The Year Of Cause & Creativity For FCB Ulka

Starting off in 1961 as an independent Indian agency, in a landscape dominated by multinational agencies, FCB Ulka’s underlying foundation of grit and passion for building an institution, has stood the test of time and it continues to do so even today.

With the pandemic being a turbulent time for the industry at large, the agency too was caught in the cobweb of business and market challenges, that resulted in changes to its structural and operational front. However, such uncertain times propose the ultimate test of leadership. “I have seen the grain separate from the chaff and true leaders have emerged. People who think out-of-the box. People who see opportunities in challenges. And people who nourish and grow organisational culture,” asserts Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman & CEO, FCB India. 

Not being bogged down by the ramifications for the pandemic, Ohri describes that the new role of leadership is about ensuring organisational agility. And about creating an adaptive culture that ensures that people, processes and product can pivot for continued relevance in this growing VUCA world.

Standing Tall With Its Partners

Brands that have thrived in these challenging times are those that have been brave. They have not waited for the light at the end of the tunnel but have lit up the long dark tunnel consumers have been walking through over the last one year. The agency made sure to walk hand-in-glove with its partnering brands, that have in turn, walked shoulder to shoulder with their consumers and supported them at every step of the way. 

With the apparent shifts in the advertising game, Ohri explains how the agency is keeping up with the changing dynamics and serving its partners better. “Clients are looking for unconventional solutions to unconventional challenges. Some may see this as ‘clients becoming more demanding’, we see it as clients giving us many more opportunities to find the most creative solutions to bigger marketing challenges.

Also, in the middle of the lockdown, we announced two partnerships. One with XP&D and the other with Networkbay. XP&D has given us the expertise to seamlessly migrate offline experiences online. Whereas our partnership with Networkbay is helping us use technology to create the retail experience of the future, we’ve been able to successfully pivot and partner our clients with new skills and capabilities in these very challenging times,” he comments.

Cultivating Creativity In Crisis

Creativity is natural to human improvement and innovation. Especially where today’s business leaders face an extreme uncertain road ahead, deploying creative thinking at each step, can chart new paths forward. In fact, companies that have cultivated creativity during a crisis situation have reaped significant benefits- from revenue growth, to greater market share, to stronger leadership.

Defining creativity in times of crisis, Swati Bhattacharya, CCO, FCB Ulka says, “Creativity understands fear. So, whatever the crisis maybe, financial or what Covid made the whole world go through, creativity always finds a way to flourish. It kind of chases the light until it finds it.”  

She goes on to share the kind of messaging that was used for the brands, “In the beginning we all were very sensitive towards Covid. But overtime, we adapted to the new normal and for most clients, it became work as usual where they had gone back to propositions and gone back to their reasons to believe. But right now, with the 2nd wave, I wonder what will happen.”

Despite such a challenging time, FCB Ulka produced a series of laud-worthy work, that solidified its position as true creative partners to its clients. The ‘Streedhan for DSM’ campaign, that brought attention to large scale incidence of anaemia among urban women in India, using Gold as a metaphor, was one of its most recognised work.

The heart-warming story of ‘The Mirror’ on International Day for Transgender Visibility was as eye opening and effective. We are all aware that gender stereotypes, especially towards LGBTIQ, is more pronounced in children and adolescents as diversity among them is not commonly understood and society puts massive pressure on them to conform to assigned gender norms at birth. Through this film, the agency began a much-needed conversation across the world on right of children in all their diversity. 

With an aim to push forward awareness about ‘Google Search’, FCB India also designed a series of thoughtful and relatable ads. With over 24 million views on Youtube, the Google headphone film garnered +6% lift in aided awareness, +3% lift in intent; and 8% lift in consideration.

The Cup Winners

Over the last three years, FCB India has won the biggest global awards. From winning the Gold Lion at Cannes in 2018 for Sindoor Khela, to again winning the Gold Lion at Cannes for The Open Door Project in 2019, these recognition have been the best testimony of their creative transformation journey. Interestingly, this was also India’s only Gold Lion that year.

Then, in the previous year, the agency was named as the most awarded agency at D&AD Awards and One Show 2020. 

At Kyoorius this year, the agency was again announced the most awarded agency that also won the highest honours. 

As a result of their creative excellence, the agency has also been awarded with various agency recognitions- WARC Report (Creative 100) named FCB India as #1 Creative Agency in India, Cannes Global Creativity Report 2019 ranked FCB Ulka #2 and #1 Creative Agency by the One Show 2020 Global Creative Rankings.

The year 2021 also started on a high note for them. They marked their Grand Prix hattrick at Spikes 2021, which is also the year of FCB Ulka Group’s 60th Anniversary in India! 

And most recently, Spikes Asia 2021 named FCB Ulka India as the #1 Creative Agency in India and #3 in Asia. 

In addition to being a powerhouse of great talent and leadership minds, the agency holds the badge for being the first international agency in India to hire a woman Chief Creative Officer. “We are guided by the following principles in all our people decisions – talent above everything else. And a commitment to diversity,” points Nitin Karkare, CEO, FCB Ulka.