Innocean is expecting to end 2008 with a capitalised billing of around Rs 160 crore. In 2009, the agency plans to focus more on digital as well as to foray into rural branding and communications.
Vivek Srivastava, Joint Managing Director, Innocean, commented on the agency’s plans, “Among our future plans for 2009, the first is manpower. We are looking at a 20 per cent increase in head count. Our Digital unit is a thrust area and we wish to scale it up adequately. We are also evaluating stepping into rural branding and communications, and it might well happen in 2009. All this is with the intent of enhancing our services and utility to our clients. Of course, qualitative issues and their improvement would be important as always.”
He also mentioned that “We intend to expand our business portfolio in a conservative, but surefooted manner, by adding three more clients. Some are in the process of being actively pursued and will be announced at the right moment. Also, we plan to have investments of a significant nature in training our people to ensure talent retention and upgradation. Our second office location in India has been actively considered often and pushed to the backburner. Let’s see if we can revive the subject and broaden our geography in the coming year.”
On the year 2008, Srivastava added, “The year 2008 has been steady and a fairly active one for us. A steady stream of launches and new campaigns by our anchor client Hyundai was there. Besides, the new campaigns done by us for KEI Wires, Mayhem Sunglasses and Opticals and Sahara Life Insurance ensured that there wasn’t a dull moment ever. But it would also be fair to say that the volumes have dipped a wee bit in the last two months, nothing significant, but more to do with the macro factors that are around. Our growth for the year would be around 20 per cent in business terms.”
Commenting on major wins in 2008, Srivastava said, “We see growth in two ways.
One is how have we grown organically with Hyundai Motor, and the other being new acquisitions. Both have been good and consistent. New acquisitions are KEI Wires & Cables, Aureole Inspecs – Mayhem Sungalsses & Opticals, Devasthali Real Estates and Sahara Life Insurance- Pension Plans. Moreover, we have started IWI Digital on November 1, 2008, and have intensive plans for it. It opens a whole new avenue for us in the year to come. Digital will be used for enhancing returns for our existing clients and also opening different and niche new business avenues.”