Arun Verma Design Studio to handle BTL duties for LG

Following a multi agency pitch which involved eight agencies, Noida based Arun Verma Design Studio has bagged the BTL (below-the-line) duties for the entire portfolio of LG products in India. As part of the association, the design studio will be responsible for putting together collaterals used during on ground promotions, events, in-store communication, loyalty programmes and other material used at point of sale. Also, the studio will explore ambient ideas in stores, malls and LG outlets.

Earlier, this part of LG's business was handled by its global agency, Rediffusion Y&R.

Confirming the development to afaqs!, Arun Verma, founder, Arun Verma Design Studio, says, "BTL still remains an ignored part of the communication process. Gone are the days when clients did not look beyond one agency to provide multi-media solutions. Today, they are willing to go to different doors to solve different purposes related to brand communication. We are going to keep the faith the client has shown in us."

He adds that while ATL (above the line) gets a customer to the store, BTL has a final impact on his/her final decision. Verma did not disclose the size of the account.

The development was confirmed by sources at LG as well.

In 2003, Arun Verma Design Studio was founded by Verma, who had earlier spent six years in mainstream advertising working with agencies such as McCann Ericsson, MAA Bozell and Draft FCB Ulka before moving to online. The design studio has worked for clients such as Convergys, Bausch and Lomb, Jaypee Hotels, Monster.com, Spice Cinemas and EXL Services, amongst others.

Though the studio gets most of its business through referrals from the existing clients, this is the first time that it participated in a pitch.