Madhukar Kamath, MD & CEO, Mudra

“The business has become more competitive, younger and demands a greater responsiveness in terms of turnaround times, capturing consumer insights or even the nature of service demanded by clients. Communication plans are not merely TVCs and print anymore. We are talking of different touch points, we are talking of a need for media neutral solutions and these are significant changes that have come in the business.”

After being out of the limelight for some time, Mudra has made quite a comeback. New people, new businesses and international associations – the agency has given the industry quite a few things to talk about lately.

In this interview with Noor Fathima Warsia of exchange4media, Madhukar Kamath, Managing Director and CEO, Mudra, speaks on what he thinks worked for Mudra and the agency’s way forward. Excerpts:

Q. Coming back specifically to the advertising part, can you elaborate more on the steps that you have taken to ensure sustained growth?

We set out with a creative agenda, focussing at the same time on people and building partnerships in all the four offices of Mudra across India. So there is a combination of Jude Fernandes and a Sean Colacko in Mumbai, Radhakrishnan and Jagdish Acharya in Mudra South, Chandan Nath and Rajesh Sonawane in Ahmedabad and Hemant Mishra and Ulhas Chopra in Delhi. Ryan Menezes, the creative head, has concentrated on the works of these offices to raise standards. People were brought in specific areas and disciplines like planning and client management over the last 12 months and it is these changes that have largely led to the growth of our business.

Mudra works as four distinct agencies, whether it is about the team leading them, approaches, business agenda, future wishlist, offerings to clients and prospects in their area. In fact, you will see that there are area-specific initiatives that we will be announcing soon.

It has been a constant evolution, which has been in sync with what has happened with the industry itself. There are changes in the marketplace, demographics, the differing consumer booms, etc. India, as a country has become more dynamic and competitive now and advertising has kept pace with these changes.

Talent has always been a challenge – in the past and today. The only difference is that today, because the demand for good talent is higher due to the multiplicity of avenues open to them, the challenge can be seen as a problem that needs to be addressed but the industry is aware of that.

While I think every function has the right to believe that it is at the centre of the universe, you can’t generalise that one discipline alone can spearhead communication. I think it varies from case to case. Media neutral solution is the order of the day with an idea at the heart of it -- idea can come from anywhere.

Well, it is definitely not some overnight change. For almost a year now, we have been focussing on what we want and getting the right people, doing the right jobs. This led to a manner of restructuring and that is paying off now. And I must point that these are wins that we have had in the creative side of the business. Mudra is involved in various other disciplines as well.

Over the last 12 to 18 months, we have had client relations through other channels as well. To put it briefly, Mudra presently has three distinct agencies; one is the creative agenda, then there is the media services agenda where OMS and Mudra Videotech work closely, and then there is Total Branding Solutions, which is about branding.

We have identified business areas which are growing and made our presence in them through tie-ups. We have brought in Tribal DDB, which is a strong international player in the interactive space, Ralph Collins for building relationships, Kidstuff for promo marketing, and we are in the healthcare area also with Brand Therapist.

In addition, there are three other areas that we are planning to get into soon. In all, in the next three years we will be in ten different businesses, wherein we will offer the best in skill sets.

To be able to have growth from all centres – from new clients and existing ones. So, apart from the new wins that you see, we have substantial business coming from existing clients as well like Godrej, Rasna, Paras and Henkel. We have seen an equal growth from both new and old clients and we will maintain this ratio.

There are two reasons why Mudra lay low, and we didn’t accept invitations for interviews nor tried reaching the press. We had milestones to reach – developmental progress -- and we resolved that it is better for us to talk about results rather than plans. I think it is rather fortunate that everything is paying off now, at the completion of our 25 years.

The business has become more competitive, younger and demands a greater responsiveness in terms of turnaround times, capturing consumer insights or even the nature of service demanded by clients. Communication plans are not merely TVCs and print anymore. We are talking of different touch points, we are talking of a need for media neutral solutions, and these are significant changes that have come in the business.

The changes are already afoot. Agencies are evolving from merely creative agencies to integrated solutions providers. This shift has happened some years ago and will take time to evolve but all these are changing.

In terms of people again, the changing demographics has allowed educational institutions to become larger catchment areas and there are professionals from different disciplines coming to agencies.

I completely disagree and I think that those who say that have either not succeeded in the field or have left the business. People in the business will agree with me that advertising is still as lively and as much fun as it has always been. And I don’t mean fun in a flippant manner but a passion for work and advertising.

I personally have brought this up at AAAI and shared with them Mudra’s own experiences of the MICA story. There is a need for industry heads to dedicate some of their time and talking about the business so that passion can be inculcated in prospective professionals at this level itself.