Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri switches agencies yet again

Jewellery chain Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri (TBZ – The Original) has awarded its creative duties to Euro RSCG, Mumbai. The account moves from Gang of Designers or GOD, a Mumbai-based agency. This comes as a surprise because GOD had bagged the business just last month in August 2006. The size of the business, as per industry sources, is estimated to be Rs 4-5 crore.

It’s interesting to note that TBZ – The Original has changed four agencies in the past five months. In May 2006, the business moved from Dentsu Marcom to Leo Burnett; according to Kiran Dixit, head, advertising, TBZ, this was necessary because ‘the requirement was that of a separate media and creative agency to make things more organised and specialised’.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Leo Burnett stopped working on the business in August 2006 in what it then claimed was ‘an amicable parting’. At this point, the business was awarded to GOD, with a specific focus on launching an ad campaign for two new showrooms in Mumbai and Hyderabad. GOD was to create exciting campaigns around the ‘TBZ Woman’.

Just a month after having bagged the business, GOD, too, is no longer working on the account. Euro RSCG, which took part in the pitch process in August 2006, when the business went to GOD, is now in the picture, According to Suman Srivastava, CEO, Euro RSCG, “Back then, we, too, had pitched for the business and the client had liked our idea. We have done some work for the Gems and Jewellery Federation which impressed the client.”

When agencyfaqs! tried to seek a clarification from TBZ executives about what was going on, they were unavailable for comment. However, Sandip Bomble, executive creative director, GOD, pegs the severing of the short relationship to ‘creative differences’. He says GOD walked out of the business on amicable terms.

Srivastava of Euro RSCG feels that the biggest task ahead for the agency is to create a sense of identity and differentiation for TBZ as there are many companies and brands in the market bearing the same name. “We have to stress on the fact that this TBZ is the original one,” he says.

Further, the task is to get younger customers, perhaps in their 20s, to take TBZ into their consideration set, despite contemporary brands such as Carbon and Gili doing the rounds in the market. “But we have to change perceptions without alienating TBZ’s loyal older customers,” explains Srivastava.

The media mix will include print, radio, outdoor and cinema advertising. The company is also eyeing avenues in the non-traditional space such as events and retail activities.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!