Mudra Max, the integrated communications planning and implementation arm of Anil Ambani’s Mudra Communications, has lost the Rs 400-crore Reliance Communications (RCom) account to OMD and MEC.
OMD is a part of Omnicom Group, while MEC is a Group M entity.
MEC, according to Sanjay Behl, group head, brand & marketing, RCom, will handle media planning and buying for the wireless business, including 3G and voice, while OMD will handle wireless data, and direct-to-home, branded as Big TV. Behl is also the chief executive officer of Big TV.
The account, a key one for Mudra Max, was with the agency for a few years.
“A fresh perspective to the business” drove RCom to consider new media partners, according to Behl. “It is a normal business practice to evaluate your partners from time to time. We did just that,” he said.
A pitch, where agencies are invited to make presentations, was called in June. Besides Mudra, OMD, and MEC, MediaCom, a joint venture between Madison Communications and Group M, was also invited to make presentation.
But RCom hasn’t stopped there. It is likely to make some changes on the creative side as well. Now, Leo Burnett manages the creative duties of Big TV, while Cartwheel, a Mumbai-based creative hotshop, manages the wireless segment. Mudra group does work on the wireless data and enterprise businesses. A pitch is on for the business handled by Cartwheel. Four agencies, including Mudra, JWT, Grey and McCann-Erickson, are in the fray. Behl said a decision on the same would be taken soon.
