McCann Worldgroup India wins raft of new business; expands into new client categories: Exclusive

Prasoon Joshi-led McCann Worldgroup seems to be racing ahead in the new business league as it gets off to a solid start after bagging big business and clients in 2023, and the Agency of the Year award at the coveted EFFIEs in early 2024. The agencies most recent win is Sintex, a Welspun Group brand.

Besides winning 2023’s biggest creative mandate, Air India, which Storyboard18 was the first to break, McCann also got the G20 mandate, which was one of the most visible campaigns of the year. It won the mandate on Domino’s following a multi-agency pitch, which gave the agency a step in a new business category (Quick Service Restaurant).

In a case for ‘Cross-sell’ after spotting consumer and digital content trends, Joshi introduced McCann’s digital arm MRM to the Ministry of Tourism. MRM was awarded the digital transformation duties of the Ministry of Tourism, resulting in an incremental revenue of $2.5 million.

The agency has broadened its presence in the Financial sector through a strategic partnership with Yes Bank, a prominent leader in the banking industry. Furthermore, MGM, a prominent global hospitality and entertainment company operating destination resorts, is now part of its client roster, a development that fortifies its presence in the international market.

Besides this there are several other wins like, Agoda, Apollo Hospitals, Cognizant, Pfizer, SBI Life, Sun Pharma, Shree Cement, Lloyds, Cigna, and most recently Sintex Tank.

Storyboard18 reached out to McCann Worldgroup for a clearer picture on its current client base. The IPG-owned ad firm’s company spokesperson shared, “A significant share of our revenue growth is directly attributed to organic expansion within our existing client base. This achievement is the result of our proactive account management, strategic upselling initiatives, and the provision of additional services.”

The spokesperson added, “As a result, a substantial 79 percent of our total revenue is generated organically from our loyal client relationships. We've achieved remarkable organic revenue growth, ranging from 5 percent to an astounding 60 percent, across over half of our retained clients.”

Reliance Industries expanded its portfolio with McCann by awarding the Campa Cola business to the agency. LT Foods awarded the agency Strategic Planning and Creative duties for its Americas division, (Royal Basmati) which, the firm states, resulted in significant incremental revenue for the agency. Fintech major PhonePe expanded its association with McCann by giving it the company’s Health Insurance business. Long time clients Reckitt India and Nestle India awarded the agency large additional projects as well.

Driving revenue growth through new business

One aspect of McCann’s future forward Growth plan is the emphasis on converting new business in categories that are new to the agency. “This widens the agency’s portfolio and expertise areas and hedges agency revenue against turbulence in any specific business category,” the agency spokesperson shared, when asked about the growth plan and expansion in the portfolio.

The agency added new client categories to its portfolio, including, but not limited to, Airline, Life Insurance, Health Insurance,, QSR (Quick Service Restaurant), Banking, Pharma, Resort/Real Estate, Hospitality, IT Consulting, Paints, Building Products and Govt Projects.

At the 2024 edition of the Effie India awards, McCann Worldgroup India was named Effie India Agency of the Year. At the time, Storyboard18 spoke exclusively to Prasoon Joshi, Chairman of McCann Worldgroup Asia Pacific and CEO and CCO, McCann Worldgroup India, who said, “Today, in the world's changing landscape where our industry faces extreme challenges in defining the approach to the future, McCann India is an organisation which holds ideas and thinking at the core of our business and propels our Business and clients forward."

Joshi added, "Effectiveness comes from this culture of belief in creative excellence driven by strong consumer insights. This is McCann India's hallmark supported by our robust McCann Global’s culture of strong creative and strategic leadership."