Born: Hyderabad, India.
Worked in: Only in India but in different
cities – Hyderabad, Chennai & Mumbai.
Name an innovative idea or business solution for which you are most proud. Satya is extremely proud of his showcase client, Siemens, for whom he created exclusive content on TV for their Answers Campaign. He has gone beyond the routine spot buy & sponsorship formula and negotiated with one of the leading business news channels to create numerous half-hour episodes for Siemens. The content for the same was co-created by the
channel and Siemens where a “problem and solution” was discussed without compromising on editorial integrity or compliances to make the outcome look like a commissioned program. Siemens clients were met by the channel editorial team at their factories and discussed as to how and why they preferred Siemens.
It was a 16-part series telecast during prime time, every week, with two repeats during the week. India is the only country where this was done and it has become a global standard in creating an interesting platform on TV for clients to share their experience with Siemens – a public endorsement by its clients.
Why do people see you as an innovator? Satya does things differently and also does different things. He is a firm believer in “BETTER THE BEST;” that is, what is best today need not necessarily be best tomorrow since every best solution is contextual and situational. Therefore, he always looks to improve everything he does from the second time onwards.
What role does innovation play in his marketing strategy today? It’s the only way we can communicate impactfully. Innovative execution provides a platform for not only communicating the message, but also provides an opportunity for audience engagement and interactivity.
What is the biggest challenge you face in applying innovative thinking to international projects? One must constantly overcome the initial hesitation to try an unconventional thing. The “tested & tried one is safer” attitude simply no longer works. However, his experience also indicates that every client today is looking for innovative solutions as long as they are Relevant & Different, Result-Oriented and Cost Effective.
Any other interesting aspects to your international background? Satya has had a number of opportunities to represent the agency at various international conferences, principally in Asia. However, later this year, he will be making his first foray to Europe to attend a Siemens/agency
networking conference in Germany. He has already started learning German which he says is a snap compared to Hindi.
Any internationalist trivia? Satya is constantly on the go as the Agency has both offices and clients the length and breadth of the country. And traveling in India is its own challenge. Just recently, his plane in Hyderabad (far to the south) was grounded by a mechanical difficulty, and there were no flights available for literally 24 hours. Furthermore, the rail connections and deluxe sleeper busses were also booked. Having to return as soon as possible for business reasons, he caught the last overnight bus which was not air conditioned and filled to standing room. After 18 hours of standing, he made back to attend the meeting. Satya is a “real trooper” to the last.
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