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Tag: Rohit Ohri

  • Being self-reliant means much more than just going vocal for local

    Being self-reliant means much more than just going vocal for local

    NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: A country must be self-reliant irrespective of a pandemic, TERI School of Advanced Studies vice-chancellor (Actg) Manipadma Datta told Indiantelevision.com while sharing with us his thoughts on the “Vocal for Local” initiative of the Indian government. He insisted that one can’t link the idea of self-reliance with just the promotion of local brands but the term has a far deeper connotation that one needs to understand, as a business, as a consumer, and also as a policymaker. 

    So what does the term self-reliance mean and how is it different from the idea of vocal for local?

    FCB India chairman CEO Rohit Ohri explains, “While it (vocal for local) puts a great focus on local brands, popularising them and making people (consumer) more conscious, I think, it also has to be balanced (for being self-reliant) because you need to be globally competitive as well. The ultimate goal is to support the economy, after all. On the one hand, you are inviting global companies to set up factories here and on the other hand, if you ask people to buy only locally, it comes out as a contradictory statement.”

    DAN India CEO Anand Bhadkamkar adds, “Self-reliant is very similar to the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. One of the major challenges we are facing due to Covid2019 is that there has been too much dependence on external factors. In my opinion, self-reliant is being self-sufficient, being able to fulfil our growth ambitions. It does not mean we are cutting out from other countries, but it means to be independent for our core requirements and be able to sustain on our own. The initiative does not suggest India be excluded from global trade but it is to be best at what we do and to excel against others.”

    Digitalkites SVP Amil Lall says, “When I am talking about the self-reliance perspective, which PM Modi also spoke about in his speech, it is about doing end-to-end things on your own. It basically means you are independent and you don’t need any external collaborators to partner. According to PM Modi India is a huge population with extremely talented people and why don’t we create a product on our own and start supplying it across the world. What India is today China was in the ’90s. For us to succeed we will need to collaborate, we will have to partner and take everybody along.”

    However, there are certainly other factors that the government needs to address, “As an industry, we need to have less bureaucratic intervention from the government, to have a hassle-free business environment and to have all possible financial aid coming their way. Financial web startups will need all kinds of support in case they fail. Just saying self-reliant is not going to help. How it will get implemented is critical.”

    Metro Shoes MD and CEO Farah Malik Bhanji is optimistic that the endeavour will help encourage Indian consumers to buy local brands. At the same time, she feels that more support is needed from the government end to address demand-side issues. “The government has announced multiple economic packages and loans, primarily to support MSMEs. Most of the incentives, however, seem to be on the supply side of things, and there are not many incentives to boost demand from consumers, especially as many of them may be looking at pay cuts.”

    “It is very important for the government and the industry to work closely to understand the requirements to resume normalcy and reduce the economic impact. It is essential to understand the support the footwear industry needs to survive and sustain through the pandemic and build consumer trust to resume sales. The industry itself is collaborating to present a clear view of the government in terms of what may be needed,” she adds. 

    Dineout co-founder and CEO Ankit Mehrotra further shares, “I think this is a great initiative by the government. As a business, Dineout is already selling its solutions to five other countries, and we are hoping to extend it more but we will need a lot more support from the government.”

    Elaborating how the move to become self-reliant will help the Indian economy at large, Bhadkamkar shares, “According to me, in the long-term, it will definitely benefit India, as we are a land of huge population and a young workforce; which will generate exponential demand within the Indian market, as we move forward from Covid2019. And thus, we will start delivering to the best of our capabilities within the country and out to the world as well. Additionally, there are also several international companies who are likely to bring their base to India because of likely developments in global alignments, infrastructure and facilities as per government’s plans. This will further boost the Indian economy in the long run. A strong economy and cordial economic relations will further avoid trade tussles with other countries.”

    Bhanji says, “Every crisis is succeeded by periods of growth. We are hopeful that the pandemic will also be controlled in time and all of us will witness a better tomorrow. The pandemic has made us realize the importance of being self-reliant and provides us with an opportunity to showcase our capabilities to the world, especially in terms of manufacturing. This will only help the economy grow. This will also open up opportunities for many companies to move their manufacturing to India and support the economy. At a time of such global change, there may be a chance of tussles, but a greater chance of forming better partnerships as well.” 

  • Industry hails eased lockdown restrictions, wants more from economic stimulus

    Industry hails eased lockdown restrictions, wants more from economic stimulus

    NEW DELHI: We are close to completing two months of the ongoing nationwide lockdown, instigated by the fatal global pandemic COVID2019, living through extraordinary times, adjusting to newer ways of working, and dealing with newer ways of living. Many businesses have faced unimaginable loss, with giants like Ola, Uber, Swiggy, amongst others, laying off employees in mass numbers, and brands like Cream Bell shutting down. Small-scale businesses, be it brands running the shop on Instagram, or independent agencies, everyone has faced dire consequences.

    Amidst all this, the Indian government announced the fourth phase of the lockdown a few days back, with a lot of relaxations (depending on a state-to-state basis), and also introduced an economic stimulus package to help the businesses, especially the MSMEs, getting back on their feet, laying a foundation for ‘Aatmnirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).

    The advertising industry’s reaction to these announcements has been lukewarm. While most of them seem to be content with the new lockdown guidelines, they had higher expectations with the economic stimulus than served.

    Reacting to the new lockdown guidelines, Havas Group CEO Rana Barua noted that it is very early to comment “as there are way too many mixed reactions from the industry. So, we will have to wait for a few more weeks to understand the implications.”

    FCB India group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said, “India is a densely populated country and it is wiser to remove the lockdown in a phased manner. The government, I feel, is doing a great job at it.”

    Madison Media chief analytics officer Nagaraj Krishnamurthy also lauded the government intervention in the matter. “The new lockdown guidelines try to balance life and livelihood. State governments have been given more power to decide on implementation.  This is a welcome step as local government will be a lot more informed on the ground reality. Ideally, we may have wanted all restrictions removed so that crowd immunity gets developed. However, such a broad stroke easing of restrictions may not be practically possible.”

    Dentsu One president Harjot Singh Narang feels that the current situation is much like watching a cricket match as things are happening in real-time and everyone is reacting according to the evolving situations in ways they think is the best.

    He said, “(The steps) are being subjected to a billion viewers with multibillion views on what is being done and what more could be done differently. I strongly feel that at times of crisis like this, we need to let the frontline response team do its work and do our best to help them in any way possible. There will always be views (personal and public) on what more could be done for the economy, the migrant, the underprivileged, etc…. but for now I feel we are clearly looking to open up slowly and cautiously. Is it “too cautious” or “too early”, that only time will tell.”

    The new economic stimulus, while great for the businesses, doesn’t hold much ground when it comes to helping to deal with the demand-side problems that India has been facing.

    While Barua preferred to reserve his comments on the economic package for the time being, Krishnamurthy noted, “There have been very good announcements with regard to reforms. The government has used a crisis to unleash difficult reforms in holy cow sectors like agriculture and defence. Rural demand which was subdued will now improve. This will lead to lagged uplift in demand. However, in the strict meaning of stimulus which is a capital infusion, it is a tad disappointing. There is no sector-specific monetary stimulus for very badly hit sectors like retail, media, hospitality etc.”

    He added that it is very much possible that the government will come up with one more round of monetary stimulus once the lockdown ends and people get back to work. “A true picture of demand will then emerge and the government can intervene to ease the pain faced by badly impacted sectors.”

    Narang agreed to Krishnamurthy that the stimulus will help the business but there is a 50:50 chance of demands improving early. “If I try to put myself in the decision maker’s shoes – as of now the thinking behind the stimulus package seems to be – over-index and create more liquidity for businesses so they can pass it on to people as wages, profits etc, and that should increase demand overall. Additionally, push in big-ticket reforms to oil the business machinery and enable it to run faster and better thereby attracting large foreign businesses to set up production facilities in our country and keep the wheels of growth turning.”

    “Sounds good in theory but the problem is that any thinking on supply-led growth is bound to take a long time as the economic multiplier kicks in and gets demand grows. Given the suffering around us and the sentiment that has fallen sharply ever since 2019 and now the complete nosedive of 2020, this time span could be even longer. This situation could jeopardise the whole theoretical possibility of it working. However, if the reforms kick in quickly and we do get to become a producer-led economy for large business investments, then even though we will go through a painful period for some time the recovery could be more robust and sustainable than a simple consumption-led growth model that we seem to have until 2018.” he added.

    Both Narang and Ohri said that it would have been better if the government had put money directly in consumer’s hands.

    Ohri suggested relief in taxes to support the dwindling spending power. Narang said, “I would look to put money in people’s hands directly as much as possible through tax reductions and direct transfers to the underprivileged but am not sure on how much the current coffers of the government could support this and how much of it could become just a short-term measure to alleviate pain without a mid- to long-term strategy to kick in long-term restructuring and growth that truly reduces inequality all around.”

  • Great ideas can never be locked down: FCB India’s Rohit Ohri

    Great ideas can never be locked down: FCB India’s Rohit Ohri

    From JWT to Dentsu to FCB India, that’s how the career pans out for FCB India group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri. Within a year of joining FCB India, he had bagged the title of ‘One of India’s Most Trusted CEOs of 2017’.

    FCB India also has an array of offerings to meet the end to end communication needs of its clients – two creative agencies –  FCB Ulka and FCB Interface, Lodestar UM – media planning and buying, FCB Digital, FCB Healthcare, FCB Cogito Consulting for brand consulting, FCB Asterii for analytics, FCB Aquila for activation and FCB Neon brand PR and FCB FuelContent.

    Having managed advertising communications for  top brands such as Amul, Tata, Indian Oil, Hamdard, Horlicks, etc., over the years, FCB  India  has grown to become one of the top fully integrated marketing communications companies. Recently, the company also had 38 shortlists at The One Show 2020.

    With close to three decades of experience, Ohri has been able to catapult brands into fame and the vision stays the same even during the ongoing lockdown. Indiantelevision.com’s Shikha Singh spoke to Ohri to understand how the lockdown has prevailed for him and the company, being creative during a pandemic, his top learnings from the lockdown and the future of the sector. 

    Edited excerpts: 

    You are heading a group which has three agencies under its umbrella. How is each of them faring in the thick of this crisis? Could you and how did you prepare them for this before the lockdown?  

    One of the things that we did was to go into the work-from-home mode a week before it was mandated by the government. Because of that what we managed to do was get our systems in place. So, all the staff got trained on technology platforms like Zoom and Microsoft to stay connected. We started a 24/7 IT helpline to address our employee’s queries.

    What are you doing with the projects which were already underway?

    A number of projects had to change because the environment has changed so dramatically. Many industries have had to shut down their manufacturing facilities. But our 600+ factories are working night and day manufacturing ideas that build our brands and our clients’ businesses even in these hard times. Great ideas can never be locked down. That’s why we’ve launched an initiative branded – ‘Ideas Unlocked’.  We believe these ideas will help our clients’ brands unlock new, meaningful and authentic connections with their consumers.

    How are things panning out with each of them now that we are more than a month into lockdown? Have clients kept you busy?

    We have a global EXCOM every week. I’m doing meetings with my board every week as well. Every fortnight, I’m doing town halls with all employees. The CEOs and office heads are doing weekly and daily meetings with their teams. So, the workflow is very carefully planned for each day and everybody is reporting at the end of the day as to what they managed to finish that day. For the wellbeing of our employees, we are offering them classes to upgrade themselves and their skills, especially in the digital space. We are heavily emphasizing on L&D, where we offer our employees with a list of courses they could undertake from various organisations. We are also doing a talent showcase where an employee from our office comes on Instagram to share their talent with the FCB family. We have partnered with Doctor 24×7, an app-based service which provides our employees with the opportunity to speak with doctors and health specialists across the country at any time.

    Have summer product launches died down because of Covid2019? 

    A number of product launches which were expected in May and June have got pushed. We have partnered with XP&D and BE.Live to launch a digital platform that can be used by brands for engagement and launches. Effectively moving offline experiences online.

    Does that mean the summer boom time quarter is going to be a washout? What are you doing to plug the gap?

    We are doing a lot, in terms of delivering to our clients and brands. But obviously, Q2 will be negatively impacted. However, we believe that brands should not lose their voice in times of crisis. Brands may need to pivot on their core promise and create new relevance for themselves.

    Consumers are walking through a long dark Covid2019 tunnel. Brands can either wait for the light at the end of that tunnel or light up that tunnel for consumers. We believe brands need to walk by the side of their consumers during this time of need.

    What did the first few days teach you and your teams about your business? How have senior management and other employees responded? 

    Till this SarsCov2 crisis came upon us, we did not have an official WFH policy. Honestly, I was not a believer. I didn’t think we could be effective in working from home. We have a very young talent in our agency and I thought they would get distracted and in the process not be able to work at optimum levels. Fortunately, I’ve been proven completely wrong. The kind of dedication that everybody is showing in this WFH situation is amazing! All the meetings are happening on time and are super productive.

    This, in my opinion, will be a big reboot in the ways-of-working of the advertising industry. It is actually a fantastic experience.

    What inputs have the senior management given to you? 

    I am part of the FCB Global Executive Committee. At the EXCOM, we share experiences and learnings; truly invaluable learning at this point of time. This current crisis has no playbook. Understanding what’s happening around the world and how people are coping in the current times is helping each one of us create our own playbooks.

    Has the lockdown helped show up manpower flab where we earlier could not see it or chose to ignore it? Will we see a total freeze on hiring and will we see layoffs and salary cuts in this industry?

    How organisations behave in times of crisis will determine how they will fare in the post-crisis-world. I believe companies cannot shrink themselves to greatness. In the advertising industry, people are our only assets. If an agency is looking to bounce back strongly from a crisis, it will need a highly motivated and talented team.

    Layoffs and furloughs of employees to protect company profitability are self-inflicted wounds. Wounds that can turn grievous in the post-crisis period. Undoubtedly, cost-cutting measures in this period are critical and companies need to axe all non-productive costs.  

    Is the ad industry going to de-grow 10-20 per cent in 2020?  

    There are talks about the global economy shrinking. India’s GDP has been projected to come down to zero. It is not just the ad industry, but every industry is suffering. That is the most unfortunate outcome of the recession. Pundits are forecasting that it’s going to take us till 2022 to come back to the 2019 level. What exactly is going to be the percentage of de-growth is very hard to say. It all depends on how soon we come out of this crisis and what economy-boosting measures the government introduces. If we come out of this quickly and there are enough incentives and economic packages by the government to help the industry come back on their feet, then we could be restricted to between 10 to 20 per cent of de-growth over 2019. But if the lockdown continues till June, there will be severe economic repercussions.

    What steps could you take to get the network you head back into the fast growth lane?

    The most important thing is that we are preparing for the new normal. We will definitely have a pre-covid and a post-covid era going forward. So, AC, i.e., after covid, is really going to be a whole different world.  If we really want to kickstart our business and quickly move into a recovery phase we need to help clients connect with their consumers in the new normal. We are currently doing large-scale research which will map consumer behaviour changes among consumers in the entire pre-covid and post-covid phase. With these findings, we are looking to advise clients about the big consumer shifts that may happen in different categories. This will, hopefully, enable them to create new relevance for their brands.

    Further, our partnership with XP&D and Be.Live will help brands take offline experiences online. We feel that after the lockdown is over, offline experiences will be very few and far between. We now have the capability to execute large brand launches, dealer meets and employee meets etc., online.

    We’ve also just launched Retail: DAY 1. This is a partnership with Networkbay and will enable us to reimagine retail experiences for brands.

    Now that TV has revived aggressively, has your faith in the medium strengthened?

    Television is and will always be a powerful medium. Audio-visual today is not restricted to the TV screen. Mobile is the new entertainment screen.

    The print medium is, unfortunately, facing some crippling challenges. Unfortunately, a majority of the people have stopped taking newspapers. This was a golden opportunity for the print medium to reinvent itself. Newspapers have gone online. The problem is that the online version is a replica of the offline version. And on the phone, it’s really hard to read. The format needed to be recast for the mobile screen. It is similar to running a television film online.  Being adaptive will perhaps be the most critical skill needed for survival in the new post-covid world.

  • Retail sector requires new paradigm for consumer-brand interaction

    Retail sector requires new paradigm for consumer-brand interaction

    MUMBAI: Retailers around the globe recognise that the outbreak of COVID-19 will have a significant impact on their business.

    Sensing this need, FCB, India in collaboration with Networkbay, announced launched ‘Retail: Day 1,’ an initiative to work with brands and retailers to ‘manage, redefine and transform’ their retail experiences in the post-COVID era.

    Everyone is looking at the new normal that will arrive as soon as the lockdown gets lifted. After doing an extensive research on consumer behaviour, FCB India has found that the biggest change will be witnessed by the retail sector. The challenge before every brand is to create a new paradigm in which consumers would interact with brands in the retail space.

    FCB India and Networkbay will identify a measured careful contact approach and how consumers would react to this new reality.

    FCB India group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said: “The reason for the partnership is to understand the change as to how we can prepare our clients to adapt quickly to this new world. From the FCB point of view, we are bringing the understanding of consumer behaviour and big changes that we see going forward. At the same time, Networkbay will bring its sense, capability, understanding and technology related to the retail industry."

    Networkbay co-founder Hozefa Attari added: “There is no direct answer to what the retail sector is going to look like. Our idea is to create a retail environment that is safe and future-ready and at the same time answers to the very human need of shopping. We are doing this by combining the strengths of some of the best technology brands you see globally.”

    FCB has a strong foothold in the automotive space. Dealers were already struggling in the pre-COVID era and Hozefa believes that this industry has a large potential to change the overall consumer experience. They are coming up with automotive visualisation wherein one can create experiences right out of test driving on a roadway. Consumers can also use augmented reality to familiarise with the car.

    Another industry which will be hugely impacted is the cosmetic sector where samplers and freebies have always been part of a retail experience. But looking at the situation people will be hesitant to test products now. To enable the contactless makeup journey, Networkbay has come up with a solution where consumers can choose the product which is perfectly calibrated with their skin tones.

    A large number of departmental stores and apparel brands are now going to see that consumers are hesitant to pick up clothes and try them in the fitting room. The firm will provide a virtual tour of the store and help consumers choose the clothes of their interest.

    Even essential services are impacted, because even after the lockdown is lifted, consumers will look at safe ways to pick a product. So, Networkbay provides an option where instead of picking every product, consumers can have augmented reality product explainers.

    According to Hozefa, contactless is just an initial learning but what they really want to see after six months is transformable retail experiences which will connect the brands and connect the shoppers and is still a safe and strong experience.

    According to Ohri and Hozefa, clients are more than open for digital solutions because they no longer like to keep physical experience and add a certain level of technology. But they are looking at solutions that can generate a lot of ROI. Investment in digital gives tremendous immediate returns.

    “Today we are getting products that we never bought online. If you are doing this for a period of two months you are building a habit; you don’t have a choice. Very few people are stepping out to purchase anything and most products are delivered online. So we created a technology which is simple and accessible,” he said.

    According to Ohri, behavioural changes occur when a big event creates disruption. For instance, demonetisation changed the behaviour of transactions for consumers. A lot of people who never used ATM or online transfers or portals like Paytm started using it. So, once the cash flow was back, online transactions wouldn't have become zero. This change has been a transformation for India. It is pretty much like how COVID-19 has affected people.

  • FCB India in partnership with Networkbay launches ‘Retail: Day 1’

    FCB India in partnership with Networkbay launches ‘Retail: Day 1’

    MUMBAI: FCB India in collaboration with Networkbay today announced the launch of ‘Retail: Day 1’ a special initiative to work with brands and retailers to ‘manage, redefine and transform’ their retail experiences in the post-COVID era.

    It’s time, we adapt to the new normal, unlearn the old formulas, redefine the business of brands and brand communication with the evolving consumption pattern. The launch of ‘Retail: Day 1’ therefore beckons the first day of contactless retail experience. Through this collaboration FCB India and Networkbay will work with brands and retailers to quickly adapt to this new scenario. By leveraging digital tools and spatial design innovation, ‘Retail: Day 1’ is aimed at creating enhanced new retail virtual experiences which are engaging and at the same time fulfilling business requirements of conversion and sales for brands.

    Follow Tellychakkar for the consumer facing news & entertainment.

    A recent survey by National Retail Federation (NRF) deduced:

    ·         Nine in 10 consumers have changed their traditional shopping habits

    ·         More than 50 per cent  of consumers have ordered products online that they would normally purchase at the store

    ·         Nearly six in 10 consumers say they are worried about going to the store due to fear of being infected

    Some of these changes would be temporary while others will be permanent. As the community moves beyond the survival mode, the digital-adoption momentum is likely to carry forward and become permanent. As a matter of fact, consumer behaviour will be dependent on two factors – the reluctance to mingle in crowded public places and higher propensity for digital adoption. While the survey by NRF represents finding in America, but the human sentiments resonate with the changing behaviour across the globe.

    A study by Deloitte published on 30 March 2020 shared an outlook on the retail industry with the emphasis on changing behaviour.

    ·         Non-contact demand during the pandemic is expected to boost sales at smaller stores that can host smaller crowds at a time. However, supermarket chains have ensured supply of products at regular prices

    ·         Due to the pandemic‘s impact on consumer behaviour and habits, “online-sales” are expected to witness a significant surge, even after the industry recovers

    ·         The establishment of online platforms is expected to become indispensable for offline stores, and online–offline service integration is expected to increase

    A Nielsen study unveiled in March 2020 looked at the retail purchase in traditional, modern and e-commerce channels, and evaluated consumer attitudes. It tracked this behaviour for several weeks from the time the disease first surfaced in India till the country went under a lockdown. First, it observes an increase in consumer interest in health and hygiene products, leading to purchase of safety items such as hand sanitizers and face masks. As the disease spread, consumers started stockpiling their pantry with shelf-stable food and broader assortment of health and safety products. Store visits went up and the basket size expanded. The quarantine stage, followed by restrictive living, led to a rise in online shopping, fewer store visits, purchase of essential goods.

    A story published by Mint gave a deep dive into the auto sector, ‘Executives at automobile companies said their mass market cars may see a spike in sales in a post covid-19 scenario. They argue that customers will shun shared cabs and public transport as the fear of the disease, a global pandemic that has killed thousands, lingers. Some car companies are expecting their affordable hatchbacks to do well as the middle-class consumer puts hygiene and safety above all else.’- Source Mint newspaper dated 2 April 2020

    The recent McKinsey study in China suggests, consumers are likely to opt for online shopping even after the outbreak ends, especially for categories such as groceries and personal care. This trend is likely to continue long after the lockdowns are called off as people would still be apprehensive to visit crowded areas like malls or supermarkets.

    The aforesaid data and research excerpts imply that it is time for contactless retail experience for brands and it is here to stay. Even after the lockdown is lifted, consumers will still be apprehensive about stepping out and visiting stores. The footfall would be very low. China is a precedent for this consumer behaviour pattern. With the emergence of the online platforms that empower the consumer whilst ensuring their safety, engagement will be driven more on the basis of the ‘experiential’ rather than ‘material’. The post-covid retail environment will surely be a default online retail preference. And with the launch of ‘Retail Day: 1’, we announce our day one at the new normal, as we adapt to the new game.

    Speaking on current challenges, FCB India  group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said, “This lockdown period will change our world forever. When we emerge on the other side of this crisis, retail experiences will be redefined. Our research shows that shopper behaviour will dramatically change. Even though retail stores may be open, customers who shop there will not engage with the stores as they used to. Retail needs to urgently reinvent itself for the post-COVID world. We’re hoping that our Retail Day 1 initiative, we are able to help our clients rapidly build back their business.”

    Adding, Networkbay co-founder Hozefa Attari said, “Our platform combines the strengths of some of the leading retail design, technology and service brands to develop every retailer’s Store of the Future. Project ‘Retail: Day 1’ will allow us to work closely with FCB, taking advantage of their deep expertise in brand and customer behaviour, to develop radical customer journeys, be it contactless automotive dealerships, virtual stores or even connected packaging and Augmented Reality.” 

  • Vikas Parihar joins FCB India as president – digital integration

    MUMBAI: In a significant development to up FCB India’s digital game, the group appointed Vikas Parihar as President – Digital Integration. In his role, Vikas will be driving digital transformation & business, partnering individual CEOs, implementing global digital practices and providing strategic leadership for digital integration, paving the digital roadway for FCB India.

    Vikas will be based out of the Mumbai office, reporting to Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman & CEO, FCB India.

    With a rich experience, spanning over a decade, Vikas has lead digital business and marketing for OgilvyOne Africa, Havas Worldwide India, MagnonTBWA, Internet Moguls, Sofitel Luxury Hotels and Resorts India, Hinduja Interactive and Hotel Leela Venture Limited.

    His experience ranges across numerous sectors including FMCG, Technology, Healthcare, Travel and Hospitality, Social Development, eCommerce, Consumer Durables and Electronics. He has lent his expertise to various brands, such as, Airtel Africa, Coca-Cola, Standard Chartered Bank, Care India, HCL Healthcare, Huawei, Microsoft Lumia, Jindal Steel and Power, Mercedes Benz India, UTV, Toshiba, Diakin, Turkey Tourism, TATA AIG and many more.

    Vikas comes with a unique combination of skills from a passion for business and numbers to strategy and creative to data and technology.

    Commenting on the appointment, Ohri said, “FCB India has embarked on a cultural transformation journey fifteen months ago. Digital transformation is the key part of this cultural transformation. I’m delighted to have Vikas on board to lead the digital transformation of FCB India. Our vision is to be a truly integrated ideas company. With his vast experience, Vikas will be a great partner to me and in making this happen for FCB India.”

    Speaking on his new role, Vikas said, “In today’s connected world, we need a creative agency which brings together big ideas, technology and data. These ingredients are key to create compelling and engaging personal experiences that help win more customers and make them more valuable; and this is what I look forward to at FCB India”.

  • FCB Ulka launches Bushfire for startups

    MUMBAI: FCB Ulka, a leading, fully integrated marketing communications agency today announced the launch of their highly-hybridized service Bushfire, a one stop shop for start-ups.

    With the emergence of start-ups, there cropped up the need of a specialized agency model to comply to their needs. Since these set- ups require select services, the need to break the conventional organization structures complimented with agility formed the premise of the prototype – Bushfire. epic shit. without bullshit.

    Bushfire is new kind of marketing and communications agency that is equipped to provide start-ups with all the services they would require in a menu format. It’s as simple as ordering food, off the menu! The model of typical start-ups defies structure and to serve the start-ups best, so do we! The Bushfire team includes handpicked multi-talented professionals who approach the task with fluidity- serving the need of the hour; to flit in and out of multiple diverse tasks seamlessly, across departments ranging from art, crafting, planning, film making and execution without the conventional shackles of three vendor quotes or the likes akin the ‘Shapeshifters’.

    Commenting on the launch, Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman and CEO of FCB India, said, “Startups are looking for ways to prove traction to investors and are generally operating on borrowed capital with a short runway – time is always of the essence and results are imperative for their survival. They are looking for an agency with a different mindset.”

    “At Bushfire, we’re creating a ‘maker movement’. We’ve built a team with a ‘maker’ mindset – deeply hybridized and capable of partnering start-ups in the building of a product or service, a business and a brand. And when you add speed and great ROI to that, you have a truly unbeatable proposition” Rohit added.

    Surjo Dutt, NCD, FCB Ulka, doubles up as the NCD for Bushfire and will be closely working with Romit Nair, Creative Head, Bushfire. In his role, Romit Nair will report to Surjo Dutt.

    Bushfire’s CRM division which continue to be managed by Satish Ramachandran.

    Commenting on the launch, Surjo Dutt, National Creative Director, FCB Ulka and Bushfire says, “While the re-energised and rebooted FCB ULKA charges forward with its agenda for clutter breaking, market moving work on its massive brands, the need for another offering with a different set of objectives and offerings has become more and more apparent. Which is why Bushfire. A small, agile, multi-skilled and deeply hybridized team of creative strategists, put together to partner startups primarily and clients looking for mould breaking solutions as projects, secondarily.”

    He added, “A team of writers, art directors, audio visual content creators and creative strategists who think, create and produce EPIC brand solutions tailored specifically to startup and project needs. Bushfire is lean, mean, hungry and game ready. With fire in our bellies and passion in our pens we want to create epic shit, without bullshit.”

    The operations for Bushfire are running full throttle with some recent business and project wins.