Live Issue... Behind Wieden & Kennedy's selection of the 'A' team

The US$1.4 billion Portland-based boutique agency, Wieden & Kennedy (W&K), has merged with an independent Delhi-based hotshop - A Advertising - to form Wieden & Kennedy India. With the move, V Sunil and Mohit Dhar Jayal, founding partners of A, become global W&K partners.

Given the importance of emerging markets to global clients, as well as W&K’s recent $300 million global Nokia win, the agency’s efforts to strengthen its presence in India shouldn’t come as a surprise.

But why A? Even in its home market the agency has yet to truly stamp its mark. Dave Luhr, COO, W&K, says: “We talked to a lot of people in India during the last few months, and everyone kept leading us back to Sunil and Mohit. They clearly have the combination of talent and entrepreneurial spirit we were looking for.”

Sunil and Jayal left big agency jobs to set up A about three years ago. With a staff of 12, A’s client portfolio lists the India tourism account, Royal Enfield motorcycles and IndiGo airlines, for which the agency handles everything from art direction on the body exteriors of airplanes to designing the uniforms for flight attendants. “Their creative is outstanding and they work hard to stretch the definition of what an ad agency can do,” adds Luhr.

According to Jayal, over the last three years, A has helped shape a new Indian identity. The agency’s work portrays an India that is highly cosmopolitan, yet comfortable in its own skin - a radical departure from the faux-European tone or gaudy ethnicity that plagues so many Indian brands. Other recent projects include the ‘Made for India’ and Nokia NGage TV campaigns, the 2006 global brand identity for Nepal Tourism, and this year’s Government of India global ‘Incredible India’ campaign.

“From an industry perspective, A rapidly demonstrated that a single-city based independent is better equipped to deliver breakthrough creative strategies than its large network counterparts,” adds Jayal. “For example, A’s ‘Incredible India’ campaign is already being heralded as one the world’s best country-branding exercises.”

The creative independent model is well-established in Western markets, where agencies like Wieden & Kennedy, Crispen Porter & Bogusky, Mother London and 180 Amsterdam have reshaped the way branding works (and forced clients and agencies to rethink the rules). While few have a footprint in India, the high-profile W&K/A merger is expected to change that.

Indeed, other independents in India, such as Vyas Gianetti Creative and Crayons, are expected to fall under the microscope of international boutiques looking for the right partner to make a foray into the Indian market.

But while there has been talk about other independents coming in, it remains to be seen if this model will work for everyone.

Sunil explains: “Many breakaway agencies have launched over the last few years, and they’re doing interesting work in pockets. But I don’t know how many of them stand for quality of work and an understanding of business that differs from conventional agencies.”

A’s current clients and staffing will move across to W&K India. In addition, W&K Delhi will immediately begin servicing Nokia, with Sunil and Jayal playing a key role.

“Right now, we are concentrating on Nokia, but we’re very excited about the possibility of working with brands like Nike,” adds Sunil.

As well as Nike, the boutique is tipped to have an eye on other brands with which it is globally aligned: Procter & Gamble, Honda and Starbucks. Vodafone, which entered the Indian market with Ogilvy & Mather, is also understood to be in talks with W&K - its global creative partner.