Reborn Meridian bags creative duties for INX Group

The Indrani Mukerjea-promoted INX Group’s search for an advertising agency has come to an end. Meridian, one of the Ogilvy group agencies, has bagged the creative duties for INX’s forthcoming flagship television channels – News X and 9X. The size of the business is upward of Rs 50 crore. However, the pitch for INX’s music channel, 9X Music, is still on.

As is known, these channels will be launched under INX Media, the group’s entertainment company, and INX News, the news company, which is part-owned (26 per cent) by the entertainment company. While News X and 9X will be both launched by the end of 2007, 9X Music is slated for a January 2008 launch.

Meridian was launched in India by the WPP Group in January 2006, and N Ramesh of O&M, Delhi, was roped in to steer its creative function. Joining N Ramesh now are Kumar Subramaniam and Rensil D’Silva, who will lead the business and creative aspects, respectively. Subramaniam, who till recently was president of the erstwhile Brand David (before its merger with Bates), will now be president, Meridian India.

D’Silva, most known for co-writing the dialogues for ‘Rang De Basanti’, was senior creative director at O&M. He will now function as Meridian’s co-executive creative director, along with N Ramesh. The Meridian senior management will report to the Ogilvy India board.

Says Miles Young, chairman, Ogilvy & Mather, Asia Pacific, “Meridian is an existing name within the Ogilvy India family, but suddenly, it seems to have taken off. Meridian is of Ogilvy and by Ogilvy, equipped with the agency’s spirit and way of building brands.”

Apart from the INX Group, Meridian has also recently won the creative duties for Axis Bank. Its clientele further includes Radio City 91.1FM, TTK, Himalaya Drug Company, Arvind Mills and some brands of Levi Strauss (India).