The Hindu Business Line : PSUs good business potential for ad firms, says Jairam Ramesh

MR JAIRAM RAMESH, Union Minister of State for Commerce, flanked by Mr S.V. S. Raghavan, former Chairman, BHEL & MMTC (left) and Mr Srinivasan K. Swamy, Chairman and Managing Director, R K Swamy BBDO, at the release of a book on R K Swamy in Chennai on Tuesday. — R. Ragu

Chennai May 30 Advertising firms must work with more public sector companies, which are untapped business potential for advertisers, according to the Union Minister of State for Commerce, Mr Jairam Ramesh.

Speaking at the book release function of R K Swamy, a biography of the advertising pioneer and founder of R K Swamy BBDO and Hansa Research Group, Mr Ramesh said there are large untapped areas among public sector units (PSUs) that are in need of professional assistance in advertising. They will be more than happy to work with advertising professionals, he said.

"Public sector companies are seen as dying or dead animals. It is not so," he said, citing the recent advertising activity of public sector banks, especially State Bank of India. He also said that except BSNL, no other company had effective ad visibility.

Incidentally, it was R K Swamy that first advertised for BHEL and at one point, PSUs dominated its portfolio. "Today I am told public sector companies form about 20 per cent of the company's client portfolio," Mr Ramesh said. He also stressed the need to focus on regional advertising and "get off the English language fixation" for major campaigns.

Earlier, the Minister launched the book and handed over the first copies to Mr S.V.S. Raghavan, former Chairman, BHEL and MMTC, Mr N. Murali, Managing Director, The Hindu and Mr Ram Santhanam, Chairman and Managing Director, Wheels India Ltd, a TVS Group company.

US research co buy

Hansa Research has acquired US market company GCR Custom Research, based in Portland, Oregon, Mr Srinivasan Swamy announced at the function.

A 25-year-old firm with revenues of $8 million, it specialises in catering to technology firms. Its clients include HP, Cisco, Microsoft, Tektronix, BEA, Xerox, AMD and Intel. Over 60 per cent of its work is undertaken in markets outside the US.

Mr Swamy said this acquisition would be a stepping-stone to creating an overseas presence for the group and entering other areas of marketing services in the US.

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