The Hindu Business Line : A president and a gentleman

His voice is soft, his demeanour patient, his smile genuine. It is hard to believe that Madhukar Kamath of Mudra has been juggling demanding multiple roles with rare dexterity over the last few weeks. As a fond father he has had to contend with two different college admissions, a career choice and the pleasant prospect of wedding bells ringing in the family. As the head of one of India’s leading advertising agencies he is currently reviewing a plan he himself had set in motion a few years ago.

As industry leader he has just shaken off the rigours of a bruising election battle that saw him taking over as President of the prestigious Advertising Agencies’ Association of India (AAAI). As head of Mudra, Madhukar oversaw the setting up of a new entity called Mudra Marketing Services a few years ago. He set an ambitious target for the person who would steer the new venture: “Create another Mudra-sized organisation in five years.” As he looks back on what has transpired, Kamath has reason to reflect with satisfaction. Almost half the revenue of Mudra now comes from non-traditional sources. This new entity has a presence in the digital space, the out-of-home sector, the management solutions area and all this is only the beginning. Kamath is confident of making rapid strides in a variety of non-traditional directions all aimed at providing total brand solutions to the client.

What about the industry? Kamath has his hands full, but he appears determined to chart a well-planned course. His determination is already evident in what has been happening at MICA, the respected communications institute at Ahmedabad where he is a moving force on the Governing Council. Sensing that bright students coming out of MICA were being lapped up by the marketing and media industry, Kamath set in motion an effort to ensure that the communications industry gets its just share of this talent. For starters, he threw the weight of his agency behind the course and made sure the courses got as much faculty support as they needed from top executives at Mudra. The students who came to Mudra for their summer internship were surprised to see Kamath himself sitting in on their presentations.

The effect was electric. And the buzz has begun to spread. Kamath hopes to re-ignite the passion for advertising and communications in these students and ensure the industry gains from these efforts.

At the AAAI, he has his work cut out for him. He is the best hope the industry has to soothe the pain caused by a fractured atmosphere. He intends nurturing existing properties of the Association, such as the GoaFest, where he graciously acknowledges the sterling role played by Sundar Swamy and Arvind Sharma. He also intends building on the fantastic relationships the Association has with media associations such as the Indian Newspapers Society (INS) and the Indian Broadcasters Foundation (IBF).

More than all that he ponders over the great investment made in what he calls the “payment side” of the business. He is keen to invest time and energy in the “revenue side” of the business, or the clients’ side of the situation. Kamath is emphatic that the advertising agency business needs to regain the respect it somehow seems to have let slip from its fingers. With respect, he is confident that commensurate remuneration is a natural corollary. And with these two aspects back on track, the right human resources, he avers, will begin trekking their way back toward the advertising business.

To do all this, the first step, according to Kamath, is to focus general attention on the fantastic role advertising has been playing in garnering equity for the economy as a whole. The advertising industry which so adroitly highlights the strengths of its clients should highlight its own strengths first. And just to set the record straight, the AAAI will not be instituting its own effectiveness award. The Effies are just fine, thank you!

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