As early as next year, the industry will see some signs of revival: Colvyn Harris
The CEO of South Asia, JWT talks about being a full service agency, accountability in advtg, adopting a frugal approach in spends, 2014 plans and more...

Colvyn Harris, who took charge as CEO South Asia (India, Srilanka and Nepal) JWT in September last year, took on added responsibilities for JWT’s Indian companies, including Contract Advertising, Hungama Digital Services, JWT Mindset and Encompass. It hasn’t been a quiet year to put it mildly, and the agency has been in the news for a variety of reasons.
In a free-wheeling chat, Harris talks about the reasons for not appointing a Chief Creative Officer, adopting a frugal approach in spends, retaining talent, and more…
How has the role of an agency evolved in a market that is not as exciting as it used to be?
Firstly, 2013 for India in its economic slowdown has been a terrible year. Our best estimates of what we would do this year are not going the way planned. Client after client at best is doing what they did last year; they are facing pressures on business to perform. India was the land of promise; global companies that had great expectations from India are wondering what is it that has changed about India. Our goal is to ensure our clients achieve their objectives in the best manner advertising can help.
How does JWT become a more effective and strategic partner to clients in times like this?
We definitely want to become more flat, more nimble, and as an agency ensure that we are able to rise to all these challenges.
What are the changes that have been made in order to do this?
What we get remunerated is under pressure. We have to deal with a revenue shortfall and we are more frugal in our spends. It means we are being careful as to how we recruit, the kind of monies we now offer, even how we approach increment and headcount. This does not mean we are not planning for the future; our 2014 plans are fully under way. The challenge we put on our own people is to ensure that the strategy and direction we have taken for our client’s brands is the right one. Things will change. As early as next year, we will see some signs of revival.
Given this scenario, has advertising now become more accountable?
We have always been more accountable; clients make us accountable but it has to be fair accountability.
When senior leadership within the agency leaves, does it worry you that clients will follow them because of a long relationship?
No. Great talent will attract clients, but clients come for a full service agency – an agency which can help them become a brand leader in the future. There is always somebody cheaper and there may always be someone better, but the consolidation of the best capabilities makes large agencies stay where they are. We continue to invest in strategy, digital, training and development. We have been looking out and acquiring companies; for example, JWT Mindset gives us geographical coverage to give local nuanced services. Hungama is by far the best digital company.
Are you looking for a Chief Creative Officer?
No, not at all. In each of our offices we could have 300 or 400 people. We are full service wherever we operate. In a full service, there is head of account management, there is an executive planning director and an executive creative director. For example, today we have 12 ECDS and one NCD in Delhi. From a client’s perspective, we are well staffed in all skill-sets that matter.
Our three NCDS – Tista (Sen), Senthil (Kumar) and Swati (Bhattacharya) – come together in our creative counsel called MOJO. They look at what we are doing, the quality, what we should be doing, great ideas that can be proactively sold to a client, etc. They are able to shortlist talent and good work that we have done and are able to identify work that we don’t like.
How does JWT retain talent in an industry rife with attrition?
In 2013, we haven’t had a talent issue. We have the lowest churn rate of talent. We benchmark for span of three to four years based on APAC parameters, location parameters, skill and discipline parameters. The churn is the most in the account management department in junior levels. In creative, the churn has gone down drastically. In planning, we are possibly the only agency that has 44 people.
Which is JWT’S best campaign in 2013, according to you?
Nike India's ‘Parallel Journeys’ film. It was also the most awarded.
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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