'No brief needed': About ad agency MagicCircle's intuitive partnership with MakeMyTrip

When Hemant Misra bid adieu to his position as CEO of Publicis Capital in 2017 to establish his own creative shop, MagicCircle Communications, he carried with him not only his reputation and experience, but also the trust of one of India's most iconic digital brands. The online travel agency MakeMyTrip (MMT), which had been working with Misra at Publicis, made the decision to follow the adman to his new venture.

"I give all the credit to Deep and Rajesh for having the trust in us," Misra recounts, referring to MMT founder Deep Kalra and CEO Rajesh Magow. "We were a small fledgling agency, and MakeMyTrip was a humongous account." Soon after, the agency landed other big clients such as Goibibo and Zomato, among others. 

This leap of faith has since blossomed into a remarkable seven-year partnership, successfully navigating the turbulent years of the pandemic, adapting to evolving consumer behaviours, and embracing the rapid digitalisation of the travel industry.

Most recently, the partnership has culminated in a nostalgic yet forward-looking campaign celebrating MakeMyTrip's 25th anniversary—a milestone few dotcom companies from the late '90s can claim to have reached (more about that in a bit).

How it all started

Misra, then at Publicis, laid the foundation of this enduring partnership during an influential pitch in 2015 by taking a somewhat unconventional approach. Rather than leading with creative fireworks, he opted for a strategy-first presentation.

"Most agencies spearhead their pitches with creative ideas and output," Misra explains. "But unless there is a great strategy, you rarely come up with great creative. If a great creative comes out with no strategy, it's a fluke, and you will never know how to do it again."

This strategic mindset has remained the bedrock of MagicCircle's relationship with MakeMyTrip.

Ashit Chakravarty, chief operating officer at MagicCircle Communications, emphasises that when working with "lighthouse brands", such as MakeMyTrip, which shape not just categories but consumer behaviours, the primary focus has always been on understanding the evolving role the brand occupies in people's lives. 

Celebrating MakeMyTrip’s 25 years

For the 25th anniversary campaign, MagicCircle didn't wait for a formal brief. After all, when you've been partners this long, you anticipate milestones. “We knew that the 25th anniversary of MMT was upon us, and we knew what we had to do. The one obvious choice was to delve into some nostalgia,” Misra says. 

But the agency chose not to do a bland, nostalgic piece that covers some key milestones of the brand. Instead, it chose to represent the growth of the entire category, led by MakeMyTrip.

"In the last 25 years, the world has changed," Misra reflects. "And travel as a category has had a huge journey of its own, brilliantly spearheaded by an iconic brand like MMT."

This evolution became the heart of the campaign—a long-format film starring brand ambassadors Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt, who have been the face of MakeMyTrip since 2015.

The film, with a runtime of 1 minute and 30 seconds, cleverly intertwines technological advancement with changes in consumer behaviour, from spontaneous travel to cyber café bookings to mobile app convenience, all while celebrating MakeMyTrip's pioneering role in this journey. 

"Full credit to the client for doing a long-format film," Misra notes. "This kind of narrative requires a long-format treatment for you to effectively build the story."

The campaign took about three months from conceptualisation to execution, with outdoor media serving as another key element. The billboards, conceptualised by MagicCircle and executed by an OOH agency partner, Xperia Group, are aimed at evoking nostalgia with visuals such as cassette tapes and playlists.

 “There is agility in each of these pieces of work. It is something that people would remember, talk about, and share. This potency is what we were focusing on,” Chakravarty elaborates.

Interestingly, while MagicCircle developed the brand-love oriented anniversary campaign, MakeMyTrip simultaneously worked with another agency, MoonShot, for a more performance-driven sales advert.

"The 25-year campaign has two legs," explains Chakravarty. "One is a celebration of 25 years, and then there is another piece of work done by MoonShot, which is a sales campaign." Both the ad films feature the brand ambassador duo. 

A history of memorable storytelling

The anniversary campaign follows a series of successful collaborations between MagicCircle and MakeMyTrip. In 2019, Ranveer and Alia encouraged Indian travellers to explore alternative accommodations.

The 2021 'Sirf MakeMyTrip Pe, JoHogaWowHoga' campaign humorously highlighted the platform's unique features. In 2023, the duo introduced the innovative 'Book with Zero Payment' offering for a summer campaign.

Throughout these campaigns, the chemistry between Ranveer and Alia has been instrumental. "They're great actors," Misra says admiringly. "They're not stereotyped in any way. Look at the characters they've played in MakeMyTrip campaigns—completely different kinds of people."

When the brand and the agency were shortlisting celebrities to become the face of MMT, the criteria were simple–a male and a female actor who are rising but aren’t at the top yet.

“That is the mindset our consumer is in. Challenging, wanting to do more, aspiring to be more. And we’ve been very consistent and clear on sustaining that kind of chemistry that Ranveer and Alia have created with the brand,” Misra adds.

Evolution of communication in the travel space

The travel industry's communication strategy has evolved significantly over the past decade, with the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a pivotal moment of transformation. While destination promotion was once the norm, the focus has shifted to the planning process—the stage where consumers' desires and dreams come to the fore.

"The most exciting time in travel is the planning," Misra asserts. "That's when all your desires come out."

The pandemic accelerated digital acceptance, as Misra points out: "Post-COVID, the common man has understood that digital can help them overcome a whole lot of problems, and it can give them much more information and a much better experience."

This digital embrace benefitted category leaders such as MakeMyTrip when travel rebounded, with pent-up demand leading people to "want to travel with a vengeance".

Chakravarty adds that benefit communication (value propositions) has transformed as well. "Back in the day, access to destinations or booking a flight by yourself and not having to go through a travel agent—feeling that empowered was the first form of value benefits," he explains.

Now, with evolved consumer needs, communication focuses on specific experiences rather than just destinations.

Consumer perception has also matured in the travel booking space. As Misra points out, "Many years ago, it used to be only about the money. As Indians, we are very proud of the fact that we've been able to crack a great deal."

The conversation has shifted significantly, however. "Today, consumers are still looking for a deal, but they're asking themselves, 'What more can I get for this amount that I spend?' What value additions can I get? Do I get a free seat change? Can I get a free cancellation? Do I get a room upgrade at my hotel?'" Misra explains.

This evolution represents a deeper shift in consumer priorities—from pure cost-cutting to value enhancement. "The deal remains, but the definition of the deal has evolved and changed, and that's very heartening," says Misra.