MAA Communications looking at partners

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MAA Communications is one of the oldest standalone advertising agencies to have resisted selling out to global media-holding companies, which are consolidating aggressively in India. It did sell some stake to Bozell Worldwide in its hey-days (a decade earlier) but due to global re-alignment, it bought it back in 2008.

The Bangalore-based advertising agency is now set for its next stage of growth by roping in a strategic partner. But it will not cede control of the agency. Bunty Peerbhoy, the executive chairman, MAA Group, one of the pioneers in Indian advertising, is steering its fortunes. In the past decade, it had lost out due to pending payments from clients and the subsequent attrition.

"We are exploring various offers of strategic investment, but not from anyone seeking to control. We are examining how such a partnership can be struck," Peerbhoy says.

MAA Communications has worked on brands such as ICICI Bank, Kirloskar Electric, Tata Plantation and TTK Prestige. Sources put the company's revenue at around Rs 250 crore.

"We are pretty much on a steady wicket and are aggressively rolling out our strategies, especially in the digital media," said Peerbhoy, who has spent close to five decades in MAA Communications, started by his father, Ayaz Peerbhoy, in 1959.

The MAA Group, the parent of MAA Communications, has created four verticals to grow in (refer box). For media-buying, it has aligned with Havas Media.

Peerbhoy has also floated a business consultancy for Indian family businesses. "I am consulting on how family businesses should grow in this tough environment," Peerbhoy explains.

MAA'S DIVISIONS

Sabre: Lead generation & creative agency
Maa Communications: Traditional advertising agency
Maa Digital Services: Integrated digital marketing agency
Turn On: Event marketing & management agency
Origene: Business consultancy for Indian family businesses