The Hindu Business Line : O&M plans to change organisational structure

APART from offering 360-degree communication solutions to its clients, Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) is also trying to adopt a 360-degree approach in its organisational structure.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr R. Krishna Mohan, Executive Director, O&M, said all the divisions of the agency (advertising, PR, direct marketing, outdoor and rural advertising) across the country are now reporting to the overall branch head.

"This decision has been inspired by our clients who most often prefer to brief all the divisions at one go instead of repeating the same brief again and again to the individual divisions."

"This move will help the clients get better synergies," Mr Mohan added.

He said it was initially important to project O&M's various divisions as separate entities in order to highlight the specialised services the agency had to offer. "But now we have reached a stage where we need to focus on offering our clients more cohesive services."

The agency, according to Mr Mohan, now has a brand team leader for each of its accounts who leads the team in all the agency-clients meetings. The brand team leader needn't necessarily be from the creative division. He could be a member of the PR or direct marketing divisions as well.

"We are also taking people from advertising and training them in direct marketing or PR so that they have a better understanding about the functioning of the other divisions."

However, all the four divisions would continue to remain individual profit centres, said Mr Mohan.