I'm going to do what my father started—focus on the education sector and give back to society: T Venkat Vardhan, MD, DNA Networks

Vardhan speaks to exchange4media about his tenure at DNA Networks, his expectations from the company post his retirement this year, and more

e4m by Akshata R Murthy
Published: Apr 27, 2017 7:48 AM  | 4 min read
 I'm going to do what my father started—focus on the education sector and give back to society: T Venkat Vardhan, MD, DNA Networks

T Venkat Vardhan, Founder and Managing Director of Diversified New Activity Entertainment Network (also known as DNA Networks), has spent about three decades of his life in the event management industry, and is now planning to retire and be a mentor and guide his colleagues at DNA Networks to continue creating dream-come-true performances and shows in India. DNA Networks, well known for having brought popular international talent to India, originated as a result of Vardhan’s passion towards doing something different and big in the field of advertising.

Edited excerpts from a conversation with T Venkat Vardhan on his years at DNA Networks, his expectations from the company post his retirement this year, and more:

Q. With a family comprising individuals such as Kengal Hanumanthaiah and Dr. T Thimmaiah who were visionaries in the field of politics and education, respectively, what made you choose event management?

Actually, I was studying Mechanical Engineering, which I got because I played badminton for the State. Back then, you either got a medical seat or an engineering seat; these were the only two choices. However, engineering didn’t really catch my attention. And at that time, advertising was just about growing. So, I thought about trying to do something in that field. When I approached my dad with this thought, he said, “Do what you think you’re capable of”. That’s where the journey started.

Q. You’ve brought legendary artists such as Aerosmith, Iron Maiden, Rolling Stones, Metallica, Shakira, andmore, to India. How did you manage to get such big artists to the Indian shoresfor the very first time?

When I was doing business with the UB group with Vittal Mallya at its helm, I bumped into Vijay Mallya. He gave me the idea of bringing MTV to the Indian audience. This led me to network with the music spectrum in the US, which got me thinking about inviting international artists to India. We obtained exclusive rights for MTV Top 20 countdown in 1986 for a period of two years. Back then, the sole television channel that ran across all the television sets in the nation was Doordarshan. However, I think the time was right as people who were into this at that age were a bit senior to me. And they all grew in the international music industry; they are now heading various talent companies.

Coming from the kind of family that I have, it helped me establish trustworthy relationships with these people. We had our first big show with the band Europe in 1988 in Mumbai. Some artists such as Bryan Adams were catalysts in making this happen. Then during the World Cup, Vengaboys had broken out in a very big way. With the help of Pepsi’s sponsorship, that happened. Then Ricky Martin became a sensation at that time in the US. That helped because they were subsidizing and sponsoring the events that I was doing here. All of that helped in establishing a foundation, and from then on, we were able to get the artists for conducting shows here.

Q. Amongst your various accomplishments, which one was a true milestone?

The concert that we organized for Yanni at the Taj Mahal was a milestone. The Metallica concert was also a great accomplishment. Sting and Mark Knopfler were also turning points for us.

Q. After the Metallica concert got cancelled, there were widespread news as well as rumours across media. Tell us about the struggle that you had to face post that.

The media spoke a lot about the Metallica concert being cancelled due to the issue of barricades. But you did not see our company speak anything about it. We had to deliver a show here in Bengaluru and we had to ensure that it happens. It was scheduled the very next day and that is exactly what we did. We were not only able to salvage our reputation but also show everyone that we were not at fault. We were not ready to do something that would bring more media attention in a negative way. So, we let it be and continued doing what we normally do. That’s how we were able to overcome that crisis.

Q. What are your plans for the live entertainment and event management industry? 

I am planning to retire next. I will be there as a mentor to this company but not on the executive team. I am going to do what my father had started—focus on the education sector and give back to the society.

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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

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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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'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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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 by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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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

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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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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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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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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