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Quick chat with the recently elevated CEO of The Glitch, a digital agency.
The Glitch, a digital marketing and creative agency, known for rewarding its employees with quirky designations such as 'Right Brain' (co-founder Rohit Raj), 'Left Brain' (co-founder Varun Duggirala), 'Son of a Glitch' (senior-level producers) and 'Postmaster' (authority who heads post-production work), announced the elevation of Pooja Jauhari as chief executive officer a couple of days ago. She had been working as vice-president - client strategy, at the agency for over two years.
To her, this is both exciting and challenging. "As one of the largest independent agencies, the range of clients that we work with is just amazing. It gives us scope to experiment. The biggest challenge posed by digital is to keep re-inventing, because even the challenges in this space are not constant," she says, adding that today, digital agencies are not mere idea machines running from one big idea to another. They script the entire digital journey for brands.
"Our solutions are about helping brands create impact in the market and interact with their consumers in real time. The power of digital is such that it gives you tangible and immediate results, and clients do realise the fact. Today, in many cases, digital is not just a part of the marketing mix; it leads the plan. This is very encouraging for the industry," shares Jauhari.
Founded in 2009 by Duggirala and Raj, The Glitch, with its offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, manages nearly 50 accounts including brands such as Netflix, Lakme, Whisper, Kurkure, Lifebuoy, Lay's, Pears, Cornetto, Magnum, TRESemmé and Set Wet. Currently, the agency employs around 200 people.
The team prides itself in the clientele it manages. Says Jauhari, "We are not a company that has been great with its PR. We don't enter awards. During the initial years, all the time and money had to be invested in creating new services. It was mostly word-of-mouth that gave us this amazing mix of clients from across different categories -- from FMCG and foods, to sports, OTT, and more. We now want to focus on getting on board an aviation brand."
She, however, clarifies that the agency has never underestimated media and awards. "As we grow, we will be more proactive on both fronts. Awards are not just an instant recognition, but also a great source of encouragement. Starting this year, we will pick and choose those awards that will boost the morale of our team."
Apart from aviation, start-ups are another focus area, informs Jauhari. In fact, the agency has a service called The Glitch Think Tank that offers strategic services, particularly to smaller/younger businesses.
While the agency also has international business interests, Jauhari agrees that the India market is still untapped, and hence, most important for them. "We are working on multiple brands in foreign markets including South East Asia, Africa, and Southern Europe. The change will be slow, but it will happen as we grow into a bigger and globally recognised agency," she asserts.
And, on acquiring a global identity, Jauhari believes that global alignments always work in favour of smaller agencies.