Starcom MediaVest Group today announced the launch of a new out of home agency christened Vector. To be headed by Sriram Iyer, who will be its Chief Operating Officer, Vector will be headquartered in Mumbai and operate as a division of Starcom MediaVest Group with operations in all the metros. Sriram Iyer will work under the leadership of Sanjay Shah, CEO, Vector.
Sister agency, Navia Asia, which is one of the top specialist OOH companies, managing the out-of-home needs of clients of all VivaKi media brands in India as well as its own AOR clients, will continue to operate independent of this development. Sanjay Shah will be CEO-India, Navia Asia in addition to being CEO at Vector. Sriram will be supported by Abhishek Singh [Head, India-North & East] and Rakesh Srivastav [Head, India-West & South].
Ravi Kiran, CEO-South Asia, Starcom MediaVest Group said, “The out of home industry is gaining momentum after seeing some difficult times in the past one year. Despite the difficult period, Navia Asia had a steady growth. Inspired by this, we decided to create a brand new unit, with its own vision, leadership and operating processes. Vector will be the newest entrant but will start with a team of fifteen talented professionals and two robust clients.”
Speaking on the new setup – Sanjay Shah, CEO, Vector, said, “The vision at Starcom MediaVest Group is to be Tomorrow Ready. Vector has been started with this in mind and I’m delighted we have Sriram Iyer heading this new agency. The out of home industry with new technologies, international tools for measurement among other modern frameworks is bound to take great leaps in the way brands advertise. Vector is sure to be a front runner in setting benchmarks for the industry. We hope to grow as a prized jewel in SMG India’s crown.”
Added Sriram Iyer, COO, Vector, “With Vector we are creating a new approach to the way Out of Home business is done in the country. We will offer clients a 360 degree experiential solution and stay ahead of the curve by being agile and state of the art. Under the guidance of Sanjay, I’m sure we will soon grow to become an agency to watch out for. Some of the initial work we have done is being appreciated by clients and we hope to creating lovable campaigns.”
Vector will collaborate with Navia in several areas aimed at bringing greater transparency and accountability to OOH and Ambient Marketing as a discipline and enhancing return on client investment and objectives. These include customisation and application of international tools and best practices, development of India specific planning and measurement frameworks, import and application of new OOH display and production technologies, development and licensing of IP based ideas and structured assets, and technology enabled near-real time monitoring & tracking systems and management dashboards.
About Starcom MediaVest Group [www.smvgroup.com]
Ranked one of the largest brand communications groups in the world, Chicago headquartered Starcom MediaVest Group encompasses an integrated network of highly specialized consumer contact companies. SMG's global organization includes strategic marketing communication architects who are highly specialized in media management, response media, internet and digital communications, as well as multicultural, entertainment, gaming, sports, sponsorship, event marketing and media. With over 6,000 employees in 110 offices worldwide, SMG delivers brand-building results for many of the world's leading companies. It is now part of VivaKi, the newly formed global communications entity within Paris-based Publicis Groupe.
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Starcom MediaVest Group in India
Ranked consistently as one of India’s most admired media networks by Brand Equity, Starcom MediaVest Group is one of the youngest, largest and most diversified media networks in the country. It operates two media network brands Starcom Worldwide and MediaVest Worldwide and has over 300 contact architects and activators across its four full service offices and twenty nine field offices where its specialist units have an operation. It prides itself on its ‘people first’ approach at workplace and is known in the industry and in campuses as one of the best places to work in. It has one of the best talent and client retention rates amongst media networks in India.
Using proprietary planning frameworks such as Passion Group Marketing, internationally proven tools such as TARDIIS, local research, superior analytical as well as creative skills, the agency attempts to build lasting connections between its clients’ brands and their customers.
Since 2007, the network has been represented to the media owners by VivaKi Exchange, formed after a strategic merger of its buying scale with that of sister VivaKi unit ZenithOptimedia, making it the second largest buyer of media in the market now.
In addition to communication strategy development and mainstream media negotiation, the network offers solutions in the area of out-of-home and ambient media [Navia], entertainment and embedded marketing [The Bridge], digital and wireless marketing [Starcom IP], sports and cause enabled marketing [Relay Worldwide], activation and media supported amplification [ACE] and small town and rural marketing [Xpanse], ambient assets, navigational signage, and retail branding [Enhance] and lifestyle marketing and communication [C].
SMG South Asia operations, headed by CEO Ravi Kiran, report to Chicago based Andrew Swinand, President-Global Operations for the network.