporations and brands, a fundamental element to brand strategy and communication.”

    Zmerli is Edelman’s latest hire in a bid to bolster its research and data capabilities, with talent across data science, engineering, software development and performance marketing. Most recently, the firm hired David Bartram Shaw as SVP and global head of data science;  Anjuli Bedi as global head of behavioural science and psychometrics; Tim Hwang as global head of product; Jacob Loban as EVP and US head of performance intelligence; and Matt Sato as EVP

  • WPP increases India investments

    WPP increases India investments

    MUMBAI: Global media network WPP has announced increased investment in its business in India, in line with its long-term growth objectives in this important market. 

    As part of this, GroupM, the world’s leading media investment group, will move to full ownership of the mobile marketing agency Madhouse, from its current 50 per cent interest. Madhouse has offices in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore and its clients include some of India’s leading brands. 

    Mobile marketing and media consumption is exploding with the growing access to devices, driven by lower cost of devices and data plans. This acquisition will provide GroupM clients enhanced access to innovative mobile solutions, ad products and targeting technology. 

    In addition, WPP companies Sudler, Wunderman and Y&R, which now operate as joint venture agencies with Rediffusion, will be developed as wholly-owned agencies, with WPP selling its stakes in the current Rediffusion joint ventures. There will be no change to Wunderman’s existing India businesses. 

    WPP India country manager CVL Srinivas says, “India is a key growth region for us and we have a well-defined roadmap and vision for what we would like to achieve here. WPP is home to some of the best marketing talent in this country and our plan is to steer our agencies to stay ahead of the curve – in terms of both market and client needs, by providing the best-in-class offerings.” 

    WPP in India will continue to cater to the market’s growing demand for integrated and innovative marketing solutions, through strengthening its presence in the areas of data, technology, content and creativity.

  • HSBC’s global media business moves to Omnicom’s PHD from WPP

    HSBC’s global media business moves to Omnicom’s PHD from WPP

    MUMBAI In a major blow to WPP, HSBC Bank has handed over its global media business to Omnicom’s PHD. The agency won the business following a review which began in January along with Mindshare and Dentsu.

    In a press statement, HSBC said, “We have selected PHD as our preferred media planning and buying supplier as they demonstrated strong strategic skills and advanced digital transformation capabilities. In a complex media and communications marketplace, PHD’s overall approach stood out as being forward thinking, yet straightforward and pragmatic.”

    Earlier this year, HSBC appointed Publicis-owned Saatchi & Saatchi to replace WPP’s JWT to lead its global advertising business.

    With this, WPP has lost another major client from its kitty as the HSBC account has billing of around $400 million and was worth over $20 million in annual revenue to WPP. The HSBC account was at WPP’s Mindshare, whose American Express business is also up for review. WPP is trying to hold its relationship with Ford Motor, also in review.

    Mindshare held HSBC’s business for over 13 years. Another account loss comes as a blow to Mindshare, where the network is still reeling from the sudden exit of WPP’s chief executive Sir Martin Sorrell while struggling to retain or win some of the estimated $10 billion worth of media business that went under review at the beginning of the year.

    Global media giant, WPP has recently lost several pitches including Campbell, Marriott, Amgen, AT&T, Volkswagen among others.

    Also Read :

    WPP board begins investigation of its CEO Sir Martin Sorrel, says WSJ

    Sameer Singh joins GroupM as South Asia CEO

    Sir Martin Sorrell says ta-ta to WPP, Roberto Quarta becomes exec chairman

    Has advertising finally begun to embrace AI?

  • Changing role of media agencies

    Changing role of media agencies

    2015 rang true with the anticipated digital growth and enthusiasm. 

    Mobile led and ‘download the app’ became an almost expected byline. Popular companies saw fit to do away with the very website that built their brand. And, the viewers that most marketers wanted to tap were multi-screen. Further, media measurement across the multi-screens and the rural customer became legitimate. Year-on-Year the only constant with media has been change, some more disruptive; but nonetheless – it’s change.

    With the changing role of today’s ‘Media Agency’ they can aptly be re-branded -‘Media Brand Smith.’

    Closely aligned to client, brand and their customer, the Brand Smith must blend brand ethos and objective in a compelling story using relevant prevailing media and technology. Drawing from ensuing trends, the Brand Smith must craft unique SMART business solutions – that resonate to the brand’s core, echoing it to its customer perception. A ‘meaningful’ solution will be all the better! The Brand Smith further needs to be unwaveringly consistent in this task. They need to be the brand, the agency, the expert and the customer all rolled into one for a full perspective.

    Media Agencies need to unlearn, learn, re-learn, adapt, collaborate and communicate in a way they have never done before within their own internal teams as well as external stakeholders to sprout ideas and talent, both latent and new. Integration is a tough word and matter does not integrate easily. Integration of people, tech, knowledge and skill on the foundation of an idea, takes time; so does the idea itself.

    The job is to be informed and inform, what to do and when, as well as what not to do. It is not about the razzle-dazzle of data, beacons, 3D printing, Augmented Reality, etc., or the immediate big ticket spend but a deeper articulation of the insights, the technology-devices details, its uses, the brand fit and campaign fit – for the long term.

    We live in exciting times with a flood of opportunities and technologies coming out like from a Pandora’s Box. Channelising this and helping clients navigate through a shifting-sands media-devices landscape to unleash its potential will not only win new customers, build engaging-entertaining content but more so create some memorable brand and client experiences!

    2016 is a year we wholeheartedly look forward to. Undoubtedly it will be interesting with some amazing work and of course a very challenging one.

    (These are purely personal views of Havas Media Group, India & South Asia CEO Anita Nayyar and Indiantelevision.com does not necessarily subscribe to these views.)