India has become a central pillar of our regional strategy: Tony Harradine, OMG APAC CEO

India is rapidly becoming one of the most significant growth markets for Omnicom Media Group (OMG) in the Asia-Pacific region, according to Tony Harradine, CEO of OMG APAC.

In an interview with Storyboard18, Harradine highlighted India’s double-digit growth trajectory, expanding technology capabilities, and shift towards brand-building as signs of a robust transformation in the country's media landscape.

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“India has moved from being a challenger market to becoming a central pillar of our regional strategy,” Harradine said. Under new leadership, OMG has witnessed its fastest growth in India, with year-on-year figures touching 20%. “It’s not just about volume anymore. India is already a global centre of excellence for us,” he added.

Harradine noted a fundamental change in India’s advertising approach — a pivot from purely performance-driven strategies toward more holistic brand-building initiatives. “For the longest time, Indian marketers were laser-focused on lower funnel metrics and performance KPIs. But now, there’s a clear gravitation towards communications planning and upper-funnel branding,” he observed.

This shift aligns India more closely with markets like the UK and Australia, which have traditionally leaned into long-term brand strategies. However, this evolution has also created a demand gap in strategic media talent. “There’s a talent shortage in India when it comes to strategists who can drive this new narrative,” he said.

The BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) sector is leading the surge in media spends, with fintech and app-based services investing heavily in customer acquisition and market share. Harradine estimates growth in BFSI media spending in India to be in the high single digits, possibly around 8%.

Travel and tourism, too, have rebounded strongly, returning to pre-pandemic levels. “We’re seeing a big uptick in spend profiles in this sector. It’s back at full strength,” he remarked.

FMCG continues to hold steady, although industry-wide consolidation is expected. “Many global FMCG corporations are compartmentalizing their consumer brands, which reflects a renewed focus on brand building and volume,” Harradine said.

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OMG is betting big on artificial intelligence to enhance productivity and unlock consultative capabilities within its teams. “AI allows us to move beyond process-heavy work and focus more on insights, strategy, and brand value,” Harradine explained. Tasks that previously took weeks — such as market research and insights generation — can now be completed in minutes.

However, Harradine emphasized that AI will not replace human creativity. “It’s an evolution, not a revolution. AI is here to enhance what humans do — not replace it.”

To stay ahead, OMG is actively investing in upskilling its teams, especially in AI prompting and strategic insights. Tools like Culture Q, an internal cultural intelligence platform, are being leveraged to understand consumer behaviors in nuanced markets like India.

With the increasing use of AI and automation, Harradine acknowledged the need to rethink the way agencies are compensated. “We can’t continue to charge based on hours or commissions when AI makes processes faster. The future lies in outcome-based compensation,” he said.

He envisions a future where media agencies will be evaluated not just on deliverables, but on the measurable business impact they create for clients.

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