Campaign India Agency Report Card 2011: JWT India

Ownership: WPP

Key Personnel:  Colvyn Harris, CEO, Anil Deorukhkar, CFO - South Asia, Raji Ramaswamy, SVP,  Max Hegerman, digital head, Tarun Singh Chauhan and Sanjeev Bhargava, SVP and managing partners , Atika Malik and Mythili Chandrasekhar, SVP and executive planning directors, Rajesh R Gangwani, SVP - South, Swati Bhattacharya, Tista Sen, Senthil Kumar, SVP and NCDs

Account won: ITC chewing gum, Congress UP campaign (empanelment), Central Vigilance Commission, Vijay Home Appliances

Account lost: Iodex,  Ashok Leyland,  Fujifilm

The agency has seen better years in the past. Among major developments, they acquired a majority stake in Hyderabad-based Mindset Advertising in July.  JWT had its share of noticeable campaigns with IPL, Ford and Airtel, which they had won late last year. The agency however lost out to Taproot on key campaigns for Pepsi’s World Cup, Times of India Chennai and Airtel’s youth-centric campaign. The agency also lost Mountain Dew, GSK’s Iodex and Ashok Leyland businesses. On the upside, the agency continued to add businesses like ITC’s chewing gum and Vijay Home Appliances, along with a couple of empanelments.  JWT had key exits in 2011, which was compensated by the appointments of Bobby Pawar as CCO and managing partner, Bindu Sethi as CSO, Max Hegerman, Sanjeev Bhargava, Nutan Sooda and Ashwini Dingra. The results of new appointments will be visible next year. JWT India has a history of coming out of turbulence very well. The jury is hopeful the agency will do that this time around as well.
How Campaign India rates the agency: 6

How JWT India rates itself: 8
2011 was a year of change, and a year of firsts for JWT.  2011 was our F1 year!  For the mind to shift gears at a blistering pace, on the largest track in the country, we rate ourselves an 8.

Our pillar of strength – strategic vision for our brands has guided one in four of the top most trusted brands in India

These include Airtel, Ford, Godrej, GSK, Hero Motocorp, Horlicks, Kellogs, Kurkure, Lays, Lux, Levi’s, Nestle, Nokia, Nike, Pepsi, Slice, and Sony. We have shaken hands with new clients in sectors such as health care, finance, luxury, and real estate.

Our passion for crafting creative work that is effective and sells has borne fruit at Cannes (Airtel’s Endless Goodbye) and Clio (Fuji’s inner smile).

Closer home, at Spikes Asia Advertising Festival JWT was among the top 3 most awarded networks of the year (including Times of India – Nakka Mukka, Belle du jour). Accolades for strategy include ‘firsts’ for India (David Ogilvy ARF award, Jay Chiat ), client awards like the Global Pepsico Award (Lays integrated campaign).  And specialist category awards (Midas: Birla, NDTV Greenies: Nokia, Digital: Nokia, Remmy: Apollo Munich, Maxim: Nike, PMAA.

JWT India was the only agency to be featured on India Business report, celebrating the 10th year of BRIC nations. Onwards to 2012!
 

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