Indiantelevision.com Team

(30 January 2007 4:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Madison's chairman Sam Balsara has unveiled a second outdoor agency - Platinum Outdoor. Set to function as an independent agency, the company has roped in former Portland India president Arminio Ribeiro as chief executive officer. Ribeiro will join in early April.

Commenting on the new venture Balsara said, "I see Outdoor as playing a more important role in the Advertisers' marketing plans in the near future, given the clutter in established mass media like Print and TV. Whilst some sectors like Telecom, Financial and Media Sectors have used Outdoor to their advantage, many others haven't, because Media Agencies are not convinced or are not alive to the opportunities that Outdoor can offer.

"We need an Agency that can evangelise the medium and exploit every out-of-home opportunity. I am confident that Arminio with his wealth of experience in Advertising and Out-of-Home will do just that. We are looking to making Platinum our second network with its own repertoire of specialist units including Media."

On being asked what will be different about the offering of the new outdoor agency Ribeiro said, "At Platinum Outdoor, we will deliver a market advantage to potential clients' OOH needs - one that moves beyond a business-as-usual approach to delivering the right OOH solution and demonstrates the value in a confident manner.

"The focus will be on creative and innovative planning and spending, adding value and ensuring clients are delighted with their Return on Investment. We believe that if we want to be a significant player in developing the brand activation market and get into the new consumer congregation points we then need to build those capabilities.''

Additionally, former Primesite vice president Gour Gupta and former Poster Publicity GM Lokesh Kumar have been appointed as COO and VP - business director respectively, informs an official release.

To achieve this offering, a paradigm shift in talent base has been planned; a team consisting of brand and idea - thinking and experienced individuals with a culture of partnering clients is being put together. "Platinum Outdoor will make every effort to lift the bar in all out-of-home activities and from traditional formats to new formats coupled with accountability and measurability," said Gupta.

"The specialist OOH agency that adapts effectively to the increasingly changing outdoor environment and societal trends and invests in people and productivity tools will succeed in the near future," said Kumar.