“Chimp&z Inc is looking forward to the next 10 years as we are here to play & stay"

In the year 2013, ambitious businessmen Angad Singh Manchanda and Lavinn Rajpal founded Chimp&z Inc, an award-winning digital-first advertising agency from the house of Merge Infinity Global. From being a creative social media agency to being known as a global network of digital consulting companies, the journey from Chimp&z Inc to Merge Infinity is quite astounding.

The year 2023 marks the completion of 10 years of Chimp&z Inc. In this occasion, Adgully spoke to Angad Singh Manchanda, CEO & Co-founder and Lavinn Rajpal, MD & Co-founder, Chimp&z Inc, to know more about this milestone for the agency, what differentiates the agency from others, following a strong employee-centric approach, some marquee work done by the agency over the years, and much more.

From being a 10-employee social media agency to having grown into a 200+ employee network, please walk us through the 10-year journey of Chimp&z Inc.

It was in the year 2013, that Chimp&z Inc, an award-winning digital-first advertising agency from the house of Merge Infinity Global, was founded. From being a creative social media agency to being known as a global network of digital consulting companies, the journey from Chimp&z Inc to Merge Infinity is quite astounding. The first few years enabled the agency to produce spectacular results for its clients, serving as an incentive to diversify its line of business.

To further bolster its growth story, Chimp&z Inc announced the launch of its in-house production company, Griffin Pictures Worldwide in the year 2018. Today, the company has evolved into a self-sustaining and fully-equipped digital content hub with its own studio space offering 360° video creation services.

The agency’s employee welfare initiatives such as its policies, training programs, and reward patterns also contributed to making Chimp&z Inc a Great Place to Work-Certified company. The recurring success of the agency in narrating digital stories laid the foundation for its global expansion with global offices in North America & Canada. The intent was to represent the Indian creative industry globally with two international offices in the Western world.

Chimp&z Inc, through its strategic approaches and data-driven campaigns, quickly gained a reputation for generating impressive ROI. The agency went beyond its impulses to expand and execute flawless marketing plans for its brands. Over the years, the agency has grown manifolds by partnering with international brands such as UNICEF, Discovery Channel, BODOG, DHL, Mondelez International, Animal Planet India, FCUK, Nivea, Acetute Learning, MG Motors, MyGlamm, & Kara Water NY.

How has Chimp&z been able to create a stir in the advertising industry?

For the past ten years, the agency’s goal has been to comprehend client behaviour dynamics before providing specialised solutions. The employees of the agency also abide by its policies and regulations intended for employees’ well-being ensuring efficient business operations. The first is its diversity and inclusion-led policy, which aims to guarantee that the organisation’s operational guidelines, practices, and conduct foster a culture that embraces individual differences. Several media publications and companies have praised the organisation’s employee-centric work culture, which was further evidenced by its Women Care Leave Policy and Mental Health Leave Policy. The agency has been awarded the Great Place to Work-Certification from March 2022 to March 2023 due to its employee-centric approach, professional growth, and progressive mindset. Adding to it, the agency was also named among the top 75 organizations as one of India's Best Workplaces for Women 2022. This acted as a testament that Chimp&z Inc excels in both people practices and policies designed for their employees to foster a High Trust Culture.

Chimp&z Inc’s 2016 campaign, ‘Game of Agencies’, was recognised in more than 120 countries by Adweek, Design Taxi, and other worldwide media publications.

A significant crusade Chimp&z Inc embarked on was the creation of the constitution of advertising. On the occasion of India’s 71st Republic Day in 2020, the creative agency drafted and affirmed a constitution for and by the “Republic of Advertising”. It focused on a set of rights for people in the advertising industry. Professionals from different sectors of the ad industry united to bring about this constitution of advertising. The idea behind this was to educate and encourage a free flow of thoughts.

Social Animal Awards 2020 executed by the agency was a new attempt to honour various social media platforms. These awards were meant to acknowledge the unique features of the platforms with some unconventional award titles. The agency invited other digital agencies, media houses, and every single social media user to cast their votes for their favourite platforms under 12 distinctive categories.

Adding to the impact-driven in-house campaigns, the next was its #prideofadvertising campaign in the year 2021. It was aimed at bringing together the LGBTQIA+ members of the advertising community, during Pride month by recognising, promoting, and celebrating the inclusive workplace cultures that they work in.

What are some of the success stories of brands that contributed to the growth story of Chimp&z Inc?

From conceptualising an award-winning digital rebranding campaign for Tata Play to planning Pogo and Cartoon Network India’s social media launch operations, the firm has established a new standard for narrating digital stories. With a knack for digital brand launches, the agency has worked with brands such as Blue Tribe, Times Of A Better India, Kara Water, Gorgias London, and more to help them enter the market on the right foot. Be it zero-dollar campaigns, or big-budget campaigns, the agency has covered it all.

The list of some remarkable brands that have been a part of the agency’s ten-year-long journey includes UNICEF, Tata Motors, Discovery Channel India, Tata Play, Tata Play Binge, TIPS, Cartoon Network India, DC Asia, Cartoon Network Asia, Tata Steel Foundation, PVR Cinemas, ALT Balaji, Paytm First Games, Warner Media SEA, Animal Planet India, Eurosport India, The Times Of India, DHL, TLC India, Mondelez International, WhiteHat Jr, Austrade, Autocar India, Dainik Bhaskar, Astral Pipes, Bajaj Finserv, Fancode, Godrej Expert, Radisson Blu, Mahindra Lifespaces, Portronics, The Derma Co., MyGlamm, Lotus Herbals, Vega, Nivea, Parachute, Livon, Wipro, Playgard, CoinDCX, WazirX, etc.

In the next few years, one can expect Chimp&z Inc to take their baton higher, like they believe. The first 10 years are usually the toughest before one establishes anything. The agency is looking forward to the next 10 as they are here to play and here to stay.

Could you share some of the key learnings that you’ve had in your journey?

With time and demand, new opportunities arise for the execution of new strategies and approaches. What remains constant is evolution. The landscape for advertising is constantly evolving due to changes in consumer behaviour, developing platforms, and technological improvements. Having just one functional company in this type of industry wasn’t enough and hence, the company formed several different agencies under the parent company of Merge Infinity. From this, the key learning we took away was the need to constantly evolve.

The acceptance of AI in advertising as an enabler instead of a threat was a new perspective that was highlighted and proposed by co-founder, Lavinn Rajpal. The agency learned to embrace AI and incorporate it into its business strategy. This indicates that agencies and brands will soon be on the lookout for specialists with experience working around AI. Moreover, emerging technology provides new opportunities and challenges for ad agencies. From programmatic advertising and artificial intelligence to augmented reality and voice-activated devices, staying up-to-date with the market trends is a key priority for Chimp&z Inc.

What were some of the challenges you had to face in your initial days, and how did you overcome them?

As an emerging advertising agency, we had several challenges to face. Establishing our trust and reputation in a congested field was an important task. To get around this, we concentrated on exhibiting our knowledge through case studies, client endorsements, and proving our capability to produce tangible results. Acquiring new clients and developing a solid clientele was a competitive challenge in itself. To overcome it, the agency took maximum advantage of networking opportunities, attended industry events, and provided competitive pricing solutions that were tailored to the individual requirements of each customer.

The agency was able to progressively develop its reputation as a reliable advertising agency, drawing in a range of clients, and positioning itself as a trustworthy partner that executes effective and profitable advertising campaigns.

What are some of the agency’s communication and orientation changes that we will be seeing in the coming years?

The future of the agency will be marked by digital transformation, enhanced customer experiences, innovative technologies, sustainability, agile workflows, ethical advertising, and DEI (Diversity, Equality, and Inclusivity) oriented work culture. By embracing these nuances, Chimp&z Inc aims to stay at the forefront of the industry and deliver impactful campaigns in the years to come.

The usage of data analytics and metrics would be increased for informed decision-making and improved communication strategies. Agencies will also be seen leveraging data and insights to understand employee engagement, measure the effectiveness of communication channels, and identify areas for improvement.

On the occasion of completing 10 years, could you mention some of your Award-winning campaigns?

Over the years, Chimp&z Inc has bagged multiple awards for its innovative campaigns that resulted in increased brand awareness, audience engagement, and media appreciation. Below is the list of some iconic wins.

Gold at AdGully’s DIGIXX Award, Influencer Marketing Campaign (Satellite Service Provider) for Tata Play on World TV Day - #YahaSabDekha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nt-4eCTsg-w&t=3s

Gold at Brand Equity Digi Plus Award, Best Use of Social Media for Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls and PM Modi of Discovery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C-qL4GPqtk

Silver at e4m Indian Marketing Award, Best Use of Digital Marketing/Social Media for Into The Wild with Bear Grylls and Superstar Rajinikanth of Discovery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etHFTXFLBx8

Silver at StreamCon Asia Awards 2020, Most Creative Brand - Influencer collaboration for Animal Planet India Brand Refresh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7CzPY5qDKI

Silver at AdGully’s DIGIXX Award, Content Marketing (M&E) for Tata Play Anniversary - #14Years of Jingalala

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIfOUKGLCxg

Silver at Impact Digital Influencer Awards 2022, Best Influencer/Celebrity Driven Campaign for Brand Awareness for #AaoPlayKare Campaign of Tata Play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHugYri7dA4&t=1s

Gold at AdGully’s DIGIXX Awards 2022, INSIGHT AND RESEARCH (D2H Service Provider) for #BingeChristmasSpirit of Tata Play Binge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl0X6Uka_W4b

Bronze at Impact Digital Influencer Awards 2022, Best Brand Engagement Campaign for #RedrawYourWorld Campaign of Cartoon Network India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLbTZD1raN0

#BingeChristmasSpirit - Gold trophy for digital marketing excellence in Insight & Research at AdGully's DIGIXX Awards 2022 of Tata Play Binge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl0X6Uka_W4b

#BingeChristmasSpirit - Bronze trophy for digital marketing excellence in PR/ORM at AdGully's DIGIXX Awards 2022 of Tata Play Binge

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl0X6Uka_W4b

Silver at AdGully’s DIGIXX Awards 2023, Best Use of Social Media (Entertainment) for World TV Day 2022 #InnConnectionsKeNaam Campaign of Tata Play

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX0Cyge2dYM