Josy Paul on the road ahead for BBDO after split from RK SWAMY

RK SWAMY and BBDO have parted ways after 37 years of collaboration. The split has come for strategic reasons. Under the agreement, R K SWAMY will buy out BBDO’s stake in R K SWAMY BBDO Pvt Ltd, and BBDO will buy out R K SWAMY’s stake in BBDO India Pvt Ltd.

With this split, the R K SWAMY HANSA group plans to bring its various business entities under one roof. For BBDO, too, it is about breaking up the silos of Advertising, PR, Media, Digital, and Activation, and replacing the old model with a new one that’s action oriented.

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In an interaction with Adgully, Josy Paul, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer of BBDO India, speaks about the future vision of BBDO after demerging from RK SWAMY, growth witnessed in Q1 and much more.

When asked about the future vision for BBDO India post the separation from RK Swamy and new agency structure, Paul replied, “It’s very much about breaking up the silos of Advertising, PR, Media, Digital, Tech and Activation, and replacing the old model with a new one that’s action-oriented, that influences behaviour, helps brands build and benefit from communities and creates social movements. “We believe that brands can influence social change! And we will continue to deliver purpose-led performance for our clients,” he added.

On the leadership, he said, “We launched BBDO India in 2008 with BBDO majority ownership, and I have served as Chairman and CCO ever since. Suraja Kishore joined us in 2019 as CEO after Ajai Jhala left in 2018, having co-created the agency with me and the global leadership. The majority ownership structure and leadership team will remain the same moving forward. We are very fortunate to have a strong leadership team in Mumbai and Delhi that’s moving at the speed of media and social change.”

Speaking about BBDO’s growth in Q1, Paul said that it has been “our best quarter yet”. Adding further, he said, “We’ve had a fabulous 70% hit rate on our new business targets in Q1 itself. Add to this the work on WhatsApp and Ariel ‘Share The Load’, which continues to win worldwide recognition – the most recent one being the prestigious Media Lion at Cannes Lions 2022 and 4 shortlists. This is the 10th Cannes metal at Cannes for this long-term brand movement, which has impacted brand equity, sales, society, and culture.”

Following the Cannes Lions wins, BBDO India is constantly on the lookout for new influences and partners to be part of the BBDO circle. We are seeking people who are excited to engage and create at the fast-changing intersection of Advertising, PR, Media, Digital, Tech and Activation. This is our way of creating a robust offering for our client’s business,” Paul concluded.