This is the world’s first such initiative taken by a consortium of agencies by virtue of which the agencies can capitalise on their combined resources to offer clients "world class media planning and buying".

AAG, formed in 2002, is an association consisting of mid-evel advertising agencies based in Delhi. It has 29 members with a combined media billing in excess of Rs 4 billion.

Members of the Guild include names such as Adknack Advertising, Akshara Advertising, Arihant Advertising, Arms Communications, Bharat Marketing and Advertising, Capital Advertising, Censor Advertising, Centum Advertising and Marketing, Chiranjan Advertising, Crayons Advertising, Crescent Communications, Critique Communication, Foresight Marketing and Communications, Fusion Advertising Service, Glaze Ads, Graphisads, Hakuhodo Percept, Harmilap Advertising, Headstart Advertising, Indus Union, Inter Network Kommunication, Kaps Advertising, Pamm Advertising and Marketing Quantum Communications, Rashtriya Advertising Span Communications, Themes Communications, Ushak Kaal Communications and Young Advertising, amongst others.

Carat Asia Pacific CEO David Liu was quoted in a release as saying, "This win reconfirms the strengths of a media independent to provide customised, unbiased solutions to clients. It's an exciting win and ‘first of its kind in the world’."

Carat claims to be a key player in the Indian media market handling business worth over Rs 70 billion.

AAG chairman Kunal Lalani was quoted as saying, “We wanted a world class media specialist company -- one which is not aligned to any advertising agency and will understand our needs and provide us with special customised solutions. After series of meetings and deliberations we found a perfect partner for this endeavour in Carat."

Lalani said, “It is only apt that Indian entrepreneurs who otherwise compete with each other in the market, have taken such a bold step to consolidate their services."

The Carat Asia Pacific network is located in 12 countries including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. After just six years in operation, the network has over 600 media professionals and billings in excess of US $1.9 billion.