Full service agency model only effective working way in future: Rana Barua
Barua, who quit as CLA CEO in June, on his immediate plans, his current favourite ad campaign, the agency space and if there lies an actual value for award shows in advertising

From bringing in new clients and awards to growing the agency business, ad-man Rana Barua has worked as CEO with the likes of Contract India, Creativeland Asia, Law & Kenneth, among others and helped them accelerate growth and creativity. Renowned agencies such as Ogilvy & Mather, Rediffusion Y&R, McCann and Bates also feature in his work experience. He quit CLA as CEO in June. In a free-wheeling chat with exchange4media, Barua speaks about the agency space, if there lies an actual value for award shows in advertising and more. Edited excerpts:
After CLA, what's on the cards? Would you rather prefer joining an agency or starting something of your own?
I am in the midst of weighing multiple scenarios and should be able to firm up next plans, soon.
You’ve worked with diverse agencies right from HTA (JWT), Ogilvy, McCann, Y&R to Contract. Do you feel that standalone agencies are better at fostering creativity?
Having worked in both standalone and integrated environments, I do feel that standalone agencies have their limitations. While they enhance the creative product, the overall business potential is very restrictive, as one is working in a uni-dimensional funnel in a world which is working in a dynamic and multi-dimensional way.
Out of all your advertising stints, which has been the most challenging one?
It would be fair to say that the Contract stint was the most exciting. I say this because under my leadership, we restaged brand Contract in a very short time and iContract became a major digital force to reckon with. Collectively, Contract and all its divisions, punched way above its weight and expectations, resulting in many client wins, awards and accolades.
The professional environment for advertising agencies has changed dramatically in recent decades- pressure from the market, pressure from clients to be efficient, new forms of advertising. If you compare the way you work today to the advertising business when you started off, what has changed?
The world has changed and so have the Consumers along with their media consumption habits. It’s neither pressure nor is it new forms but simply put, the environment, mediums and our overall lives that have changed due to the advent of technology. We are in the business of ideas, which will always remain the fundamental of our business, and that will never change.
Also how have client budgets at a craft level been?
Clients are well aware and very objective in their approach. Advertising was and remains a very serious and significant portion of their marketing mix and budgets are thus a resultant of the mar-keting objective.
What are your thoughts on the full-service agency model? Do you see it making a comeback?
I totally believe and advocate a full service agency model. It is a huge differentiator with all the necessary division expertise and can be a strength for any agency or ecosystem that can demonstrate effective working together of the same.
As per my belief, the full service agency model is going to be the only effective working way, as we move ahead.
Which was creatively the most gratifying ad campaign you have worked on in your career? Also which is your current favourite ad campaign?
In Contract, the team had created a memorable campaign for TATA Docomo - Bhalai ke Supply. It was gratifying as it broke through clutter, won many accolades, awards and also created many fabulous conversations for the brand and for Contract.
Current campaign, I really like the Swiggy work. They are short, smart and fabulously deliver the essence and advantage of Swiggy.
Do you feel that there lies an actual value in award shows for advertising?
Absolutely. We are in a business of creativity and awards is a way of recognising and applauding the idea, craft, thought. It is a must for our industry and any other which is similar (Music, Movies, etc).
Finally, awards should be coveted and revered. We cannot have an award ceremony every other week!
Is talent retention an issue in the agency space?
It is the same as any other industry. With newer forms of professional gratification and mushrooming of new careers, it is bound to happen. The positive bit about our industry is, we will never have a dearth of talent as ours is a business of ideas, creative and myriad of challenges that will keep attracting smarter and brighter talent.
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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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