Be small, but effective: Wilkins

Jon Wilkins, founding partner of Naked Communications, which gives communication consultancy to some of the world's biggest companies such as Coca-Cola, Nestle and Nokia, is looking for people to set shop in India.

Initially, he wants to work with only three people here, who have an entrepreneurial spirit and an understanding for brand strategy. Unlike other advertising agencies, who want to consolidate and be big, Wilkins is following a unique strategy to be small but effective.

"We are not a big company and we will never be big. We want to be a powerful force in the industry. I was having breakfast with Mudra's Madhukar Kamath this morning and I learnt Mudra has a workforce of over 3,000 people. Now that's big and we are working with just 300 people in 14 countries across the world. However, we have 80 strategic planners in London against BBDO's 1,000 people, yet we are the biggest communication strategy planning company in London because that's the area we want to be powerful in," he says, adding that the biggest strength of Naked is its people and its focus on being like business consultancy firm when it comes to giving communication solutions.

Naked is often referred to in the United States as the Mckinsey in jeans and T-shirt. "Whereas Mckinsey gives business solutions to its clients, we give creative solutions to the clients. People usually think creativity is about a guy sitting with pencil and paper and drawing something. But creativity is a way of thinking and being lateral about every problem you solve," says Wilkins.

Unlike many advertising agencies in India, who often work as separate agencies under a big group, Naked believes in giving a holistic communication solution. This aspect would give Naked an edge over other advertising agencies in India, whose main strategy still is advertising-driven.

He is attracted to India for three main reasons. First, India is ready to change and this gives entrepreneurs like him greater confidence to set up business here, when times are so good.

Secondly, the advertising market in India is expanding very rapidly with the growing economy and thirdly new channels for advertising are opening up like never before such as the mobile industry.

Naked has international clients and having a business in India is expected to help the company to give local solutions to the client's business in India.

Also many Indian companies are now expanding abroad and this makes it important for Naked to team up with them and advise them on markets abroad. When it works with international clients such as Coca-Cola, their main objective is to find ideas that are global but can be implemented locally.

Being a strategy provider was the main reason for its success in the United Kingdom. In 2000, UK's advertising market consisted of either agencies giving advertising solutions or media companies implementing media buying.

Naked, filled this gap by providing comprehensive solutions for brands. The situation is similar in India too and this could help Wilkins repeat the same success story here.