India is a bright spot, but with one caveat, says IPG’s Steve Gatfield

Steve Gatfield will always be the name that was instrumental in the transition of the Lintas Group in India into a wholly-owned Interpublic Group (IPG) subsidiary. Many decisions that Gatfield has taken has changed the face of Lintas Group leadership. In an exclusive chat with exchange4media, Gatfield speaks on his decision to exit his role as Lowe Worldwide CEO, the role that he sees India play in the global media and advertising industry, and what can be expected from him in the days to come.

e4m by Noor Fathima Warsia
Published: May 11, 2009 7:52 AM  | 4 min read
India is a bright spot, but with one caveat, says IPG’s Steve Gatfield

The first thing that would strike anyone about Steve Gatfield, EVP, IPG, and outgoing CEO, Lowe Worldwide, is the differentiated perspective that he brings to any discussion. The case was not too different when exchange4media met up with Gatfield for a conversation on his decision to exit Lowe Worldwide as its CEO and what were his plans from here. The topic of discussion also included where India was positioned in the global advertising and media industry.

While Gatfield agreed with everyone else when he said that India was a bright spot in the overall picture, he also pointed out a “concern”, as he saw it. He said, “India is a very critical part of the future, but with one caveat, and this has been true of India for a while now. In all sense, the political risk in India is getting higher not lower, and what is happening in Pakistan has contributed to this. When you particularly look at the history of foreign multinational activities in the country, the political environment has played a key role on whether companies would invest millions of dollars in plants and infrastructures, and basically getting their businesses going there.”

He added, “In many respects, I really hope that India is able to carry on with the road of modernisation that has encouraged foreign direct investment. India is definitely a bright spot, but the political risks have certainly not diminished, so that would remain a key area of India’s place in the future.”

The Next Show

Gatfield’s approach to work is more on “project-basis”. The Lowe assignment, too, had begun as a three-year project, much like the Leo Burnett stint prior to that. He explained, “When I was given this assignment, the objective was to turn around Lowe, reorganise the organisation and put it on future growth, which is what I have done. If you look at the IPG financial analyses that we put out every quarter, you would see that in 2008, Lowe has returned to profit. So, I am handing the business in very good shape, which is showing strong growth and I am very pleased that India has been an important part of that.”

Speaking more on this project-wise approach towards work, Gatfield observed, “However brilliant a show you put on, it would end. The saddest thing you can ever do is to try and stretch it. The next day the excitement should be about the next show. That is the way I look at things. I am very proud of what we have been able to do with India, and I am very confident that we would be able to take it to greater heights. And there is also great value in getting minds and perspectives from newer people, who then put on their own show.”

The India duty continues

Gatfield informed that he would be staying involved as Chairman of the Lintas Group, probably for after the rest of the year. He said, “I have been involved in India for a long time, much before the Lowe days and I know India well. What is likely to happen is that I would handle the India mantle to the new CEO Global at a slightly different time than for the rest of the organisation.”

More than India, however, it is the changing face of the communication industry that has caught Gatfield’s attention right now. He elaborated, “My view is that we are at a tipping point in the industry – may be not in the developing markets as much as the developed markets, but certainly in the developed markets. We are seeing a much stronger than ever fusion of art and science, the future of data and technology, and it is giving us the ability to basically come closer to solving the issues of ‘50 per cent of advertising is wasted’ and all of those things. Such an opportunity comes once in a generation, and we are quite lucky to be here at a time like this. My next chapter is going to be about the organisation design that is best placed to capture all the things that are needed to create a very forward looking 23rd century communication plan.”

(Read the full interview with Steve Gatfield in this week’s issue of ‘impact’.)

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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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