The Hindu Business Line : `Our recognition must cut beyond 12 judges'

Colvyn Harris, CEO, JWT, spent over an hour with Catalyst discussing the fundamental changes that the agency is undergoing. Excerpts from the interview:

On the ten discrete points to judge an ad across the JWT network

At the least of the scale you could be doing work which is really damaging to the brand and the best of the scale it is world-beating across categories. That is really the spectrum: A rank of one starts at the base — this ad could be damaging, a waste of time, both to the client and us and we would be better off not doing; `2' is wasteful, wasting our resources and the client's time; `3': it's boring, execution is ordinary; `4' is predictable: a lot of our work is in that area - it's soundly executed but it's not enough; `5' is competent. The idea is interesting, people will go through the process of participating but it won't really move or persuade them to think about the product longer than the duration of the ad; `6' is rewarding, where work gets noticed, people will get rewarded watching it and don't mind spending time with it; `7' is innovative, and this is the best example of work in a category in the network. For example, if you were doing car work, then it would be ranked as the best work across the JWT network done in this category. `8' is market-leading work; the idea which beats everything and is the best work in the category in the world. It leads the market and people will take time to rethink their perception of the brand and the category. A `9' would be world-class, which competes with the very best in the world, across category, across countries. `10' is world-beating, and will set a new standard in the world of communications; an entirely new idea that is highly involving. So, now when somebody sends us work from other offices, if they say it is a `6' we will know what they're talking about.

On getting a creative edge

What the company is undergoing is huge change. We want to transform JWT to be one of the world's leading creative agencies. For many years it did lead this market; we want to do things that will make us lead. In every country we are looking at talent, an idea must last much longer than the duration of the message and we are looking at some new-age stuff which is currently on.

We are looking for better creative talent, we have a new energised vision; what will help us deliver that vision is great people and outstanding work you can only get with outstanding talent.

Craig Davis (JWT's new worldwide creative director) is breathing fire around our creative products, and we're going to transform the company this time. And, we've picked up the best creative talent and in market after market we're picking up the best talent.

On JWT clients

JWT works with clients who are market leaders; they lead their markets with huge margins. They are ambitious. We have clients who others would give an arm and a leg for ... if our clients are ambitious, we are equally ambitious for them. We believe creativity is the marketing mantra which will get them to deliver results. One thing we think in JWT is that clients want to be market leaders and we want them to be that and we will look at delivering it (their advertising) more effectively.

On realignments of ad accounts

That's the prerogative of a client, not up to agencies, If you have a global business that comes up for review, they are free to choose or identify any of us, unless we are not locked in that category - for example, if we are handling Ford or Pepsi, we stay committed to those brands. We are fairly single-minded on that. I spent 8-10 years with Citibank, but it went in for a global realignment, so now we're open to a bank. (The account moved to Rediffusion, leaving JWT with no ad account of a bank.) If you look at the businesses that JWT has, I would say 70 per cent of our business is earned or won in India and many of them are non-aligned.

On whether branding has got to the boardroom

I think the biggest thing CEOs could do is look at brand building and really look at how you make your brand immortal and relevant and unique. You can see it in commodities, in financial services; there is space for branding. I think that's their job. Marketing is his job, if the CEO is doing other stuff, I would worry. The innovation I am talking of is in product innovation and innovation in advertising and marketing — that's the engine which will fuel growth. You can keep looking at numbers, but they won't change. It's not a choice, it's right up there on every CEO's agenda. Earlier, a CEO balanced a large portfolio of responsibilities, but today, he realises it is in branding and innovation.

On clients' quarterly numbers reporting

We live in changed times. Global companies, quoted on the stock exchanges, have to deliver what investors want. Having said that, they want to nourish, grow and build the brand, while short-term sales is everything they are judged on, where is the long-term perspective to be judged by; it can't be mutually exclusive. You don't have a choice on the numbers. Discounting will buy your next month numbers but it may not be a great reason to stay, it's got to be a mix, if it is done intelligently, if you want to induce quick sales, if it has an idea behind it, it must carry the personality of the brand and what it stands for. Brand building is important, you must give the consumer great reason to stay with you, you must be continuously relevant and you must be contemporary and exciting,

On bagging awards

Awards are important, but it's never at the cost of market share. Did we do enough? No ... and that's my greatest obsession ... we work with Indian brands, brands that have a share of 15-17 per cent, brands which have been leaders for several years. We must win awards — I am disappointed, we want that recognition — but our recognition must cut beyond 12 judges. Businesses we work on have been market leaders for many years. Do we want to win? Of course, we want to win. Is it important, yes, very. Are our people in a frenzy about it? Yes, they are quickly getting there, but not at the cost of developing our brands ... we are lighting some fires ... positive fires.

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