In Conversation with Yashaswini Samat, Grey Group India

In our conversation with Yashaswini Samat, Chairman & MD of Grey Group India, she talks about her journey in the industry so far and how brands must not hesitate in learning, changing and evolving their models.

1. So much must have changed since the time you started working in the global communication industry. What 3 major cultural shocks have you witnessed so far?

I started back in the old days… So, the one big change has been that with the primacy of digital and data, a level of extreme personalization in targeted communication has happened. And as a result of it, the importance of scale in running a big business has become less important.

This is why big FMCG companies, who were once our biggest clients are cutting budgets as they figure communication models in the new world. The advantages they had of expensive technology, massive distributions, and budgets to afford expensive TV commercials were big barriers to entry for smaller players. This model is not relevant anymore because with the rise of digital & the access it provides for niche marketing & the extreme personalization which is possible, very small companies can now create successful business models.

So, I would say the two biggest culture shocks are the removal of barriers of scale which makes it possible for small players to compete with big companies and win & the possibilities of personalizing communication almost to an individual.

On a lighter note, the third culture shock phenomena would be that no one dresses formally in our industry now. You don’t see any ties/suits in offices…creatives and suits dress the same way.

2. The advertising game is changing, and keeping up with the dynamic market is a new challenge altogether. How Is Grey coping up with this industry shift?

The advertising industry has gone through many changes, especially in the last 10-15 years. There have been questions raised on the survival of agencies so many times…there have been many doomsday predictions but agencies are continuing to evolve & survive.

The consumers are changing as are the media/platforms they engage with and agencies need to understand and evolve with those changes to do but the importance of ideas, creative quality and certain key tenets of communication haven’t changed. So, the first step of the challenge for us is to ensure we have the capabilities to understand the new consumer/media world and craft the right creative for them…all agencies are learning through hiring, acquisitions, partnerships, etc.

So, at Grey, we have also evolved with time, with the kind of people we hire, the way they are trained. But importantly last year we acquired Autumn Worldwide to add to our digital capabilities. We are now working to create a fully integrated company where we deliver great ideas, creatives that are suited to create brand love in the new world.

3. Brand marketers have warmed up to ‘in-house’ of late. Should agencies be worried?

In-housing of agency work is one of the innumerable communications models being tried today…

In my opinion, pulling all communication development in-house is not a good idea. The value an agency brings with fresh ideas and best outside-in thinking will be lost to our brands if all creative development is brought in house. There is a reason many companies that played with in housing creatives stopped doing that.

But having said that, in today’s world wherein data/tech plays such a big role, there may be some areas where the company may benefit in keeping in-house while getting an agency talent also sitting in-house with them. I think clients are experimenting with these models…however the true value of an agency i.e. real consumer insights, creating creative ideas, etc., I don’t think can be replaced with in-house.

4. You were the global brand agency leader for Pantene. How would you describe the brand’s popularity and profit landscape in India and abroad?

Like all big brands who grew behind TV advertising Pantene too went through a few years of re-imagining what a successful communication plan for the world’s largest selling hair care brand would look like…the brand is now very much part of the millennial beauty world. I think the brand is again flowering and growing…and is very much part of this new evolving consumers beauty world.

5. Pantene and Marvel have recently partnered to launch various co-branded hair care products for China. What are your comments on this collaboration?

Part of the new world of advertising, communication and brand building involves different ways to partner people and influencers. The big thing for brands is all about creating great ideas that are rooted in popular culture and to make sure our brand stays in conversations and stays top of mind.

What we are doing in the world of partnerships is to find relevant ones that impact the world of millennials, beauty and fashion, which benefit our brand and vice versa. So, we often look at different kinds of collaborations and we’ll keep experimenting with new partnerships in future too.

6. You are the first woman heading Grey Group India. How does it feel? What message do you have for women wanting to strike the work-home balance?

Grey has always been a very gender agnostic company. Historically and even today.

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In Asia, we have about 5-6 Grey offices are being headed by lady CEOs.

We have HR policies that support women’s decision to stay on their career path.

My advice to women is that there will always be tough times in life but they do pass.  As someone once said ‘’women can have it all…just not at the same time’’

What is important is to not let stress of the moment or worry about a future problem force us to make big career impacting decision. What you may find troublesome at a stage, will be evened out in the end.

I think its super important for women to build support networks that can help them manage between home and career…spouse, parents, help, friends, colleagues, bosses…building and nurturing this network is super important. So build this is my one piece of advice.

7. This brings me to Publicis’s new campaign #AllEqual which is receiving praise all around. What are your comments on that?

Anything that raises conversations, gets people to talk about this issue is great.

What I would love to see is real change. Success would be when we don’t need campaigns like this till then it’s great to have campaigns like this bring this subject top of mind.