The Hindu Business Line : Contract floats second agency Core

CONTRACT Advertising has spun off its consulting division - Core, as a separate agency, offering both consultancy and advertising functions. Core, will now work as an independent second agency to take care of conflicting accounts. It will sport both consulting and advertising operations and will have its offices in Chennai and Mumbai.

While Core's consulting functions will continue to operate out of Mumbai with Mr Rohit Srivastava, National Planning Director, Contract Advertising, heading it, its advertising outfit has been set up in Chennai with Mr Bimal Nair at the helm, who previously held the designation of Associate Vice-President at I-Contract, the Direct Marketing and Customer Relationship Management division belonging to Contract Advertising.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Colvyn J. Harris, who is in the process of moving from Contract Advertising to become the Chief Executive at JWT, said, "Core is today being treated as a separate second agency and is in the business of both consulting and advertising." Core was floated as a consultancy division within Contract nearly a year ago and its extension as an advertising agency is expected to serve the purpose of having a second agency to service non-conflicting clients.

Meanwhile plans are still under wraps about JWT's second agency, Conquest, which was expected to be headed by the old JWT hand, Mr Kamal Oberoi. "It may not after all come in the form of a second agency," stated Mr Harris.

In fact, Contract Advertising was set up 18 years ago to manage accounts, which came in direct conflict with those of JWT. Considering Contract itself has floated its own second agency, chances of the WPP group floating a third agency may seem doubtful.

Mr Jagdip Bakshi, Senior Vice-President and General Manager at JWT, Delhi, will be replacing Mr Harris to become the Chief Executive Officer at Contract Advertising.

Meanwhile Hyundai India Telecom Ltd has recently appointed Core to handle its creative account out of Chennai. The Rs 25-crore account will involve India-specific campaigns with Bollywood star Suniel Shetty featuring in them and there are plans to rope in more film stars in future.