The Hindu Business Line : Solutions Integrated sees 40 pc growth this year

With the Publicis Groupe picking up 60 per cent stake in the company recently, the four advertising agencies - Leo Burnett, Saatchi & Saatchi, Ambience Publicis, and Publicis India - would now be in position to avail themselves of the services provided by Solutions.

Mr Srikant Sastri, Managing Director of Solutions Integrated, told Business Line that there will be "faster growth rate since we expect 15 per cent of the business will come from the four Publicis agencies."

The company, which expects to grow at 40 per cent this year, offers services in the areas of one-to-one marketing, events and promotions, retail, and trade marketing.

Below-the-line divisions

"Globally, most spends are on marketing services, with a small share marked for advertising. Most MNCs have been missing these services so far since the advertising agencies do not have the capabilities of providing these services," said Mr Sastri.

Most of the Publicis Groupe agencies have floated below-the-line divisions and have international brands to cater to this segment.

For instance, Leo Burnett recently decided to integrate all its below-the-line offerings under a single brand name - Arc; this includes services such a CRM (direct marketing), events, shopper marketing, and promotions.

Besides, Publicis India also has its own below-the-line agency called Dialogue.

Saatchi & Saatchi and Ambience Publicis do not sport marketing services outfits and have been outsourcing these services all this while.

Mr Sastri said, "From now on, we will be working in tandem with the marketing services divisions of these agencies and they will also have access to our infrastructure spread across all our six offices."

Pan-Asia footprint

Even the media outfits of the Publicis Groupe - Starcom and Zenith - are expected to use the marketing services provided by Solutions. "Clients working with media agencies often don't meet their buying and planning needs through mass media advertising" Mr Sastri added. At the same time, Solutions expects to enter into a similar arrangement with the Publicis agencies in Asia Pacific region.

"We expect to have a pan-Asia footprint with our services. Being part of the Publicis Groupe would help us open doors faster, making it easier to access business, giving us an opportunity to get growth from the international markets as well."

Currently, Solutions' client roster includes industries ranging from IT to automobiles with big-ticket accounts such as HP, Microsoft, Gillette, and ICICI Bank.