Saatchi & Saatchi, Delhi, wins Sony's digital imaging business

Saatchi & Saatchi, Delhi, has won the creative duties of Sony's digital imaging business, which includes the Sony Handycam and the Sony digital camera. The account moves from Enterprise Nexus. Sources in the know peg the business at "upwards of Rs 5 crore". While the agency won the business in a four-way pitch, company officials were unwilling to disclose the names of the participating agencies. For the record, the AOR is vested with Starcom, Delhi.

While Dinesh Chandra, head, marketing communications, Sony India, did not give any particular reason for moving the business out of Enterprise Nexus, two things he said deserves mention here.

First, he said, "Enterprise Nexus had been servicing the business for several years; it was just that we wanted a fresh perspective. So, we started looking for more options." Second, he hinted that Sony is planning to be more aggressive in the digital imaging business. "The agenda this year is to grow the category. Our efforts are simply directed towards that objective," explained Chandra.

Incidentally, Enterprise-Nexus has done two nice campaigns for Sony in the recent past. Besides a tactical print campaign, the latest television commercial made by Enterprise Nexus depicts how every important event in the life of a couple is made timeless with a Sony Handycam.

On its part, Saatchi & Saatchi is excited about the win. "We are quite happy about the win. We were asked (of course, along with the other three agencies) to make a strategy-cum-creative presentation on how to expand the market for the digital imaging business. The client liked our strategy," said Anand Narasimha, head, Saatchi & Saatchi, Delhi. Added Chandra, "Saatchi & Saatchi displayed a good understanding of the consumer behaviour in terms of purchase and usage of the Handycam."

The task now for the new agency is "to create a 360-degree communication plan". Since the objective is to grow the market, the agency will have to formulate a completely new marketing communication gameplan - ranging from an innovative retail experience and aggressive below the lines activities, to top line mass media efforts. © 2003 agencyfaqs!