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Vikram Sakhuja
CEO South Asia, GroupM |
THIS veteran in the world of building and marketing brands has had very successful stints in global brands like P&G and Coco-Cola, before entering the creative and sometimes chaotic world of agencies. Here, brands entrust big monies to experienced professionals who plan and execute marketing campaigns using multiple media platforms. He shares the thrill of this experience.
Q. What is unique about this business? A snapshot…
A. It offers a fantastic blend of the analytical and the creative. On one level it’s all about the creative part of building brands. Then there’s the aspect of making a Return on Investment on the entire marketing budget. The part that makes it heady is the big bucks!
Q. How have things evolved since you got into the profession?
A. The beauty of media is that everything communicates. When I started out at P&G, I made media plans using mostly TV commercials. Today the canvas has become really wide, you have TV, print, magazines, radio, Internet, sponsorships, social media, endorsements, search, mobile, even the back of your shirt! The challenge is to quantify all of those and put it together as a coherent, integrated plan. And no matter how big the brand, budgets are never enough, whether you have 20 or 200 crores!
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Q. How does one get creative in this business…
A. Sometimes the solution for a brand lies in creating events. When Lakme needed to be able to hold its own against international brands coming in, we started the Lakme India Fashion Week, and got the guys working on the New York and Milan fashion weeks to start doing it in India.
When Nokia was trying to launch a new phone, they made their brand ambassador Priyanka Chopra disappear for two days, and nobody knew where she went or how to reach her! The entire digital campaign went viral, and the drama centred on the product.
Watch video: Priyanka Chopra Missing
Q. Would you hire from a B-School or a media institute?
A. We hire more from a B-School, as you need exposure to consumer understanding, you need to look at research and numbers, and use tools. But unlike other out-and-out procurement functions, which have negotiation at the heart of it, there are large amounts of the softer parts of brand building, which allows you to connect to the consumer.
Q. Would doing a brand management programme give one an edge?
A. We definitely take people from brand management, and we have taken a lot of people from MICA. Having said that, MICA’s media management course makes them go through things like how to make media plans and stuff. That’s a nuts and bolts job, where in the first two years you do have to use tools to make a media plan. But I would hold basic training in marketing more important than tool usage, which we can train on the ground. It’s not rocket science.
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“When I started out, I made media plans, mostly using TV ads. Today, the canvas is much larger - Internet, search, mobile - even the back of your shirt!”
Vikram Sakhuja is CEO South Asia, GroupM
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Q. How should young guns charter a career in this field? Your take...
A. In the formative years, the experience of working in an agency with good clients can be very rich and help you hone your craft. In a short time you are exposed to many brands, categories, media, making you a specialist in digital, activation, content, etc. Your learning curve in marketing can be steep.
Q. Four winning traits to make it in this field…
A. A starting point - you’ve got to have a passion for brands and what they stand for, and want to make them even bigger. Two, always question assumptions and status quos. Three, in an agency, we love it when you take initiative. Four, present with persuasion, when arguing your case to the two stakeholders – clients and media owners.
Q. Is it a high-stress job?
A. It’s a dynamic, high-flux field, where you need to think on your feet. And yes, there are deadlines. But just like in films or advertising, it’s not stressful if you have a passion for brands.