INTRODUCTION

BBDO India has shaped a philosophy relevant to the complex and diverse Indian
consumer – a belief in not just creating ads but acts. The philosophy of “Create Acts,
Not Ads” has been brought to life through long-term engaging programs in the shape
of Social movements for various brands like Ariel, Gillette, Whisper, 7 Up, Johnson's
Baby, GE, Aviva Life Insurance, Quaker Oats and Visa. Most programs have won
various awards and recognition across the globe. BBDO India has the unique
distinction of winning four inaugural Cannes Lion including a Grand Prix in
following categories- PR Lion, Glass Lion and Black Lion for Creative Effectiveness.
The agency's story is also a case study at Ominicom University, collaboration
between Omnicom and Harvard Business School to provide management programs to
senior management of all Omnicom companies .

What We Do

BBDO India's new collaborative approach to creating and executing ideas that are
action oriented breaks the silos of Advertising, PR, Media, Digital and Activation.
Our mission is to create and deliver world’s most compelling commercial content
across all mediums and screens. Our core competencies include: Advertising,
Strategic Planning, Branding, Interactive Marketing, Email Marketing and eCRM,
Direct Marketing, Mobile, Social Media and Design.
The Group was founded by the late Mr R K Swamy, a doyen of Indian advertising.
His advertising career spanned 63 years and started in 1940 when he joined J Walter
Thompson in 1940 in the Indian Languages department. After doing a stint in
Calcutta for several years, he returned to Bombay.

In 1955, he moved to Madras to start a new office of J Walter Thompson, which kick
started the entire advertising industry in South India. After 33 eventful years, R K
Swamy left JWT while he was a senior most director, and the company had become
established as a leader in the business.
At the age of 50, he founded RK SWAMY Advertising Associates and within seven

years, this company had spread its wings across the top five cities of India. When the
doors of RK SWAMY Advertising Associates Private Ltd opened for business on
April 3, 1973, it had thirty people on its rolls. A full service Agency from day one, it
even included a research department!

Mr RK SWAMY was living up to one of his favorite quotes - "Not failure, but low aim is crime." His
company joining hands with the BBDO Worldwide Network in 1986,

long before such tie-ups became the trend in the industry.

Mr R K Swamy left his mark in three key ways. First, he truly built the advertising

business by bringing in more advertisers, by espousing the power of communication

in an era of a controlled economy. Second, he provided opportunities for an army of

professionals to be trained, who are now scattered throughout the industry. Lastly,

he was a passionate professional, who fought doggedly for the legitimacy of his

business, without compromising on his principles and what he believed in.

When Mr RK SWAMY passed away on June 5, 2003, he would have had the
satisfaction of knowing one thing - he did build an institution, and it continues to
strive to live up to his ideals.