The Hindu Business Line : Rediff to offer strategic market planning services

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Santosh Sood, Chief Operating Officer, Rediffusion DY&R said, "The new service being provided will be an extension of the existing marketing services of our clients whereby we will be offering our cross category learnings for sizing up market opportunities."

Working in tandem with the marketing departments of its existing clients, Rediff's strategic market planning services will be an integrated product offering and is not expected to replace the existing marketing functions of companies. Explains Mr Sood, "With our cross category exposure we would help marketers in taking decisions. We would help them leverage the relevant market segments with a package in place, which would involve mathematical and statistical data.''

The Strategic Market Planning Service will be headed by Mr Kartik Iyer. Mr Iyer moves from Initiative Media after serving more than nine years with the Lintas Group and will be based in Delhi. In spite of being headquartered in Delhi, the strategic market planning services will be offered to clients across all the branches of the agency.

Besides, Rediff's existing planning team headed by the Director of Planning, Mr K. Subramanian, will also be involved in the new venture. According to Mr Subramanian, "While the strategic market planning team would identify new consumers, we would provide the insights into this new consumer, taking it to the next level."

The new service is expected to enrich the planning portfolio of the agency, which already has its proprietory tool BAV (Brand Asset Valuator) for understanding brands and consumers. The trend of agencies offering strategic marketing services is a relatively new one in India. As Mr Sood says, "It is still a grey area and there may be a few agencies doing it. Companies hire the services of an independent marketing consultant in most cases."

Explaining the extended services of his agency, Mr Sood says, "Clients usually approach us with a brief but now we will be involved with the brief itself." Looking at a new stream of communication, Rediff DY&R is expected to help its existing clients in emerging categories such as telecom to identify new consumers. With big-ticket accounts such as Airtel, Colgate, Citibank, Godfrey Philips and ING Vyasa, Rediff is hoping to bolster planning functions with its new market planning service.

More Stories on : New Products & Services | Consulting

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
P&G cuts prices of Rejoice shampoo

Sun TV, Surya TV to be part of DD's DTH bouquet

Is consumer goods sector in churn?

Vertical growth

Philips Onam fare

Domino's India to set foot in Bangladesh, Nepal

Rediff to offer strategic market planning services