What led you to set up Design Indya in 2006, and how has it evolved since then?
Helping other businesses bloom has always been my primary goal in life. Design Indya came into existence as I wanted to make people’s dreams and financial goals a reality. We have always aligned our clients’ objectives with our bespoke creations. Our services mainly include Print, TV and Radio advertising, and now we are trying our hands at Digital too. We started off with just three people in the team, and now we are a family of 70+ members. We ideate, create and flourish together.
Our team has been the strongest and most important pillar that helped us reach the top of the ladder. It has been a roller-coaster of emotions and growth, but indeed a worthwhile ride. We came across a bunch of amazing people in this journey and they have inspired us to raise our bars to a level above anyone else out there. One of the best collaborations I can recall is with Divisa Herbal Care.
This project added many feathers to our cap as we managed to spread our client’s wings nationwide and gave them record-breaking results with our innovative yet easily applicable strategies. Our association with Indira IVF has also been a high point of our success journey, as we stood by their side as they spread across the country with 100 centres. Sonalika Tractors, Emami and Leeford have been our partners over the last decade and the bond we share with them is more like family. We are looking to tick more boxes in the growth list.
What is the USP of Design Indya that makes it different from the competition?
Design Indya stands apart from its competitors as it focuses more on being a client’s personal supporter and cheerleader, going on to form mutually beneficial relationships. We always believe in putting our passion and expertise 100% into a client’s business. Our solution-oriented approach and making our clients gain trust have always been the highlight of the process. The best part is that clients are in direct contact with the MD, i.e., me. We choose to make a difference with every brand association.
Feeling at home becomes synonymous when you’ve made up your mind to build a brand with us. Your business is our responsibility. The transparency we have with our clients helps us attract more meaningful relationships. The trust we build moves them to stay glued to us for a lifetime. We have sound, amicable and family-like relations with renowned media houses, which makes us more invested in the business and helps us keep track of our competition so that we can scale with all aspects in check.
Additional USPs include expertise in annual deals, 360-degree market analysis, large network of accredited regional agencies and access to online billing ad status.
If you look at your client roster, which are your most long-standing clients? Are there any sectors that would be your area of specialization?
Some of the clients that helped us win laurels are Divisa Herbal, Leeford, Jolly Healthcare, Signoraware, Jairath Path Lab, Sonalika International Tractors, Indira IVF, Velnik India, Kubota Tractor, Flame University, Indo Farm Tractor, Emami, Zandu, Patanjali, Torex, Pushp, Kesh King, Mody University and School and many more. Our relationship with them amplified our potential and business to new heights. After experimenting all these years, we feel Pharma, FMCG and Education sectors have our heart and soul. We’d definitely love to expand our horizons wider. We were recognized as the North’s best publishing agency by ABP News.
Your clients comprise mostly small and mid-sized companies. How do you ensure the most effective media mix for them within their budget?
It’s a remarkable feeling to scale companies from scratch – it’s gratifying and makes you feel proud. Hence, we chose small and mid-sized companies. We expose their products to the masses and make the unknown into known. Our job is to give them bang for their buck from start to finish. The effective media mix we prepare for them is worth every penny they invest. Our ultimate target is to add value and generate maximum return on investment, keeping the budget in check. All the media buys are taken care of with due diligence.
You are based out of Ludhiana. What is your comment on the regional market for advertising in the North as compared to the metros? What are some trends and opportunities that you see? What are the challenges that you face?
We are present pan India, Ludhiana branch being the head office and other workspaces in Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur and Chandigarh. People are gradually adapting to all forms of media. The ease and cost-effectiveness is better in Tier-2 cities. Metro cities have comparatively more challenges and hurdles than regional ones, as the regulatory processes are smoother here. There is more acceptance and consumption of upcoming brands in the regional market. There is indeed a major upside in Tier 2 cities as not many radars are trying to send a signal to the receptor through this medium. So, it makes sense to capitalize on this and make people hear of clients’ businesses. Word of mouth cements a brand here.
Going forward, what are your plans for the company? What are the goals that you have set?
The objective of our agency is to always strive for perfection in every sphere. We’ve made a mark in TV and Print. Now, Design Indya would like to expand its Digital wings as the world is moving towards a more digital space, and work on creating audio-visual content to connect with audiences at a deeper level. In the next five years, we’ve set a goal of reaching a turnover of Rs 1000 crore with the same dedication and integrity. Traditional mediums like Print are still the efficient ones; considering that a lot of places in the world do not have a stable Internet connection. Also, it is easy to get lost in today’s digital world due to the sheer abundance of ads and content in it. We plan to bring more industry leaders into our success stories.
‘Leadership & learning go hand in hand’
As rightly said by John F. Kennedy, leadership and learning are indispensable for one another. My inquisitive nature has been my asset and I would love to immerse myself in learning each day of my life. With our industry changing and evolving by the minute, being up-to-date is the need of the hour, and I try to make sure that we adapt very quickly, so that we carry on building worthy relationships with our creative solutions and market expertise.
The transparency we have with our clients helps us attract more meaningful relationships. The trust we build moves them to stay glued to us for a lifetime.
Rakesh Jain
