Indiantelevision.com Team

(28 May 2007 8:00 pm)

MUMBAI: As a dingy stairway leads up to a small attic, there lies a copy writer's haven of sorts! A rather unfamiliar specialist agency, a 'Copy Boutique' called VMC Creatives.

Conceived in October 2005 by two daring advertising professionls, a former Lowe copy writer Vikram Manghnani and a free lance writer Lamiya Mukadam decided to swim against the tide and do what they knew best: to create a unique advertising services outfit.

The firm specializes in any form of copy generation from main line campaign copies, BTL concepts and content, advertorials, brochure content, jingles and scripts, direct mailers, website content generation and magazine editorials.

VMC conceptualised & executed a property branding project for client SBI

In an era of fragmentation across media, VMC Creatives is foreseeing an industry demand for outsourced specialist agencies which motivated them to start. VMC Creatives founder Manghnani believes, "VMC presents the advertising fraternity with a whole new product category - The copy boutique. I firmly believe that it will gain motion in times to come. The very fact that agencies are open to the idea of retaining VMC as their copy partners is a proof enough that the idea is working. Our endeavors, business-centric modules and cost-effective approach has made its mark in various metros of India and countries like Malaysia, UK and Dubai. However, it still needs time before it is defined as a member of advertising product basket. But at least we have set the ball rolling."

A direct client - Kiah diamond jewellry

Indeed, a cost-effective approach to setting up an agency! But does a function- specific venture such as this deliver returns?

Manghnani asserts, "Factually speaking, the returns have been more than encouraging. With the module that we have developed, we have clients who are regular and copywriters who do assignments on a freelance basis, which makes things extremely cost-centric. This is what clients today are looking for. In fact, recent reports even suggest that the cult of outsourcing will soon be rubbing onto advertising and media agencies as well. We are already seeing that happening!"

VMC's work for Globus' interactive website www.gix.in

Specializing solely on 'copy,' the agency has been able to firm up its own client portfolio and a couple of tie -ups with traditional advertising agencies like Euro RSCG, Synchronicity Communications, Percept D'mark and Whitespace Communications for BTL and ATL activities servicing their gamut of clients.

"Although the first few months were pretty discouraging, it took time for people around us to digest the fact that we were only doing copy, says Manghnani. After one and half years, VMC Creatives currently has a full roster of clients like Globus, SBI, Kiah diamond jewellry, Nebula Ads (Dubai), Bombay Stores (UK), Foodlink, Liberty Oil Mills as well as BTL initiatives for Pepsi.

Other than more business we are seriously concentrating on doing work that turns names into brands, he opines.

VMC uses financial jargon for SBI food court branding to create banking environment

From humble beginnings the agency now boasts of a full fledged 'forum of writers' from across the advertising and non- advertising spectrum. With professionals from O&M, Percept, Lowe, CNBC TV18 to housewives and teachers. The team consists of 15 regular consultants and several other free lance writers.

VMC Creatives co-founder Mukadam asserts, "The Indian ad fraternity is always emphasizing on fresh ideas, so why aren't they receptive to ours? We are not here to threaten other copywriters, art directors or even the structure of the traditional advertising agency as we would rather work in tandem with them."

Apart from shifting to a bigger office space the company has set high standards in forging ahead and establishing their niche within the ad industry. "Our other goals include a bigger place, a big table of good writers. Since VMC does not have an industry Godfather to drive its revolutionary idea, it might take a little more time to establish its presence. But we will be there...very soon!" avers Manghnani.