Everest, Delhi, picks up Rs 4-5 crore Shipra Group account

Everest Integrated Communications is back in the news with the creator of Digen Verma (the Frooti icon of 2001), Milind Dhaimade, returning to the agency as executive creative director, along with two new recruits in Mumbai - Rajul Dhaimade (creative director) and Manish Sinha (director planning) - strengthening the ranks. On its part, the Delhi branch is creating buzz with a new business win in the form of the Shipra Group. The agency won the Rs 4-5 crore business in a multi-agency pitch. The business was with McCann-Erickson when it was put under review.

Besides Lowe, the names of other agencies that had pitched for the business could not be ascertained. Clearly, the brief to the appointed agency is to increase awareness and registrations to the upcoming real estate properties of the Shipra Group. Talking about the reasons for selecting Everest, Satish Dhawan, CEO, Shipra Group, says, "The agency was judged on several parameters. Creativity, of course, was top of the list. Their suggested campaign was very well researched and focused. Other factors, such as cost and the commitment of the agency also influenced our decision."

Amitabha Lahiri, vice-president, Everest, adds, "We won the business on the basis of our cutting edge creative and strategic insights. The mantra at Everest is, think strategically and execute differently." That thinking seems to have paid off.

To begin with, the task for the agency is to handle the communication for the hotels and the real estate, which include both residential and commercial properties. The media use would be skewed towards print. At the moment, the agenda is to increase footfalls in Shipra Sun City, the residential housing sector that marked the launch of Shipra's real estate interests in the National Capital Region of Ghaziabad

The Shipra Group's major projects include Shipra Sun City - Phase I and II in Ghaziabad, Centrestage Mall in Noida, Shipra Riviera in Indirapuram, Shipra Tower in Kaushambi, Krishna Shipra Mall in Ghaziabad and a chain of hotels in Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Dehradun and Mussorie. The Group is coming up with a slew of new projects in the residential and retail sector in the NCR soon.

In an interview with a business daily in July 2002, Mohit Singh, managing director, Shipra Estate, had mentioned that the company has invested Rs 225 crore in the first phase to build 3,500 units. For the second phase, which would take four years to complete, the company will invest an additional Rs 750 crore. © 2003 agencyfaqs!