In one of the biggest account moves in recent times, ITC Ltd. has awarded its media AOR mandate to the GroupM media conglomerate, after a multi-agency pitch across some of the largest media and advertising networks.
Apart from this Mega ITC deal, Maxus has also won several prestigious domestic and international awards for not only their core capabilities on media, but also across data and analytics, as well as creative services.
All these deals have exposed the changing dynamics in the client’s expectation towards agencies capability to serve them in all aspects that needs an integrated service involving cutting edge tools to analyze the robust data available before the marketers along with diversified talent pool across the areas of data, digital and content.
Maxus has over a period of time evolved to add many such innovative tools and specialized servicing units such as Maxus Kaleidoscope, Mesh, Maxus Metal works etc…
Maxus has been on an accelerated growth trajectory, adding several innovative services to their media investment planning capabilities. In 2016, ‘Maxus Kaleidoscope’ a mood based planning tool was launched. this web based tool will enable brands in India to align their communication basis the emotional and behavioral parameters of the audience. This is Maxus India’s second initiative on behavioural mapping, the first being Moribus- first of its kind behavioural sciences lab by a media agency.
Maxus also launched ‘Mesh’, a marketing command centre and dialogue engine, in partnership with Singapore-headquartered social media marketing firm Vocanic. Deployed across many blue chip advertisers in India and globally, Mesh enables Maxus to track brand health by reading environmental signals in real-time and offers actionable insights on earned, owned and paid media. Last year, Maxus also partnered with IoTBLR for pervasive computing. IoTBLR is the world’s largest IoT (Internet of Things) focused Meetup group.
Maxus has brought down its innovation technology consulting unit ‘Maxus Metal works’ to India as well. Partnering with tech startups, universities, industry groups and artists, Metalworks incubates promising ideas and research and help brands market better in a connected world, working on areas of wearables, connected devices and other emerging technologies. All these developments give Maxus clients to edge with sharper targeting and effectively reaching their consumers
Kartik Sharma MD of Maxus, South Asia said, “We are excited and humbled to be chosen by ITC to be their media partner. We have huge respect and admiration for ITC in the way they have built their business and brands. We are confident that through our consistent investments behind cutting edge tools and a diversified talent pool across data, digital and content we will help deliver competitive edge to ITC for their future growth”
Speaking about the win, CVL Srinivas CEO GroupM, South Asia said “We are delighted to be chosen by ITC as their media agency partner. This win comes as a huge recognition that we are on the right path as far as future proofing our business is concerned in an otherwise highly commoditised media industry. The investments we have made in talent, technology and data are helping us keep our clients ahead of the curve. We look forward to partnering ITC on its next phase of growth”.
With all the above-mentioned specializations, Maxus Managed to stand ahead of others in the multi-agency pitch and ploughed the coveted media mandate of the Conglomerate with diversified business includes five segments: Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Hotels, Paperboards & Packaging, Agri Business & Information Technology.
In a swift action keeping in mind the highly-diversified portfolio ITC Ltd. offers across multiple locations, Maxus is putting together a highly specialised team called ‘Team ITC. The servicing team will be based out of Bengaluru and Mumbai, and the mandate is effective April 1st, 2017.
The Global advertising world has seen scores of merger and acquisition to match with the changing expectations of the clients. Hence, the Independent agencies are staring at the age were the clients expect them to come with solutions to plan an effective marketing strategy to target various consumer categories. It can be achieved through the means of partnering with various technology start-ups and budding digital and data analytical agencies.
