Nikhil Nehru's INC Comm targets Rs 35 crore of biz this year

Nikhil Nehru, ex-president of McCann-Erickson was disillusioned with the 'advertising business' where all that mattered was bottomlines. He was desperate to get back to the 'business of advertising'. And, that's how INC Communications came into existence two years back.

The agency that started out with just one client and six people, today, has a sundry list of clients. Integrity alone has helped the agency advance, says Nehru, chairman, INC Communications.

The young agency is very proud of its achievements. And, particularly about the slew of businesses - it has won. These include a chemist retail chain 98.4, modelling agency Metropolitan, confectionery brand Norteen, wood laminate and furniture outlet Unitex and cement brand Buniyad - from the Jaypee Cement division. The total size of the business put together comes to an estimated billing of Rs 11 crore.

Apart from these, the agency is also working on cosmetic brand Schwarzkopf, Tehelka, the CTC Mall, Seabuck Care, Leh Berry, GK and Apeejay Education Society.

While the billings looks good, the agency feels, the most gratifying part about winning the business is the fact that most accounts have been won in a multi-agency pitch scenario. "It feels good when one is contesting for a piece of business along with the fairly big ones in town," says Indranil Chatterjee, director and CEO, INC Communications.

Coming back to the client accounts, one project that INC Communications is excited about is the retail expansion of GK Dairy & Milk Products, the makers of Gopaljee brand of packaged milk, ghee, paneer, and other milk. The dairy has branched into two retail offerings - sweet shops and complete food shops (on the lines of Haldiram). The snack food restaurants have been branded as 'Happy Hours' by the agency. From the three outlets that GK Dairy has today, the company intents to take the number to 67 in the next three years.

If the agency has been on the right path, Nehru gives the credit to his "formidable" team and its commitment to improve the creative product. Which is why, the agency is confident of targeting a billing of Rs 35 crore this financial year. Last year, the agency had clocked billings worth Rs 22 crore. Nehru says 40 per cent of this growth is organic. "And that has certainly to do with challenge because 99 per cent of our clients are challenge brands," Nehru points out.

And challenge brands do require full advertising services. While the creative support comes from Charu Bakshi, the creative head of INC Communications, media buying and planning is handled by Tapan Pal, ex-president and CEO, Zenith Media and now, director, Absolute Media. "This way we ensure the agency provides complete communication solutions to our clients," Nehru concludes. © 2004 agencyfaqs!