Dentsu Communications strengthens South with Kochi operations

Dentsu Communications, a part of the Dentsu India Group, has commenced operations in Kochi. Arijit Ray, CEO, Dentsu Communications, Suresh Mohan Kumar, national planning head, and Ashwin Prathiban, regional ECD (South) will be involved with the newly launched office, while Saji Jayakumar will head operations of the branch.

Commenting on the expansion, Rohit Ohri, executive chairman, Dentsu India Group, said, “Our commencement of operations in Kochi is part of our larger strategic plan of accelerated growth in India. We’re now fully equipped to offer integrated communication services to all our clients in South India.”
 
On the South market, Ray said, “We are extremely upbeat about our operations in the South. The Bangalore operation is our largest and most integrated with three pillar clients - Toyota, Nissin and TVS. With a clear focus on building the Bangalore operation into a hub of excellence to cater to all markets in the South, the capability and talent building process is bearing fruit. We see a lot of potential in Kochi. We have a great team that understands the local nuances to start our journey in Kerala. Saji Jayakumar our Kochi head and his team will surely do everything to make it a stellar operation.”

"Dentsu's Kochi presence offers exciting creative possibilities, and an interesting opportunity to work on a mix of both local and national brands that are based in Kerala. There is a refreshing appetite for path-breaking creative ideas among clients here, and benchmarks are set very high. But most importantly, Keralites have a rich story-telling culture, not to mention a very evolved appreciation of film, and this mix provides delightful creative inspiration," Parthiban added. 

Elaborating on the role of the Kochi office, Mohan Kumar said, "The Kochi office underlines Dentsu’s emphasis on and commitment to southern markets. Our key differentiator would be our ability to conceive and deliver totally integrated communication solutions. Bangalore will continue to be the planning and creative hub but we will tap into our teams’ local expertise to provide our clients with solutions that make a difference in the market place."

Jayakumar has worked with several agencies in the past, including an earlier stint with DDB Mudra where he was heading the Kochi operations. The agency is in the process of building the team now, and has already hired a few people.