The world is run by digital, market analytics today: Srinivasan K Swamy

Srinivasan K Swamy, Chairman of RK Swamy Hansa, was conferred with this year’s AAAI Lifetime Achievement Award on Friday. This Award is the highest honour to be given to an individual in India for his/her outstanding contribution to the advertising industry. This award was instituted in 1988 by AAAI and so far 23 persons have been bestowed with this award.

Along with heading RK Swamy Hansa, Swamy has been active in various industry bodies working towards the growth and development of the advertising industry. He was President of AAAI for three consecutive terms (2004-2007) and continues to take active interest in the activities of AAAI. He is the Vice Chairman of Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), and a Board Member of Audit Bureau of Circulations. Swamy was also President of All India Management Association during 2008-09. He was the President of The Madras Chamber of Commerce & Industry (2008-10), Madras Management Association (2001-02) and the Advertising Club, Madras (1988-89).

He is serving his fourth term as President of the India Chapter of International Advertising Association and was recently elected as Senior Vice President of International Advertising Association, the global body. He is Vice Chairman of Asian Federation of Advertising Associations. Earlier, he was Chairman of Confederation of Asian Advertising Agency Associations during 2008-10.

AdGully spoke with Srinivasan K Swamy at the awards event, held in Mumbai...

What does this award mean to you?
To receive any award is interesting, getting an award from your peers is more interesting because I think there’s always a competition across the peers and they are recognising you for the contribution, so that is something that you value more and, therefore, I respect this award.

What more are you looking forward in terms of development in the advertising industry in the coming years?
I think the advertising industry has evolved considerably in the last 10 years. Look at 3-4 decades ago, it has absolutely transformed. Digital has taken deep roots. The world is going to be run by digital, it is going to be governed by market analytics, and it is going to be governed by programmatic buying, apps. So it is a different world that the nation is going to be embracing. And these are challenges which come with opportunities for the generation to embrace and take on.

What, according to you, have been the five turning points in the Indian advertising industry that changed the game?
I think the first important thing that has happened in the advertising agency business is the gradual going for large advertisers. That is actually the most significant turning point which started happening about 20-25 years ago. The second thing is the specialisation that has come on board. Creative agency, media agency, digital agency, a range of agencies – that is something that has come over the years. And I would say that social media has actually taken over many things. Many people have stopped reading newspapers, plus they get bulk of their news the previous the night itself, either through television or through apps or various publications or even the short news versions of news like the NewsD, Inshorts and all these have actually made life simple and all that is delivered digital. I think that is one of the major things that is happening. Besides, appointment viewing on television is again shifting, thanks to both the Internet as well as the set-top boxes available. I think these are some of the changes that will accelerate the change that is happening.

Which is the one campaign that is close to your heart and why?
I would answer this differently. The campaign that touches your heart and makes you feel something or have a gripping story line, I think will be the one that will engage the consumer. It is no longer merely communicating with the consumers or engaging the consumer, the consumer must actually feel that the communication that he/she sees is something that they want to share with us. And today, unless it is communication through a trusted friend, I don’t value that communication. So it is important to have the focus on developing communication.

Was advertising your first love?
It is very hard to describe, because this is the only business I have been part of. It has been my full career, so, whether it is sort of love or arranged marriage, I don’t know!

What does the road ahead look like for the Indian advertising industry?
It is going to be for the next generation take root. I think there are many things that the Next Gen will be comfortable doing.