Amit Wadhwa, CEO of Dentsu Creative India, explains how the revival of two well-known brands aligns with the company’s vision to create the ‘agency of the future’ in India.
A Storied Journey for Webchutney
A Storied Journey for Webchutney
Founded in 1999, Webchutney has achieved notable success, especially after being acquired by Dentsu Aegis Network in 2013. The agency, led by the late Sidharth Rao until his passing in 2023, consistently impressed the industry. Its recent campaign, ‘The Unfiltered History Tour,’ earned numerous accolades at Cannes Lions 2023, cementing its status among top global rankings like the World Creative Rankings. Isobar, with its digital and social media expertise, has also played a significant role within the Dentsu network.
Local Restructuring Efforts
Dentsu’s decision to revive these two brands comes two years after a major restructuring, which consolidated all its creative agencies under a global network. The new structure now includes three key brands: Dentsu Creative Webchutney, Dentsu Creative Isobar, and Dentsu Creative PR.
Wadhwa explains that while they wanted to maintain a strong Dentsu Creative brand, it was crucial to have sub-brands to handle potential conflicts and offer distinct services. “Bringing back these brands, with their unique value propositions, allows us to better serve our clients without diluting the core Dentsu Creative identity,” he says.
A More Comprehensive Client Offering
“We are reintroducing Webchutney and Isobar as sub-brands of Dentsu Creative to strengthen our overall offering,” says Wadhwa. Webchutney will focus on innovative, brand-building ideas, while Isobar will emphasize digital experience and creative solutions.
This dual approach enables Dentsu Creative to provide the best of both worlds—global reach and specialization. From a business perspective, the strategy also helps manage potential client conflicts, offering flexibility within the overarching Dentsu Creative umbrella.
Navigating Industry Shifts
Wadhwa acknowledges the ongoing shifts in the marketing landscape, where brands are frequently retired and resurrected in response to evolving trends. This underscores the expanding role of agencies, which now go beyond traditional advertising to address broader business challenges in the digital age.
“To harness the full potential of our diverse capabilities, we initially consolidated our brands under a unified identity,” explains Wadhwa. However, to cater to different client needs and avoid potential conflicts, Dentsu reintroduced Webchutney and Isobar as sub-brands within the Dentsu Creative family.
Wadhwa believes that in a crowded market, having two recognized brands makes it easier to sell their services to clients. Webchutney and Isobar will serve as complementary pillars, collaborating when necessary to deliver the best creative solutions.
A New Wave of Reorganization?
Agency networks have increasingly embraced consolidation in recent years, combining well-known brands into new entities. Dentsu Creative India, after initially following this trend, is now charting its own path by bringing back its legacy brands to fuel the ‘agency of the future’ in India.