Quick five with JWT Mindset's Santha John

Agencies have to accept that it is not a 30-sec TV ad market anymore when building a client base, says the MD of JWT Mindset, who will assume the role of Chairman, Emeritus from Jan 1, 2014

e4m by Deepa Balasubramanian
Published: Dec 11, 2013 9:15 AM  | 3 min read
Quick five with JWT Mindset's Santha John

Santha John, Managing Director, JWT Mindset, Hyderabad established Mindset Advertising with Ram Gadela in 1998. In 2011, JWT acquired a majority of stake in Mindset Advertising and the agency was rechristened as JWT Mindset. During her advertising tenure, John helped launch not just AP’s first cellular company, but also the first International school in India.

As she assumes a new advisory role as Chairman, Emeritus, from January 1, 2014, John speaks to exchange4media on her approach to the new role, things to unlearn and the terrific talent in India

You will soon take on a new role. Your thoughts…
I am still a shareholder, apart from being the Chairman; hence, JWT Mindset will continue to be emotionally and professionally attached to me.

What are some of the things that agencies should keep in mind while building and developing the client base?
One thing that is most important in our business is to listen, listen and listen. To honestly put yourself in the clients shoes, especially while suggesting budgets, and have the courage to stick to retainers fees is critical. Many clients ask you to vouch for the outcome or ask you take a cut or bonus if it works. It’s a tough question to answer but if one is paid a retainer, then the recommendations at least cannot be from a self-serving motive.

On building and developing a client base, I would say that first of all accept that this is not 30-second TV commercial market, and then find out what you can do for the client. For example, we do below the line, internal and external communication, retention strategies, recruitment advertising, road shows, etc.

What is the contribution of JWT Mindset to the JWT India team?
The major point is that we have established a presence in Hyderabad, which no other MNC agency, barring one, has been able to achieve. The agencies have come and gone – the latest, I think, was Mudra, before that it was Everest, Ulka, Karishma, Rediffusion, and O&M. O&M had set up shop, downsized, enlarged, and downsized many times before finally closing shop. We were completely aware that as an organisation that has built up a huge reputation and connections, we could not contract and expand. That is what we have achieved and, in fact, Colvyn Harris has publicly appreciated us for this. 

Being in the creative field, what is your take on the talent available in India?
The talent in India is no doubt terrific. There is no difference between India and other countries. It’s just that we do not execute well, and that is because we don’t put the money behind it. Especially in markets such as Hyderabad, there are certain budgets that people are stuck with; while a budget of Rs 1 crore used to be very big earlier, now it Rs 10 crore seems to be the maximum. There seems to be almost a ceiling, regardless of what the media and production costs are. But if the client feels that every film needs to be done within Rs 20 lakh, then what can one do? Thus, while our execution is bad, our ideas are as good as anyone else’s. 

What are some of the things that you need to unlearn?
I need to learn to relax and enjoy my family life, apart from starting a new venture in Life Coaching. I have had the honour of undergoing training by one of the world’s top ten Life Coaches in London and this is continuing through Skype and periodical visits. 

 

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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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