On the second day of the three-day advertising and marketing extravaganza, Goafest 2024, during a session presented by Sports18 and JioCinema, prominent industry leaders Ajay Gupte, CEO of Wavemaker South Asia; Anita Kotwani, CEO of Media South Asia at Dentsu; Tanmay Mohanty, CEO of Publicis Media Services India; and Vaishali Verma, CEO of Initiative India, shared insights on the topic ‘The Changing Expectations from a Media Client Leader.’ Guiding the discussion was Vikram Sakuja, Partner & Group CEO of Media & Out-of-Home at Madison Communications.
During the session, the panel explored the evolving expectations placed on media client leaders and the challenges they face in meeting these demands. Through this conversation, key requisites for an effective client leader were explored, where Vaishali Verma stressed that the requirements for a good client leader vary with each category and client.
She emphasised the importance of identifying the nature of the business and then positioning a client leader whose skills and experience would be an asset to both the client and the brand. “A client lead must understand the client to provide them with the right specialization and keep the client happy. It’s important to identify the nature of the business and look for the required skills to appoint the client leader. They should be able to manage their team in balance with the client’s expectations,” Verma said.
To this, Anita Kotwani added, “A client leader needs to be obsessed with winning for the client and their profitability. The client lead must be client-obsessed, understanding their challenges and issues. The client lead must have a transactional relationship with the client, providing them with new-age services that go beyond traditional media. The priority is adding value back to the client’s business.
As advice for a client leader, Kotwani said, “A client lead must continuously upskill themselves for the new-age ecosystem with integration and full-funnel marketing. There should be a strong learning and development agenda to keep up with the pace at which the industry is moving.”
Addressing the topic of expectations from a Media Client leader, Tanmay Mohanty outlined how a client lead should have empathy for both sides – the client and their team – and how they should be able to manage what is expected from the client and what their team can deliver.
Mohanty also outlined the importance of sales as a skill, highlighting how a person should be able to sell. “An organization should equip the client leader with the necessary resources. A person’s ability to plan will not solve the problem,” he added.
Ajay Gupte brought attention to whether the client leader needs to be a single point of contact (SPOC). While acknowledging that much has changed in the industry, he noted that some fundamentals remain the same, such as the importance of understanding the client’s needs. “A good client lead should be able to find a balance. Most importantly, they should have a positive attitude towards understanding the consumer journey while simultaneously being obsessed with the client.
“It’s important for the client lead to understand the consumer’s journey, their data journey, and how they interact with the product/services, all while being obsessed with their client’s success and viewing it as a partnership aimed at making the client win. To ensure the client is reasonable, the client lead must earn the respect and trust of the client initially. Once the relationship is established, client expectations also become reasonable, and a level of empathy emerges,” Gupte added.
He pointed out that change is a constant, and a client leader must evolve with market shifts and the information available, maintaining a client-centric approach.
Through insightful dialogue and shared experiences, the discussion delved into the dynamic landscape of media agencies, offering perspectives on how leaders navigate industry shifts while striving for excellence.
