Strategy planning is in our DNA: Tarun Rai on JWT celebrating 50 years
Rai, Bindu Sethi and Shaziya Khan of J. Walter Thompson on the brands’ humble beginnings and how the planning discipline came to evolve
Years ago, one classic agency showed the face of planning to the world. Ever since then, account planning has developed into a job function that exists not only within the advertising agencies but also in client marketing departments, direct marketing agencies, media independents et al.
Needless to say that J. Walter Thompson’s Stephen King is regarded as the undisputed father of account planning. So as JWT account planning basks in its 50th birthday, exchange4media spoke to Tarun Rai, CEO, J Walter Thompson South Asia; Bindu Sethi, chief strategy officer, J. Walter Thompson India; and Shaziya Khan, SVP & Executive Planning Director, JWT on the humble beginnings, how the planning discipline has come to evolve and what planning really means to them.
As Rai shows us the King’s papers handed over by the King himself, he reminisces, “When I joined the advertising industry at JWT (those days it was called HTA) in 1989, we were the only agency that had such an important role for the strategy planning function. You didn’t hear of any other agency talk about their planning function. For us, strategy planning was in our DNA.” He let out that the team had workshops to help them internalize the Thompson Way of producing great creative work that was rooted in consumer insights and focused on behaviour change, leading to business growth for the brand.
Sethi explains that planning not only plays an integral role in building brands but also in building categories. “Strong brands build strong categories. Brands start revolutions on how people choose to live, eat and love. They persuade consumers to find new behaviour and thought. If Kodak would have viewed the role it played in the lives of people rather than the product it sold, it would have found the eyes to reinvent itself,” she reasons. 
Khan decodes the secret for acing it all. “At the heart of planning is how do we build a business, category and brand? We convert the business challenge into a human challenge,” she shares. She cites instances of the diamond category. “India has always been a gold market. J. Walter Thompson, for many decades, created the advertising for the diamond category. It nurtured this category, in close partnership with the client, from something like number 20 in the world to close to the top 3,” she reveals.
Speaking about how the planning arena has revolutionized, Rai points out, “The function has evolved over the years as the environment and the consumer has changed dramatically. With the rapid change we have seen it is more important to understand how the consumer is reacting to this change. On the other hand, there is so much more data on the consumer that is available that a good grip on data analytics is increasingly becoming a core part of the planning function. He reveals that over the years other agencies realized the importance of this function started to devote attention to it and JWT helped by exporting some of our planning talent to other agencies.
Sethi feels that in the creative context a planner’s role is to suggest where creative needs to point the spotlight. “Planning cannot be, should not be seen as an insight provider to creative, that minimises planning and the planner. It is about inventive thinking. Planning in the modern age needs to reveal its own insights. Understand how the changes in the world are changing us as people. And what do ‘changed people’, who are both exhausted and exhilarated with technology, need to live rewarding lives,” she continues.
Khan shares that understanding big data is where planning plays a role. “However, it has to be done from a very human consumer lens. We see that at times people are cold to logic. They require empathy and warmth. It is not just about throwing logic but humanizing it,” she explains.
What is the way ahead as the agency reaches this milestone of 50 years, we ask Rai. He shares that they’re investing in people. “Already JWT has the largest team of planners in the country. And I want this number to double in the next twelve months. We are also diversifying the capability of the Planning function by getting digital and data analytics people into the planning team,” says the CEO with an air of finality.
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ShareSwapan 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."
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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.
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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.
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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
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“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.
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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.
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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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