The account was put up for review earlier this year, after the Bharti Group unveiled its plans to invest $2.5 billion in a new retail venture in India. Along with JWT, it is believed that Lowe, Ogilvy & Mather, Leo Burnett and McCann Erickson all took part in the pitch, with Burnett and McCann contesting the final round against the WPP agency. As part of the assignment, JWT is charged with brand building and store design for Bharti Retail.
The development comes as India’s retail sector gears up for significant growth.
A recent report by AT Kearney notes that the industry could be worth $200 billion by 2016, fuelled by 25 per cent annual growth, from its current size of $7.5 billion.
Bharti is also partnering with Wal-Mart to capitalise on this growth, with a joint venture expected to start operations by March 2008. Discussions are still believed to be ongoing regarding the branding process, given that foreign direct investment in multi-brand retailing remains prohibited in India.
The sector has also seen the high-profile launch of the Future Group, which rolled out earlier this year. Other contenders in the space include Spencer’s Retail, Shopper’s Stop and Reliance Retail.
