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141 Worldwide may launch trade marketing division in 2007
The integrated marketing services arm of Bates Enterprise completes four years of existence in India today. Executives at 141 Worldwide reveal what’s on the cards for the agency next year
141 Worldwide, the integrated marketing services arm of Bates Enterprise, has completed four years of its existence in India. It has some lofty plans for the year ahead. The worldwide entity was launched in the Indian market exactly four years ago, on December 4, 2002. Today, it has grown to have offices in four cities and services around 20 businesses.
Charulata Ravikumar, executive vice-president, 141 Worldwide, India, says her company will focus on two main areas in 2007. First, it will build its strength in the retail space. Around four months ago, 141 Worldwide launched a separate division to cater to this segment, 141 Headcount. 141 Headcount focuses on providing last mile solutions to clients, including in areas such as mystery shopping, shopper/purchase behaviour, finding out what PoP material/element in the retail environment actually ends up influencing a consumer’s mindset, and so on. In fact, the agency even launched two proprietary tools, MarketPulse and ShopperPulse, in the market to service this need.
| Nirmallya Roy Chowdhury |
Charulata Ravikumar |
It is learnt that 141 Worldwide was already offering trade marketing services to its clients. For instance, it devised a career opportunity programme for Tata AIG Life Insurance because it was felt that the insurance sector suffers from a dearth of talent. But so far, the agency has confined itself to planning and outsourced the execution. The new division will offer both planning and execution.
When asked about 141 Worldwide’s supposed merger with O&M’s Ogilvy Activation, Chowdhury says firmly, “At least in the near future, I do not see anything as such happening in India. We will continue to function the way we do currently.”
For the record, 141 Worldwide offers services such as DM, CRM, events, channel partnerships, promotions retail solutions and other forms of innovative interaction with the consumer. At the Promotional Marketing Awards of India, it bagged a silver in the Best Event category, for Nokia ‘Defend your Turf’, and a bronze in the Trade Marketing category, for Tata AIG ‘Career Opportunity Programme’.
© 2006 agencyfaqs!