There will be huge emphasis on revenues in 2014: Vijay Xavier
The services for which clients pay for now will have to be provided for free. Only those agencies that go beyond the brief will survive, says the Principal Consultant & Executive VP, RK Swamy BBDO

Vijay Xavier heads the Chennai office of RK Swamy BBDO as Principal Consultant & Executive VP, where he handles brands such as Snickers and Pedigree Pet Foods. He has four decades of experience in the advertising industry.
In conversation with exchange4media’s Deepa Balasubramanian, Xavier shares pearls of wisdom from over 40 years in the advertising industry.
You have been in advertising for four decades now. How has your experience been?
When I entered the ad world, it was not a sought after profession at all. Later, with the entry of MNCs, people like us received the opportunity to survive, thrive and produce meritorious work. Of late, with the increase in internet penetration and 360 degree service, the scenario has changed completely. But completing 40 years in the advertising industry in 2013 is a great feeling.
How do you compare the work culture of agencies in the past with the present ones?
The advertising industry has significantly changed over the past few years. New agencies have mushroomed, especially mid-sized agencies that have been trying to make a mark in the market. The top agencies still are JWT, Lintas, O&M and McCann. Mudra is the only agency which came up later and has succeeded in the market. The departure of RK Swamy from JWT due to various reasons and forming of RK Swamy Associates, which later became RK Swamy BBDO, made it the only national agency which is headquartered in Chennai. Surviving in a market like Chennai is really difficult, though RK Swamy has been doing it very successfully.
What is your involvement in the day to day operations of the agency?
I work on protection of margins, find ways and means to add value to our clients to differentiate us from the competition, invest in intellectual work force that can engage clients productively and try to create outstanding work.
How important is digital marketing in today’s world?
Digital marketing is here to stay. Though it will not replace print or television for at least next 10 years, it will see significant growth in the advertising landscape. Social media again is very crucial for brands, because today the youth is always on the medium and looking for conversations to happen. Brands have to really explore this medium and make it effective.
What are the trends that you foresee in 2014?
There will be huge emphasis on revenues. Clients will become more and more demanding. The services for which clients pay for now will have to be provided for free. Only those agencies that go beyond the brief and provide value added services will survive. Knowledge upgrades will be essential in order to service clients. The ‘I-know-the-client-well’ approach will not work anymore, unless you deliver consistently.
What is the agency’s focus for 2014?
The focus will be on investing in people, revenue appreciation from existing clients, aggressive new business drive. We want to be rated as one of the best agencies that delivers full values to its clients and brings in healthy returns on their investment.
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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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