FCB Ulka to take on Y&R with its new tool

Said Natalie Pidgeon, regional director (strategic planning), FCB Asia Pacific: "Created in the US, Brand Insight is very similar to Y&R's Brand Asset Valuator tool."

The decision comes close on the heels of Indian advertising agencies' quest to offer unlimited value-added services to their clients. Y&R's Brand Asset Value has been existing in the Indian market since 1997. The tool has been used by the agency in 1,250 categories across 40 countries.

Advertising agencies typically use these tools to understand where the client's business figures in comparison to the competition. It even enables the agencies to find out how and when the consumers reprioritise their choices.

According to Pidgeon, India is far superior in strategic planning than the rest of the Asia Pacific region. "India, Australia and New Zealand are more developed among the Asia Pacific countries than the rest. India is far up there because of a strong planning culture," she said.

Pidgeon further stated that the agency has picked up a couple of media tools from India, like the Perfidia Index, which FCB will be taking to other countries. Planning executives from India are currently in Singapore for the FCB media conference to present Indian insights to the rest of Asia Pacific countries. An Indian tool, 'Branding and I', based on relationships, will be used in other countries.