Strategic planning has always been in the DNA of Indians: Sonal Dabral

Speaking at the panel discussion on 'The future of strategy in India' in Mumbai yesterday, the speakers highlighted different facets of strategic planning, changing nature of strategy in Asia, and the changing role of strategic planners

Aanchal Kohli | Mumbai | October 30, 2015

(L-R) Ajay Kakar, Sonal Dabral and David Tiltman

Warc brought together some leading industry experts in Mumbai last evening for a panel discussion on 'The future of strategy in India' at the DDB Mudra House. The panellists included Sonal Dabral, Chairman and CCO, DDB Mudra Group; Ajay Kakar, Chief Marketing Officer, Aditya Birla Group - Financial Services; Partha Sinha, ?Managing Director, South Asia at Publicis; and Jyoti Bansal, ?Managing Director at PHD India. The discussion was moderated by David Tiltman, Head of Content, Warc.

The speakers highlighted different facets of strategic planning, changing nature of strategy in Asia, the changing role of strategic planners and more.

Commencing the discussions, Tiltman noted, “This year, in Warc Prize for Asian Strategy we saw a 50 per cent increase in the number of entries from India and even the number of shortlisted entries saw a 50 per cent jump.”

Specifying the reason for this, Dabral remarked, “I think the way Indians have been thinking has evolved over the years. Strategic planning has always been in the DNA of Indians. We all have grown up learning different dimensions to handle a problem. When it comes to creativity, there is so much to explore in India as every sector of the country has its own way of living, specific needs and demands, which makes way for more opportunities.”

According to Ajay Kakar, “Today India is growing rapidly towards strategic planning because of three simple reasons – firstly, complexity of the market; secondly, pressure on budgets; and thirdly, young India's spirit to win. If one mixes these three qualities, India is in a win-win situation.”

Agreeing with both Dabral and Kakar, Bansal added here, “Indians have been more focused towards adapting new changes, hence the planners have to be really pro-active.” Partha Sinha felt that that the reason was growing competition. He added, “It is the strategic planning practice that has made us reach the position that we are in today. Strategic planning plays a vital role in any agency.”

Changing role of planners

The panellists also mentioned the fact that the role of strategic planners had been changing over the years. Stating his point, Dabral said, “The role of a strategic planner is the utmost one in any agency because until and unless the strategy is right, it is difficult to create a good campaign.”

Steering the conversation towards effectiveness, Tiltman asked the panellists how important they considered it to be. Replying to this, Sinha said, “Effectiveness and strategic planning go hand-in-hand. If planning is strategically right, then effectiveness becomes a by-product.”

Biggest Challenge and Opportunity

According to Dabral, the biggest opportunity lay in the fact that there was so much available due to the technological shift that the world was facing. “Today, we have so much power to be able to come up with right kind of planning and strategies and the biggest challenge is to not get confused in the plethora of options.”

Kakar stressed, “Account planners need to get the kind of respect that they deserve. The duo of a creative person and an account planner would create wonders.”

Sinha added here, “The opportunity is that finally people have accepted the fact there is no fill-in. The strategy has to be fundamental and right, while at the same time the challenge is to change the definition of ROI from return on investment to return on idea.”

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