Here's how Dentsu Creative is gearing up to provide end-to-end marketing consultancy

In the modern ad world, where a majority of marketers emphasise the need for an integrated agency partner that handles all things Creative, Media and Digital amongst others, Dentsu has had a fair share of integrated mandates come its way in the past year.

That being said, the creative arm of Dentsu, i.e., Dentsu Creative, which is an amalgamation of dentsuMB Group comprising Taproot Dentsu, Dentsu Webchutney, dentsuMB and Dentsu Impact, as well as Isobar India Group, which consists WATConsult, Isobar India and Perfect Relations, today boasts a “65% digital-first mindset workforce” and is therefore poised to become a Marketing X Technology X Consulting company for its clients going forward.

Speaking to BestMediaInfo.com, Amit Wadhwa, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Creative, stated that in the recent past, Dentsu Creative has undergone a significant transformation wherein its team, today, boasts a mix of digital experts and brand specialists working closely together, forming robust integrations with media, CX, and data in a holistic manner.

“This strategic integration aligns with a crucial industry goal, and Dentsu is leading the way. The agency's foresight in identifying opportunities and building its team and capabilities very early on has placed it at the forefront of this movement,” he said.

He also mentioned that the number of account wins that the Dentsu team has secured in 2023 has significantly surpassed the achievements of the previous year.

What captures his interest is the notable trend of integrated wins, with the most recent addition being Bharat Benz. He said, “It's exciting to share that our network will now be overseeing not just creative across all mediums but also media duties for this account as well. And what’s heartening to see is that this practice is being followed across many brands now.”

Having said that, he also emphasised that while this level of integration isn't entirely new for Dentsu, the collaboration between Creative, Media, and CX is becoming even more robust.

Upon being questioned as to how the year 2023 fared for the agency at large given the fact that two of Dentsu’s major accounts, Maruti Suzuki and Reckitt Benckiser, moved out of the agency’s media side of things, Wadhwa replied that this year the network agency has “proudly welcomed some major and fascinating businesses,” including the likes of Pernod Ricard, Aditya Birla Group, Bharat Benz and many more, to its growing portfolio.

“The agency is experiencing a remarkable positive momentum in 2023, making it a solid foundational year for Dentsu. Creatively, we have some intriguing campaigns in the pipeline, and there's a shift in our work approach. Dentsu Creative's team isn't confined to traditional art and copy domains but is actively involved in making Creative tech an integral part of our thinking and execution teams,” he said.

Along with this, Wadhwa also emphasised that with 65% of the agency’s workforce embracing a digital-first mindset, the network agency has established a unified team that handles everything across all the accounts it has in its kitty. And it is this integration that ensures that both digital and offline spaces are managed seamlessly, eliminating any silos, which essentially draws attention to “walking the talk when it comes to true integration.”

In an earlier interaction with BestMediaInfo.com, Harsha Razdan, CEO, Dentsu South Asia, stated that while the overarching global objective of the Network agency is to have 50% of its business generated from CX by the end of 2030, his specific aim is to realise the same in India by 2026, capitalising on the abundant growth opportunities prevalent in the region.

Sharing his views on how the same is going to reflect in Dentsu Creative’s functioning, Wadhwa denoted that Razdan's vision for Dentsu involves elevating it to a marketing X tech X consulting network and in line with this vision, Dentsu Creative, serving as the creative arm of Dentsu India, is now taking on an additional role wherein it will not only continue to provide creative solutions but will also extend its services to offer end-to-end marketing consultancy to clients.

“When we speak of solutions, we aren't just addressing needs – we're unleashing a powerhouse of comprehensive on-ground solutions spanning creative, media, data, customer experience, and beyond. This all-encompassing approach isn't just a strategy; it's the very essence of what makes us authentic marketing consultants. The integrated victories we've managed this year boldly declare that this is the path to bigger and better success,” he said.

Sharing his views on how he foresees the ad landscape unfurling in 2024, Wadhwa stated that within the ever-evolving realms of advertising and technology, innovation will seize an even more central role in 2024.

“As certain concerns regarding Artificial Intelligence are addressed and solutions implemented, AI will not only contribute but also play a crucial role in steering the broader narrative in the advertising world next year. And we are and will wholeheartedly embrace it, to stay well ahead of the curve,” he opined.

Circling back to the “True Integration” happening at Dentsu in the current times, he mentioned that in the current fast-paced landscape of advertising, where the world is in constant flux and clients seek a unified approach- an agency that can offer a comprehensive array of solutions spanning creative, digital, media, tech, UI/UX, CX, ORM, PR, and more, with the Network’s foresight, the agency has assembled all these capabilities under one roof which not only positions them to “adeptly navigate” the evolving landscape but also fortifies the Indian counterpart’s various verticals, effectively establishing them as a marketing consultancy.

Mind you, this isn't something that Dentsu has started doing only today but has been building momentum for quite some time now and is only going to make it stronger and more synchronised going forward.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com