Where is the advertising industry looking for fresh talent?

With a dearth of talent in the industry and the advertising agencies’ inability to match salaries that graduates of top B-Schools are being offered by MNCs, where do agencies harvest fresh talent? e4m takes a look at the fresh hunting grounds for advertising agencies.

e4m by Tuhina Anand
Published: Jul 24, 2006 6:49 AM  | 3 min read
Where is the advertising industry looking for fresh talent?

There have been enough talks on the dearth of talent that the advertising agencies are facing today. Taking the premise that it is difficult to get the desired workforce that agencies would want on their board, there has to be an alternative hunting ground to recruit people. Crunch or no crunch, recruitment is an ongoing process that agencies can’t duck.

Ashutosh Khanna, Chief Operating Officer, Grey Worldwide, considers this as a pressing issue because agencies today can’t match the fat pay cheques that MNCs offer to ace B-School graduates. Unable to give competitive and comparable salaries, what options do agencies have?

Khanna informs, “We have stopped going to management schools and have started exploring other alternatives. We have started going to the IITs and other premier institutes in a big way. In fact, this year, we went to St Stephens college (in New Delhi) and we got very encouraging results. Enthused by the response, next year we are planning to go to more colleges such as Xavier’s and Presidency in Kolkata.

Rohit Ohri, Senior V-P, JWT, gives his take on this. “True, the best of talent is no longer being lured by advertising. We have moved on to hiring from MICA and non-IIMs,” he says.

Santosh Desai, President, McCann-Erickson, India, who himself is a postgraduate from IIM Ahmedabad, is clearly disappointed by the churn-out that happens at the entry level. McCann has now started looking for talent across communication schools and second rung management schools, which Desai calls “a decent lot”.

He also feels that at the entry level people are not too sure if they want to remain in advertising hence, they too are experimenting. For him the quality of talent is only determined if a person stays in the industry for at least two years and gains some kind of experience in the industry. While hiring, Desai looks at two essential qualities – overall curiosity for their surrounding and an instinct to understand.

According to Amar Wadhwa, VP, Strategic Planning, Publicis India, “All of us today are experimenting with different models and trying to come up with right answers to tackle this issue. Some 12 years back, all the top level people came from premier MBA institutes, then there was a phase where graduates from Symbiosis, Narsee Monjee and IIMC were joining in droves.”

He adds, “Today, the scenario is such that MICA, which gave some of the best advertising professionals, is even shying away from the industry. Now we have to look at direct recruits from colleges and mass communication institutes.”

McCann’s Desai, however, is categorical that the agency is not keen to recruit students who are fresh out of college. His reasoning being that in today’s day and age a college degree offers a short-lived career opportunity, with people themselves wanting to pursue higher studies quit their jobs after a short stint.

There is also the issue of lack of structured HR policies that prevent many talented people from joining advertising agencies. The agencies need to package themselves attractively as there is a sea change from how advertising was ‘the’ thing to go for while looking for an unconventional profession. Today, with options galore in media, films, the Internet and other related fields, there is no dearth of lucrative openings for such aspirants.

A possible solution to this situation could be of an industry level initiative to come up with an academy for advertising professionals more on the lines of MICA (Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad). Though this is easier said than done as we are talking about the same industry that is busy fighting over awards without reaching any consensus and finds it difficult to come together even for a cup of tea!

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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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