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Publicis Groupe's Saatchi & Saatchi X, a $50-million specialist ‘shopper marketing' agency, launched operations in India last September.
The agency has brought on board two large clients — P&G and Diageo — and has a team of 11 in Mumbai running operations nationally. The agency will look to expand in India through new hires as well as acquisitions, according to a senior company official.
Speaking to Business Line , Mr Simon Hathaway, CEO - Europe, ME, India and Africa, Saatchi & Saatchi X, said, “We have the strategic capabilities already. We will look for people who can understand shoppers - because that is at the centre of what we do - and can give us scale and execution. Expansion could also be in the form of acquiring a company, and we are actively considering some options.”
The agency offers integrated shopper marketing solutions, encompassing retail production and execution capabilities, retail design and digital solutions targeting shoppers. Twenty-five per cent of the work by the agency is in the digital (Web and mobile) space in the US, while 15 per cent of its work globally would be in the same area. Overall, the company grew by 17 per cent last year.
In-sourcing into India
The Indian operations currently handle work in the area of retail design for the Moscow, London and Dubai offices of the agency, revealed Mr Hathaway. And that is seen as an opportunity area for growth.
“We're viewing that as an opportunity. So how do we build that scale, in retail design, to handle work from more markets? Or for that matter, in digital shopper ability? We will pursue acquisitions as a strategy for growth,” he added.
The agency is not discounting branches in more Indian metros, and is considering Delhi and Bangalore, among others. Scaling up will be in tune with client acquisitions and client requirements.
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