Modi campaign will be a benchmark: Harris Diamond

Interview with Chairman and chief executive, McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group

Harris Diamond, chairman and chief executive, McCann Worldgroup, part of the Interpublic Group, was in India to announce McCann South Asia head Prasoon Joshi's elevation to an Asia-Pacific role. Sudipto Dey caught up with him. Excerpts:

You just announced Prasoon Joshi's elevation to an Asia-Pacific role. What does it mean for the India operations?

It means very little change. But it means more work for Joshi. Obviously, it is a recognition of what we see taking place in India and Asia. We see more Indian companies expand outside India - to Asia, and to the rest of the world. Clearly, Joshi will be better able to integrate our services. We have been doing that all along. This move will help us integrate India with the rest of Asia and the world.

McCann India has been aggressive over two to three years in getting clients. Are we now entering a phase of consolidation of the gains?

Like any business, our business is all about serving existing clients and seeking clients. That is the vitality of any business. I am a big believer in continuing expansion. It is important for all businesses to be able to grow.

Your earlier visit to India was in October. What are the key differences you find now?

I generally visit India two or three times in a year. This is my first visit since the general elections. I see a greater sense of confidence than a year ago. There is more willingness to invest with the belief the economy is going to move. For businesses like ours, built on consumer confidence, this is a pretty good moment.

In a healthy economy, we generally grow faster than the gross domestic product. We expect marketing budgets to increase. My meetings with companies we work with here were the most optimistic I have had with these in three years. There is optimism about what they are going to accomplish over nine to 18 months, usually the planning cycle.

Has the view of India, from within and outside, changed?

The election was very significant. It was when India voted for change. We are going to invest more in India, bring more people, build our operations further. We are building Craft Worldwide's (McCann's production business unit) global hub in India. As we grow, we need creative and strategic people. We need people who understand the web and digital world. Relationship marketing continues to grow.

You will see us grow with the economy, and at a faster rate than it.

India has been through a general election campaign. Going by the intensity of the campaign, Joshi has taken part in some ways, do you think political campaigns have come of age in India?

All (political) campaigns all over the world have changed. The world is disappointed now with corporate and governance institutions. Following the financial crisis, there has been a loss of confidence in almost all countries. What we saw in India was a campaign that clearly and aggressively played out a position, articulated a view. That is what successful politicians will have to do.

So, did it set a benchmark?

I don't have any doubt this campaign will serve as a benchmark. But I also have another view. It is not politicians who learnt from companies how to market, but the other way. The best marketeers in the world are usually the leaders. They understand how to talk to people and motivate them, and get people to advocate something. That, to some extent, we try to do with products and brands.

JOSHI: What is also important to understand is you need a certain mindset and a certain brand and then communication works. You can write the most beautiful slogan, but it will not work if it is not in line with the mood of the nation, or if people don't trust that the political product can deliver. The credit for success of this campaign goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He is the campaign, he is the product. Brand Modi was built by himself.

What were your key takeaways from the campaign?

A key takeaway has been the clarity of the message. Politicians have over the past couple of years been blurry, and there has been a status quo they have tried to preserve. To give Modi credit, there was clarity in his views, clarity in what he wanted to do, clarity in how he wanted to do it. There is a lesson to be learnt. There is a reason why the young came out to vote, and that has not happened in most countries.