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What was your breakthrough moment in the
media and advertising industry? |
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’I don’t think I could mention a single breakthrough
moment. Breakthroughs, to me, are moments when your work gets
recognised and appreciated by the client and the organisation
for the right reasons. And this could happen quite a few number
of times. |
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What has kept you going in this industry for so many
years? |
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The media journey for me has been exciting, challenging, sometimes
good, and sometimes ugly, but with no regrets. The fact is that
as long as one likes the work he is doing, it keeps one motivated
and engaged. |
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Where do you see yourself five years hence? |
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While a lot changes in five years that one cannot anticipate
now, I definitely would be finishing off my doctorate in my
area of interest. I also see myself using the knowledge acquired
therein to enhance the service and value that I offer. |
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Who are some of the people from the industry that
you think have played a role in shaping your experience here? |
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There have been a lot of people who have helped me shape my
skills along the way. But the one person who definitely warrants
a mention is Ketaki Gupte, erstwhile head of media at HTA, my
first induction board into the industry. I consider myself fortunate
to have worked with her and have learnt a lot just by observing
her and working with her. |
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You are amongst the industry professionals who have
seen the industry in absolute boom to this present slowdown.
What were the first signs of slowdown that you noticed? |
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To me, the two things that signaled the slowdown was the reduced
number of pitches and the reduced product launches across categories.
These were early signs of the drying up of the economy and the
impact that it has had on the advertising and media industry.
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What are some of the steps that you are taking now
to help your agency brave the situation? |
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Implementing the integrated communication approach has played
a key role for us in weathering the slowdown. The model of integrating
various media along with the creative process has helped us
utilise budgets more effectively by using all possible apertures
(and not just mass media platforms). |
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What do you attach most importance to:
a. Numbers - Viewership - readership
b. Quality - Environment
c. Impact – buzz |
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Viewership and readership numbers constitute basic hygiene
in the media industry and cannot be ignored. Having said that,
I strongly believe that numbers alone do not drive media solutions.
What is equally important is the environment that influences
how the audience receives the message. Creating the right environment
helps create empathy in the mind of the audience for the message
thereby making the media more effective. |
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Your views on growing the advertising pie… ?
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Creating an integrated communication offering, in my view,
is the way to go. It offers the client the opportunity to reach
his audience through multiple touch-points in a cohesive manner.
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What are some of the biggest changes that you have
seen in the advertising and media industry in your time spent
here? |
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Over time, media specialists started working in silos with
decreasing connect with the development of the brand communications.
Having become somewhat divorced from the campaign development
process has impacted the kind of business solutions delivered
in response to the marketing objectives. This, to me, has been
the most impactful change in my time in the industry. |
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Any experience that you really would want to go back
in time and change? |
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No. |
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What would you say was the proudest moment for you
at work? |
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As I said in an answer to an earlier question, I don’t
think there is one single moment. I am proud of every moment
in which my work has been recognised. |
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What is the motto or the guiding principle with which
you lead your team? |
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The one thing that I always tell my team is that we, as media
planners, cannot work with blinders on. We have to evolve from
media planner to advertising planners to becoming integrated
communications planners. |
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The GenNext Media magnate is chosen by a
committee comprising the exchange4media editorial team in consultation
with Raj Nayak. |
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Archive |
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GenNext
Media Magnate: Prerna Singh AVP – Media, Reliance ADAG |
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GenNext
Media Magnate: Deepak Netram General Manager, Lodestar Universal
|
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GenNext
Media Magnate: Andrew Williams Group Brand Manager, Asian Paints
Ltd |
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GenNext
Media Magnate: Nitasha Narad– AVP – Marketing Communications,
Tata Teleservices, Mumbai |
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GenNext
Media Magnate: Divya Gururaj – Making a difference, not
a nest |
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