N. Shatrujeet
Advertising

Lowe adds Rs 30 crore new business; gains include Torrent and ACC

Lowe’s Mumbai office has acquired four new advertising businesses including those of ACC, Torrent group, Blow Plast Ergonomics and VIP Footloose

Lowe's Mumbai office has acquired four new businesses over the past one month, which put together, have contributed to a Rs 30-crore increase in annualized billing for the agency. The accounts that the agency has won include the ad businesses of cement major ACC, the corporate account of the Ahmedabad-based Torrent group, Blow Plast Ergonomics and VIP Footloose.

Pranesh Misra, president & COO, Lowe has confirmed the news of all four wins to agencyfaqs!.

The ACC and Torrent accounts have moved to the agency on the back of multi-agency pitches. While particulars of the ACC pitch are not available, agencyfaqs! has gathered that during the concluding stage of the multi-level pitch, Lowe and St Luke's India were in contention for the account. Misra reveals that the agency has been entrusted with the task of looking after the advertising of both the corporate brand as well as specific cement brands in the ACC portfolio.

The Torrent pitch, on the other hand, had agencies such as O&M India, Rediffusion | DYR and Triton Communications in the fray, and Misra informs that the pitch was conducted to identify an agency to look after the corporate account of the group. "While the Torrent group is already a well-known known name in pharmaceuticals, the group is also diversifying into the power sector," he says. "Our responsibility is to build salience around the Torrent corporate brand."

While Blow Plast Ltd, the marketing arm of the Piramal Group, has awarded the Blow Plast Ergonomics (modular furniture) account to Lowe without calling for a pitch, the VIP Footloose account - comprising a range of sling bags, satchels and knapsacks from luggage maker VIP - has also been consolidated with the agency.

It may be recalled that in September 2003, VIP Industries had awarded the advertising account of its flagship luggage brand, VIP, to Lowe. "Last year, we had been awarded the flagship luggage account. Now the Footloose account has also been given to us," says Misra. "This is particularly satisfying, as it reflects the client's confidence in our strategic and creative contribution."

Naturally, the agency is in a celebratory mood. "Apart from the fact that we have signed up over Rs 30 crore worth of new business, an interesting trend is that most of our growth in the recent past has come from the non-FMCG sector," says Misra.

"Interesting advertising categories such as cement, moulded furniture, durables, construction and corporate branding have come into the agency....these are categories that are quite different from the traditionally high-spending FMCG sector. This is a good trend for us, as today our portfolio has a good depth across categories." © 2004 agencyfaqs!

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