How a young startup agency wooed, won and learnt from Balaji
By Priyanka Nair
Akshay Menon and Sandeep Iyer have known each other since college. Their last stints before they decided to combine forces and start their own shop was as creative controllers at O&M and DDB Mudra, respectively. Inspired by the nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep, they named their agency three bags full, to bring simplicity and ease into the world of advertising (and, we assume, because being in a startup agency means having to say ‘yes sir’ almost all of the time).
The duo listed brands that were interesting yet low key on marketing and Balaji Wafers fit the bill. While the chip maker had great sales, it was not perceived to be “urban cool”. While they came to this conclusion two years ago, the actual working relationship began only last year. Menon recalls, “It wasn’t an easy task to make the first impression.” Iyer adds, “We are glad the team at Balaji were not nasty even when we made multiple follow up calls.”
The duo are frequently at Balaji’s HQ in Rajkot, picking lessons on how to sell an idea, and absorb pressure with grace, among other things. “We learn a new business lesson every time we meet the Balaji team. Everything happens in their backyard, and yet they are not as chaotic as one may think. As newbie entrepreneurs, this has helped us fix our own business issues,” admits Menon.
It’s also resulted in a newfound respect for their former colleagues from client servicing. “A lot of times when you are in a comfortable spot at an established agency, you never care about so many other aspects of a business,” signs off Iyer.
Akshay Menon and Sandeep Iyer have known each other since college. Their last stints before they decided to combine forces and start their own shop was as creative controllers at O&M and DDB Mudra, respectively. Inspired by the nursery rhyme Baa Baa Black Sheep, they named their agency three bags full, to bring simplicity and ease into the world of advertising (and, we assume, because being in a startup agency means having to say ‘yes sir’ almost all of the time).
The duo listed brands that were interesting yet low key on marketing and Balaji Wafers fit the bill. While the chip maker had great sales, it was not perceived to be “urban cool”. While they came to this conclusion two years ago, the actual working relationship began only last year. Menon recalls, “It wasn’t an easy task to make the first impression.” Iyer adds, “We are glad the team at Balaji were not nasty even when we made multiple follow up calls.”
The duo are frequently at Balaji’s HQ in Rajkot, picking lessons on how to sell an idea, and absorb pressure with grace, among other things. “We learn a new business lesson every time we meet the Balaji team. Everything happens in their backyard, and yet they are not as chaotic as one may think. As newbie entrepreneurs, this has helped us fix our own business issues,” admits Menon.
It’s also resulted in a newfound respect for their former colleagues from client servicing. “A lot of times when you are in a comfortable spot at an established agency, you never care about so many other aspects of a business,” signs off Iyer.