ASSIGNMENT-1

Under the Subject: MKT651 Integrated Marketing Communication

Cognito India

Submitted to: Prof. Jinal Parikh

Submitted by: Group 1

AU1814020 Aashka Shah MBA

iMBA/15-20/17 Dimple Jethani iMBA
AU1814018 Karan Trivedi MBA
iMBA/15-20/52 Rahil Shah iMBA
AU1814046 Stuti Chokshi MBA

AU/ AMSOM/ MKT-651 IMC/ ASSIGNMENT-1

ABOUT COGNITO
Cognito is a 360 degree full service agency.

It was established by Mr. Harsh Purohit in the year 1993, with Vadodara as the head office and
an additional branch in Mumbai, they are in this industry since 23 years. Since its inception, it
has worked on a variety of projects. The agency has worked with brands with diverse nature and
background. From hedge fund middle office to colas and from wind turbine manufacturer to
fashion, clients have had varying characteristics. The client base is spread across the globe, from
countries like US, UK, China, Malaysia and the Middle East. For this reason, communication
takes place in a multitude of languages, which includes Vietnamese, Mandarin, Spanish,
Turkish, Bahasa- Indonesia, Portuguese and German.

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The main 2 verticals of the company are:

SUSTAINABILITY
The organization helps clients to design and develop communication tools and sustainability
reports. It provides the following services under this department:

1. Sustainability Initiation Programme - Identification of sustainability levers,

sustainability reports and its benefits.
2. Content Development
3. Report Development and design
4. Sustainability Cascading - Development and execution of engagement programs
5. Brand Integration - Connecting all touchpoints of the brand

Sustainability reporting can help organizations to measure, understand and communicate their
economic, environmental, social and governance performance, and then set goals, and manage
change more effectively.

Cognito has its competitive advantage in the Sustainability area as there are very few providers
of such kind of service. Moreover, the company also provides advisory and consultancy services
to their clients wherein they help companies with innovative ideas to create their organization
more sustainable and creating sustainable reports.

Some of the major clients of the sustainability report are:

1. Mahindra: This client is the oldest client and is the most successful client of the
company.
2. Hindustan Zinc Limited: It is a subsidiary of Vedanta resources and is the world’s
second-largest zinc producer
3. Vedanta: Vedanta Limited located in Tuticorin is the mining company based in India.
4. ITC: Indian multinational companies registered as Indian Tobacco Company, is one of
the newest clients of the company. ITC is one such company who was into the making
of sustainability reports even before the mandatory requirement made by the
government.
5. Arvind Limited: Arvind Limited is the textile manufacturer and the flagship company
of Lalbhai group. This project was an award-winning project.

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BRANDABILITY

Under this vertical Cognito provides its clients with full-fledged branding services, from print
to digital design they help the clients at every touchpoint of the brand with the consumers.
Following areas forms the part of Brandability vertical:
1. Brand Design - Brand architecture, audit, revitalisation
2. Communication Design - Advertising, Packaging, Annual Report
3. Information Design - Manuals, Menus etc
4. Space Design - Signage systems, Spatial Experience
5. Sustainability Communication Design - Reports, Stakeholder communication
6. Interactive and Digital Design - Websites, E-mailers, Web banners
7. Event and Exhibition Design - Product launches, Event management

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ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:

MANAGING
DIRECTOR/
PROPRIETOR

EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR

CLIENT CREATIVE
SERVICE COPY ADMIN INTERACTIVE

HUMAN
ACCOUNTS
RESOURCE

The above reflects the formal chain and structure of the company. But during interaction he also
mentioned that the working environment was quite open and did not have to follow the
hierarchy. The open environment helps innovation and creative design ideas.

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Functions of each department:
Client Service Responsible for all the coordination with the clients.
a) Creates an estimate for the client
b) Receives purchase orders & advances
c) Research and data collection
d) Briefing to copy/creative/interactive

Copy Plans the content

a) Concept development
b) Development of content/copy

Creative Creates all the designs and visuals

a) Develops the various design options for the client
b) Refinements and finalisation

Interactive a) Handling social media

b) Creating websites for the clients
c) Handling technological aspect in the company

Admin a) Human resource management

b) Includes accounts department

Job flow process:

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COMPETITORS:
National competitors Local competitors
● Ogilvy & Mather ● Tiger Advertising
● Bestow
● Crayons Advertising and
● Trizone India
Marketing Pvt Ltd
● McCann Erickson India ● Gold mine Pvt. Ltd.
● Lowe Lintas
● Creative Advertising
● JWT
● Chaitra Leo Burnett Pvt
Ltd
● Mudra Communications
Ltd
● Grey Worldwide

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CLIENTS
This is the list of the clients Cognito has across the world.

Brandability Sustainability
● ABB ● ABN
● Future Media ● AMRO Bank India
● Hotel Surya Palace ● Grasim
● INOX ● Gujarat
● Sony Mix Fluorochemicals
● WindowMaker ● L&T
(Europe) ● Dr. Reddy's
● Novozymes ● Hindustan Unilever
Biologicals (China Limited
and Malaysia) ● Mahindra
● Pepsi (USA) ● Mahindra Lifespaces
● Kanoo Group (Middle ● MSPL
East) ● Reliance Industries
● Reliance Industries ● Moser Baer
Ltd.

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TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

For making website (for clients) For internal working For designing
of the company

Static website: Dynamic - Net visual - Corel draw

website: studio - Photoshop
- MS SQL - illustrator
- HTML - ASP
file S.N server (for
- CSS3 ET maintaining
the data base)
- ERP

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PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN
The Mahindra Sustainability Challenge

Introduction
Mahindra Sustainability Quiz

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Organized quiz on the occasion of World Environment Day (June
5), Cognito conducted 'The Mahindra Sustainability Challenge' - a five round quiz, comprising
questions on sustainability in general, sustainability specific to India and sustainability as
practiced in Mahindra.

The Sustainability Challenge focus on-

● Energy
● Water
● Waste
● Bio-diversity
● HR
● Emission
● Mahindra
● Community
● Current affairs

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The Biglilcity Project

Introduction
BigLilCity features all the good happenings in Vadodara. It's a platform to connect the bond
between Barodians and events. This platform will build a bridge between the real world and
virtual society.

The objective of the BigLilCity is to enable residents of Vadodara or visitors to this beautiful
city to make the most of their leisure time and professional expertise. The facebook page
features all good things which are happening in Vadodara on the Entertainment and Cultural
Scene, on the Civic and City Development Front and on the Business and Career Front.

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Biglilcity in action

finding events
and details.

calling,
keeping track mailing and
messaging
of insights
event mangers
for approval

posting
updated
sharing a
content and
linking the post image of the
event

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Facebook Insights

Weekly planner of events designed,

by the creative team for the event.
This was for mobile marketing.

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OTHER PROJECTS

A. Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited: Creating an effective competitors' analysis for
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited.

B. The Grand Mercure: Rebranding and creating a competitors' analysis and looked out
for banqueting options in and near Vadodara which can be potential competitors to The
Grand Mercure

C. Tata Sustainability Group: Content development of the TATA Sustainability Group

e-mailer. This included referring the functional decks for CSR of TSG for forming the
e-mail questionnaire.

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GROWTH OF THE AGENCY
1. Cognito began as a creative boutique as it provided art solutions for marketing. This included
making graphics for banners, advertisements, packaging, logos, etc.
2. With the skills and experience of the MD in the field of copywriting and marketing campaigns,
they soon began to provide majority services that a full service ad agency could provide.
3. Till this stage, the agency operated from a part of the MD’s residence. The workforce at that
stage consisted of 2 client service executives, 1 copy-writter, 2 graphic designers, 1 media
expert.
4. The client at this time were local businesses such as hotels, hospitals etc.
5. As the number of clients increased, they decided to have a proper private office.
6. Now they have 6 client service executives, 5 copywriters, 6 graphic designers, 2 members in the
IT support team, 1 HR executive and 4 employees for administration, accounting and other
management.
7. Parallely they began to have clients beyond Vadodara and hence established a workforce of 7
employees and an office in Mumbai.
8. They also began to plan and host events for their chosen clients like the Mahindra Sustainability
Quiz, Sayaji Ratna Awards with Amitabh Bacchan, TATA Business Leadership Awards, etc.
9. As the agency was excelling in visuals and copy, its clients began to approach them for
sustainability reports. With sustainability reporting becoming mandatory for certain industries
and sections, the demand for this service increased and low competition is attracting the agency
to focus on this service.
10. Presently, as they continue to function as an ad agency, resources are being used to recognize
Cognito as an ad agency with sustainability advisory.

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