M&C Saatchi creates digital and direct marketing arm

Sumantra Sengupta is the CEO of M&C Saatchi Direct & Digital

UK based advertising agency M&C Saatchi has created an arm for digital advertising and direct marketing in India. The agency, christened M&C Saatchi Direct & Digital, will be headed by Sumantra Sengupta in the post of chief executive officer. Sengupta was formerly senior vice-president and general manager at RMG Connect.

Sengupta has 22 years of experience in integrated communication in various markets. He will be supported by Sumanta Ganguly and mentored by M&C Saatchi director Rakshin Patel, who was formerly CEO of RMG Connect.

Sengupta says his mandate is "to create an exciting workplace that attracts talent which believes in and relishes a challenger mindset and clients who actively seek a changed way of looking at their business".

Sengupta adds that the services offered by M&C Saatchi Direct & Digital will include interactive branding strategies for brands in both online and offline media. "Whether it is harnessing Web 2.0 principles and engaging on a social media platform, or undertaking communication, relationship and service audits to deliver better, more impactful direct marketing strategies, our services will be media neutral and will follow the consumer in his engagement with life," he says.

The agency will provide these services to M&C Saatchi's existing clients and it has also acquired a few new accounts in realty, retail, banking and media.

M&C Saatchi Direct & Digital will start out from Mumbai and Delhi and expand to other locations in the future.

Sharing his vision on digital advertising in India, Sengupta says, "Clearly, the engines of growth for digital advertising have been in search marketing and display advertising. I think the growth now will also come from the ability to offer innovative ways to target new age consumers using existing social networks or being able to create social networks around brands."