Mona Jain is currently Head of Strategic Investments at India Media Exchange. Her journey in the media field has been impressive. She had been EVP North - Media Buying and Diversified Services at Zenith Optimedia; she had also worked at Cheil, where she was Vice-President and had headed the agency’s media operations.

Jain has had rich experience across leading agencies such as JWT, Mudra, FCB Ulka and Cheil. Her experience extends to clients as diverse as Samsung, Nestle, Whirlpool, Pepsi and Glaxo SmithKline.

 
Mona Jain, Strategic Investments, India Media Exchange


What, according to you, would be the first milestone of you career, the breakthrough moment?

I would say there are really two breakthrough moments of my career:
First was when I got married and had to take a transfer to Contract. My almost four-year stint at Contract gave me great opportunities. It fast forwarded my learning process and opportunity to work independently on some real big challenges – Electrolux-Kevinator; working on the transition of Kelvinator to Whirlpool, etc. Also, the team that I worked with was a great inspiration and paved the way for me to think media creatively.

Second was when I shifted to Mudra Communications. I think this is where I really matured as an overall media person, who thought media 360 degree. The brands that I got to work on were not only planning savvy, but very demanding on implementation, which paved the way for me to become a complete media person – planner as well as buyer. I got an opportunity to work with some wonderful people again and some really exciting brands – Samsung, McDonalds, Frito Lays, etc. .

Amongst all the assignments that you have handled, which is the one work that you would always cherish as your best work, a lifetime favourite?

My best is Samsung, wherever I have handled it from – be it from Mudra Communication or Cheil Communications or now in India Media Exchange. It’s a brand that I most associate myself with. I have been working on it since its launch in India, which is almost 13-14 years, and I completely feel a part of its journey in India. The media properties that the brand has associated with at various stages of its life in India: be it being the first title sponsor on Star Movies – Samsung Mega Movies; title sponsor of Titanic – one of the first Asia-Pacific deals done out of India; the legendary Samsung Cup, which got as high as 22 TRPs; Samsung IIFA – there have been other brands before and after Samsung on the event, but I strongly feel that no one has been able to leverage it the way Samsung did.

What would you say are the challenges for a woman leader working in the advertising industry?

I guess the same challenges that men have. I think media agencies are ones which are dominated by women and hence, there is no discrimination that may happen in other corporates. The only challenge is maintaining a balance between work and family.

What is the one thing that a woman ad professional can bring to the table that the male counterpart often lacks?

This from an advertising perspective – women bring in a lot passion, sincerity and emotion to this job, which I think the male counterpart lacks.

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