Publicis, Solutions tie up for digital marketing

International digital marketing company Digitas, owned by global advertising major Publicis Groupe, is ready to enter the Indian market in partnership with Solutions, a domestic marketing agency. The new entity will be called Solutions Digitas. Publicis has a 60 per cent stake in Solutions.

Announcing its India foray, Digitas Global CEO Alan Rutherford said this was the right time to enter the country as digital marketing in India was poised for a big growth.

"India has a strong advertising and marketing culture, it is strong on creative talent. The market is growing fast here and open to new ideas," he said.

Digital marketing was not just online marketing, he explained and added that mobile marketing would also boom in India as in China.

"An average Chinese changes his mobile phone three times a year. Or look at Japan, where you could be passing by a Coke vending machine, text on your mobile and out comes a Coke can. The can will be charged to your mobile bill. That is what is happening to mobile marketing and consumer behaviour," he said.

Digitas will also introduce Prodigious digital production that manages the technology end of digital marketing for global clients such as GM, Proctor & Gamble, Intercontinental Hotels and others.

"Digitas is set to become the fourth biggest global agency under the Publicis Groupe after Leo Burnett, Starcom and Saatchi & Saatchi. Our acquisition in India is a part of this plan. We are also looking for acquisitions in other parts of the world like in Dubai and Australia" said Rutherford.