Ad agencies vie for Bharti Retail’s account  ( June '6,2007, FE)

JWT, Leo Burnett and McCann are fighting it out over Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Retail’s advertising account, estimated to be around Rs 35-40 crore. Bharti Retail, which has announced an initial investment of over $2.5 billion till 2015, had invited Lowe Lintas, Leo Burnett, O&M, McCann and JWT to pitch for its advertising account a month back, industry sources said.

The three shortlisted agencies boast of some of the most coveted client accounts in the country. Rediffusion-DY&R already handles Bharti Enterprises’ Airtel division’s advertising account, but was kept out of Bharti Retail’s advertising pitch. With the advent of domestic as well as international retail giants, industry analysts feel that the advertising industry too is going to go through a major learning curve.” Retail as a category is speeding up advertising and the situation is comparable to what happened to cricket. What one day matches did to test cricket, making the game more result oriented, is what retail will do to advertising industry”, said Harshad Rajadhyaksha, creative head, Leo Burnett, which handles the Home Town Division of the Future Group.

Internationally advertising expenditure accounts for less than 1% of total sales, said Pranesh Mishra, president and CEO Lowe Lintas India.