Sumita Vaid
Media

Britannia awards Rs 40-crore media duties to Maximize

Bakery giant Britannia Industries has awarded its Rs 40-crore media duties to Maximize on the basis of “the overall media approach delivered by Maximize…”

The much-awaited decision on one of the most high-profile media pitches witnessed in the past few months - which saw most big media agencies pitching tent in Bangalore - has been announced. Bakery giant Britannia Industries Limited (BIL) has awarded its estimated Rs 40-crore media duties to Maximize. The business also includes the media duties for the corporate brand of BIL. Confirming the development, Naveen Chopra, general manager, marketing, BIL, says, "The overall media approach delivered by Maximize is what we see as the main driver for our business."

Prior to aligning the account with Maximize, the business was in the care of Initiative. While BIL had shared a good relationship with Initiative, it was the need for a different perspective that drove BIL to review the business in the first place. For the record, Madison Media, Optimum Media Solutions (OMS), Maximize, Mediacom, Carat and defending agency, Initiative, were in the fray for the account. Maximize would be officially awarded BIL's media business on April 1, 2004.

It goes without saying that officials at Maximize are overjoyed. CVL Srinivas, managing director, Maximize India, attributes the success of his agency to two factors: team effort and the agency's understanding of traditional and non-traditional media. "I have to say that sheer team effort paid us rich dividends because, despite stiff competition, we clinched the business. Also, we clearly demonstrated our strength in providing non-traditional (such as movies and events) and traditional media (TV, radio and print) solutions."

For Srinivas, winning the BIL media duties is a reaffirmation of the fact that mature marketers are beginning to value the integration of traditional and non-traditional media as effective media solutions for brands. "We at Maximize and GroupM are in a unique position to be able to offer these solutions," he says. "Through our specialist divisions of BroadMind, M-One, ATG and MCI, we straddle many spaces, and are backed by strong media research and consumer insights. So, while others are still talking about conventional planning and buying, we are moving ahead."

Incidentally, with BIL in the kitty, Maximize is now a fairly large operation in Bangalore. "Maximize handles the media for Himalaya (Drug Company), and a few other clients from Bangalore. Bangalore also happens to be the Global Analytics Center for GroupM, worldwide. Our ATG and MCI units are based here. These two powerhouses on research and consumer insight give us the cutting edge in planning," Srinivas reasons.

The latest development comes close on the heels of BIL calling for credentials presentations from Bangalore-based creative agencies. Vis-à-vis the credentials presentations, in an earlier interview with agencyfaqs!, Chopra had said, "If we see some great work, we might decide to award the agency with some business. On the other hand, we might decide that we are already working with the best agencies and not move anything." A decision on that front is still awaited. © 2004 agencyfaqs!

Have news to share? Write to us atnewsteam@afaqs.com