Exclusive | Task at IAA is significant: Srinivasan Swamy

There is hardly anybody who does not know Srinivasan Swamy, more popularly known as Sundar Swamy. An industry veteran and CMD of leading advertising firm in India, RK Swamy BBDO, Swamy has been recently elected as the President of the India Chapter of the International Advertising Association (IAA) for the year 2012-13.

Post-appointment Swamy has a very active agenda for the Indian chapter as he feels that IAA has  pivotal role to play in today’s global economy. This involves building cross- cultural bridges, and in ensuring a seamless transition of ideas and interests across the world. In additions to this Swamy is of the opinion that since the IAA represents marketers, agencies and the media it has to play a key role in developing the communication industry in the country and across the globe. Under Swamy, IAA is likely to play a very active role and would make a concerted effort to spread the activities of the India Chapter to different parts of the country. Another thrust area would be to get mid-sized agencies and media houses to get further involved in the activities of the IAA so that they could benefit from the involvement and participation.

An alumni of Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies coupled with a B. Tech in Chemical Engineering, Swamy serves on the Board of Indian Institute of Management, Tiruchirapally and is also a Trustee in the Consumers Association of India. Prior to his appointment at IAA, Swamy was also past president of Advertising Agencies Association of India, All India Management Association and also the  The Madras Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Madras Management Association, and the Advertising Club of Madras.

Adgully spoke with Srinivasan Swamy on various aspects post his appointment, following are the excerpts

Adgully: As newly-elect president of Indian chapter of IAA, what are your priorities? Are you looking at new initiatives?

Srinivasan Swamy aka Sundar Swamy: The task in front of us at IAA is significant. We need to attract more members, provide more relevance of IAA to them, and be seen as an active industry body by every important constituent – advertiser, agency and media.  There are many new initiatives planned. We have already announced the IAA Leadership Awards. We will continue with our IAA Olive Crown Awards.  We will launch many new programmes:

(a) IAA Debates: where we will pick a topic of importance and relevance and have this debated by two well known speakers. This will be moderated by a well known TV News anchor or an industry leader. We will have one debate every two months.

(b) IAA Mentorship Webinar: This is primarily for Young Professionals from India and across Asia. Of course others can also participate. We will focus the initial 6-part series during the year on the "rise of digital in communication".

(c ) IAA World Interactive Congress: a two-day seminar on how digital has moved from providing communication to being an interactive medium and e-commerce medium in India.

(d) IAA Marketing Seminar: A galaxy of international speakers will be part of this one day high powered event.

(e) Seminar on use of digital media in real estate marketing.

(f) Workshop on gender sensitivity.

And a few more are on the anvil.

AG: What are some of the challenges that you feel to manage in your new role?

SS: I see many opportunities to use IAA platform for the various constituents to productively engage with each other. The only challenge towards this end is the limited time we have for this, from our other work demands.

AG: How do you see the Indian chapter in the Indian scheme of things?

SS: India Chapter of IAA is an exclusive body. Only senior professionals are its members. Consequently what it does will be of some quality, relevance and seriousness. Unlike other industry associations like AAAI, IBF, INS, NBA and ISA, IAA has membership drawn from all three relevant sides of advertiser, agency and media. ASCI and MRUC have similar interest groups in these bodies but they have come together for one sole purpose. IAA is much like Ad Club Bombay, but I would like to consider it a more elitist body with senior membership drawn from across the country.  ·       

AG: How has the industry evolved in India and where does it stand vis-a-vis its western counterparts?

SS: Advertising industry mirrors much of what is happening in the developed world, but with a touch of Indian uniqueness. We have our own culture, ethos, cuisine, family and social values which is very relevant in determining the communication needs. On top of this we have multiple languages, regional variations in tastes and preferences and aspirations of the burgeoning middle class and the young generation. In India, print is still growing, internet/digital is still less relevant, TV continues to be an influential etc.

AG: The new medium of digital advertising is still in infancy in India? Going forward do you visualise it to be a dominant medium in the budgets of Indian companies? How do you see the advertising mix changing between various mediums - largely traditional and new age mediums?

SS: Digital/interactive medium is growing at a speedy pace compared to other media, albeit on a lower base.  When TV came, they predicted the end of print media. When digital came, they predicted the end of print media. With expanding broadband connections, they say that TV will be not what it is today. These doomsday predictions never work. I think they all will have their relevance and shift in importance will be gradual.

AG: How is the year 2013 expected to be? 2012 was not an easy year.

SS: Weaker companies struggled more than stronger ones. 2013 is expected to be difficult as well. A double digit growth appears to be a mirage at this stage. Yes some companies may do better because of the product cycle of their innovation, but with general elections in the horizon in 2014, we can expect many 'populists' schemes which will put the economic growth on the sluggish path.