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With initiatives like dentsu BX, the launch of Dentsu Lab, and a commitment to sustainability, dentsu has reshaped brand connections and industry standards, thereby cementing its position as a pioneer in innovation, creativity, and meaningful transformation across the region.

<strong>Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu</strong> spoke to Storyboard18 about the agency's growth and his perspective towards growing trends in media and entertainment industry for the upcoming year, Reflecting on 2024, he shared one phrase that defined the journey at dentsu South Asia: “Innovating to Impact.” The year was marked by transformation, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to meaningful change. Sharing his thoughts on the milestones, Razdan remarked, “One of the key highlights was the launch of dentsu BX in India. This initiative revolutionized how brands connect with audiences by seamlessly blending business transformation with creative storytelling.”

The organisation also fortified its Business Transformation Practice, emphasising innovative, people-centric solutions aimed at inspiring lasting change. “Our progress was powered by two transformative frameworks: Integrated Growth Solutions (IGS) and the One Dentsu Operating Model (ODOM),” Razdan explained. “These frameworks allowed us to integrate marketing, technology, and consulting, enabling us to tackle complex business challenges while keeping people—whether clients, consumers, or communities—at the centre of everything we do.”

A creative renaissance was another hallmark of the year, highlighted by the revitalisation of Dentsu Creative Webchutney and Dentsu Creative Isobar. Razdan noted, “This reaffirmed our commitment to leading with digital-first thinking and delivering excellence in creativity.”

In media and performance marketing, the focus on leadership in precision and performance marketing drove measurable client success. Simultaneously, the CXM practice expanded its influence, helping brands foster deeper, data-driven connections with audiences. “The merger of Extentia and Salesforce teams, bringing together over 2,000 experts, was another landmark moment,” he added. “This synergy cemented our leadership in the tech space and prepared us to meet future challenges with agility and innovation.”

India’s pivotal role on the global stage also stood out. “With the successful launch of the Next-Gen Narrative, we pioneered storytelling designed for a world where digital meets human,” Razdan shared. Among other innovations, the establishment of Dentsu Lab in Mumbai and Bengaluru was a standout achievement. “Joining select global markets in hosting this initiative, we positioned India as a hub for cutting-edge innovation poised to influence industries worldwide,” he explained.

Purpose-driven impact remained central to dentsu’s vision. “Our 8th year of One Day for Change was a humbling reminder of the importance of shared success,” Razdan reflected. “Watching our teams unite to create meaningful change within communities was truly inspiring.”

Emphasizing thought leadership, dentsu launched its first-ever podcast series, Dentsu Unscripted. “This series amplified voices and showcased the incredible work across our organisation,” Razdan noted. Alongside, insightful reports like the Digital Report, Bharatiya Consumer Coffee Table Book, and Gaming Report provided a fresh perspective on India’s evolving consumer landscape.

Looking to the future, Razdan pointed to strategic pillars such as retail, total commerce, performance marketing, CXM, and entertainment. “These pillars are strategically positioned to ensure dentsu remains at the forefront of industries shaping tomorrow,” he said. Reflecting on the year, Razdan concluded, “2024 was the year where resilience met innovation, and belief met purpose. While others talk about transformation, we lived it.”

Discussing the standout media, marketing, and branding trends of 2024, Razdan highlighted the rise of regional content. “Brands embraced vernacular storytelling across platforms like YouTube, OTT, and social media,” he observed. The popularity of short-form videos on platforms like Instagram and Snapchat further enabled brands to engage diverse consumer segments quickly.

On the technology front, Razdan noted, “AI-powered personalisation reshaped brand engagement, enabling highly tailored messaging.” Social commerce also thrived on platforms like Instagram and WhatsApp, driven by influencer partnerships and user-generated content. Meanwhile, sustainability emerged as a key focus. “Consumers are increasingly aware of environmental issues, and brands are embedding purpose-driven marketing into their strategies,” Razdan said. Data privacy became a top priority. “Brands worked to strengthen consumer trust amid evolving regulations,” Razdan explained. Innovations such as CGI in outdoor advertising also brought fresh creativity to visual storytelling.

The transformative impact of AI, particularly generative AI, was another highlight of 2024. “Generative AI allowed us to create multilingual campaigns that broke language barriers and enhanced engagement with diverse audiences,” Razdan shared. AI-powered tools refined consumer behaviour insights, enabling precise targeting and improved campaign outcomes. However, Razdan emphasized the importance of ethical considerations. “While these advancements open incredible possibilities, maintaining transparency and consumer trust is paramount,” he remarked.

Looking ahead to 2025, Razdan identified several disruptive trends poised to reshape the landscape. “The rise of the Bharat consumer presents a significant opportunity as digital tools expand access to untapped audiences,” he explained. He also highlighted the integration of AI and human creativity, stating, “The blending of these two forces will create campaigns that are not only effective but deeply resonant with consumers.”

Hyperlocal marketing is set to gain traction, with advancements in geo-targeting enabling brands to personalise messaging at a neighbourhood level. “This will help build stronger local connections,” Razdan noted. Additionally, voice and conversational AI, particularly in regional languages, will revolutionise customer engagement in India’s mobile-first market. Sustainability, too, will evolve from being a trend to a consumer expectation. “Brands will need to make eco-conscious practices a core part of their strategy,” he emphasized.

On a personal front, Razdan shared his resolution for 2025. “I aim to spend more meaningful time with family, ensuring that I’m truly present in the moments that matter,” he said. Professionally, he plans to build on the strong foundation already established. “Our focus remains on Innovating to Impact, delivering transformative solutions, and empowering our teams to thrive,” he stated.

As India continues to cement its position as a global innovation hub, Razdan expressed optimism about the future. “2025 is about deepening our impact, strengthening our foundations, and making meaningful progress. The path is already laid, and the best is yet to come,” he concluded.

Regional content and personalisation were the game-changers: Harsha Razdan, CEO, South Asia, dentsu

Dentsu India in its defence to the ongoing Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids claimed that the suspected fraudulent activity was conducted by third parties and some of InDeed's former employees. A case was filed in Mumbai's Worli police station under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Dentsu Communications India Private Limited and Suumaya Industries Ltd and its promoters and some others.

The ED issued a press release stating that Suumaya group's listed entities engaged in transactions totalling Rs 5,000 crore, with merely 10% being legitimate. The circular transaction pattern artificially inflated turnovers of involved entities, including Dentsu Communications India, misleading investors through falsely elevated share prices.

Dentsu India in its statement said, “In 2021, we identified suspected fraudulent activity conducted by third parties and some of InDeed’s former employees against whom criminal complaints have also been filed. This activity was limited to the InDeed business only. Three years ago, we proactively reported the matter to the relevant authorities and have been fully co-operating since."

The company said, "It is in connection with the same matter that the Enforcement Directorate (“ED”) visited Dentsu India’s office in Mumbai on December 10, 2024. The ED has not found or seized any properties from Dentsu’s premises. We take fraud and wrong-doing very seriously with a zero-tolerance policy towards any such behaviour. We will continue to co-operate with the authorities.”

ED alleged that the suspects are accused of conspiring together and embezzling the funds to the tune of Rs 137 crore under the guise of promising future 'Need to Feed' program advantages. The investigations found that "trade financing" was secured from NBFCs (non-banking financial companies) under the pretext of a so-called 'Need to Feed' program of the Haryana government meant to supply agro products.

According to ED, accused persons had not received any contract from the Haryana government and there was no such program ever in existence either. The accused entities have, in fact, "never" supplied any agro product material for any such program. However, in order to create a fake impression that it is supplying agro products, the accused "connived" and created "fake" records including fake lorry receipts and fake invoices.

As per ED, Searches led to the disclosure that the listed entities of Suumaya Group entered into transactions worth Rs 5,000 crore, wherein only 10 per cent of the transactions were "genuine". These transactions were done in a circular pattern that led to increase in turnover of involved entities including Dentsu India.

The law enforcement agency also alleged that the turnover of Suumaya Industries Ltd "increased" from Rs 210 crore to Rs 6,700 crore in a span of two years (from FY 2019-20 to FY 2021-22) which affected the share price to increase astronomically from Rs 19 per scrip to Rs 736 during this period.

The agency said it seized Rs 46 lakh in Indian currency, about Rs 4 lakh of foreign currency in cash, gold bars worth Rs 3.4 crore and "incriminating" documents related to immovable property transactions and some digital devices.


ED action linked to third parties, fully co-operating with probe agencies: Dentsu India

Dentsu Creative India has appointed Joy Mohanty as its chief creative officer. He will report into Ajay Gahlaut, group chief creative officer, Dentsu Creative. Prior to this, Mohanty led Goldilocks - an agency from the Usha International group. In a career spanning over three decades, Mohanty has worked with brands liked Maruti Suzuki, Google, Nestle, Absolut, Thums Up, Makemytrip.com, Housing.com, HP, and others In his previous roles, he held creative leadership positions in agencies like Publicis Capital and Lowe Lintas.

Mohanty was part of creative teams that made campaigns like Maruti Suzuki’s ‘Kitna Deti Hai’, Absolut’s ‘Colourless’, Google Search, Google Maps’s ‘Paanch Minute ko Paanch Minute Banate Hain’, Google Maps 2-wheeler’s ‘Paaon Zameen Se Door Rahenge’, Housing.com’s ‘Yahan Search Khatam Karo’ and Google Railwire’s ‘#StoriesFromTheStation’. He was also a part of the 'Money Made Simple' campaign for Google Pay and Google Assistant's India launch.

According to a press statement at Dentsu Creative Mohanty will be instrumental in accelerating the division’s India growth trajectory in the North region. He will align with the agency's ambition and work closely with the creative teams to build solutions that have the power to transform brands and businesses through the lens of Modern Creativity.

Commenting on the development Gahlaut said, “Dentsu Creative is transforming into a powerhouse of creativity. We are rapidly building capabilities to stay ahead of the curve in a dynamically evolving industry. However, the tallest structures are built on strong foundations. Joy's appointment is, thus, vital to our plan for times ahead. He is a veteran who has worked on some of the most ground-breaking campaigns. I am certain that his experience will bring solidity and wisdom into the fresh, bubbling cauldron of creativity at Dentsu."

Mohanty added, “I am excited to join forces with Ajay and Amit and be part of the superb talent hub they have turned Dentsu Creative into. An enviable list of clients makes this a big opportunity. I look forward to adding to the energy and doing some great work.”

The Japanese advertising network officially launched Dentsu Creative as the company’s lead creative agency network at Cannes Lions this year. The network is betting on “One Dentsu” strategy to bring Dentsu Japan and Dentsu International’s businesses closer.




Dentsu Creative India hires Joy Mohanty as its chief creative officer

When the news broke of Wendy Clark stepping down as the global CEO of Dentsu International, many of her former colleagues and industry peers weren’t surprised. A chief executive of an Indian independent ad shop on condition of anonymity tells Storyboard18, “It’s a circus at Dentsu. It’s about time the company looks up the thesaurus and replaces the word transformation.”

Wendy, who is regarded as the most respected female agency leader in the global advertising circuit, joined Dentsu International on 1 September 2020. Prior to that she was the Global Chief Executive of DDB, the Omnicom-owned creative agency. She was a marketer at Coca-Cola too. A senior Indian executive who has worked with Wendy says, “She isn’t the most responsive CEO I have worked with.” In fact, last year, when Denstu India was massively hit by people issues, she didn’t respond to queries that were sent by several senior executives from India. “Her silence made things clear for many us. We were left with no option but to look for opportunities outside,” says the former senior creative director of an India digital agency that Dentsu owns.

<strong>Clark’s report card</strong>

Under her leadership, the company delivered revenue growth of 17 percent, growing organic revenue for the first time in nine quarters, and along with long-held operating profit margin target of 15 percent for the first time in six quarters. For the five quarters since then they had sequential revenue growth and on-target margin delivery, wrote Clark in a LinkedIn post while announcing her exit.

At Cannes Lions this year, Clark made an official announcement of the creation of Dentsu Creative as the company’s lead creative agency network and her vision to set up “One Dentsu” strategy that would bring Dentsu Japan and Dentsu International’s businesses closer. So much so that in three months, the Japanese have decided to do away with its international CEO role. Dentsu is the world’s fifth largest agency group with about 65,000 staff. The international business outside Japan employs around 45,000 people.

During Clark’s tenure, the network also went through an accelerated ‘transformation’. This massively hit Dentsu International’s operations globally and in India. A series of leadership changes, consolidations and dissolutions of agency brands has been happening, especially in India, over the last one year.

Few ad agencies have witnessed such drastic changes, in a short span at that, as Dentsu International and its India base, triggered by a raft of reasons ranging from the pandemic slowdown to restructuring to internal audits at units over alleged malpractices. Storyboard18 was the first to report on this.

A former senior leader of Denstu agency says, “Clark got in the American way of leadership. The brutal slice down of operations and head count could have been dealt with better. The Japanese didn’t particularly like this approach.”

<strong>End to an adventurous strategy?</strong>

In 2021, at a group level, Dentsu Group, decided to bring its existing set of shops under six go-to-market agency brands ― Carat, Merkle, dentsu X, iProspect, Dentsu mcgarrybowen and Isobar. In India, the network had 23 brands under its umbrella ― Isobar, Webchutney, WATConsult, Fractal Ink, Design Studio, Posterscope, Milestone, Brandcom, Fountainhead MKTG, Hyperspace, Brandscope, Taproot Dentsu, Dentsu India, Dentsu One, Dentsu Impact, mcgarrybowen, Perfect Relations, Indeed, The Storylab, Dentsu X, Vizeum, Carat, SVG, Merkle Sokrati, and iProspect. An industry veteran, who has worked with the Dentsu Group closely, says, the network was “adventurous” with it acquisition game. “Dentsu overvalued a lot of its acquired creative shops. The thing is creative agencies’ popularity doesn’t last for long. They are in news when they make a viral campaign or win big at Cannes Lions. After that, they fade out. Very few companies that Dentsu India acquired were generating sizable businesses,” he adds.

In a latest development, the network announced its transition to a new globally integrated leadership structure. Effective January 1, 2023, Dentsu group is making the following changes. The company will shift from operating through two business units — Dentsu Japan Network (DJN), and Dentsu International (DI) — to a global ‘One Management Team’ structure, with business operations conducted in four regions — Japan, Americas, EMEA, and APAC. The ‘One Management Team’ will be led by president and CEO Hiroshi Igarashi. Dentsu group will globally integrate each of its corporate functions to build a common management platform. On September 15, 2022, Dentsu group will launch a dedicated Integration Office to drive a seamless transformation process.

Agency heads that Storyboard18 spoke to are of the opinion that with the constant tweaks in plans and strategies by the company is confusing and is not tangible. What the new structure will bring in is a better “reporting structure”, says an Indian CEO of Dentsu’s rival company. “The Japanese understand the value of client relationships like no one else in the business. With whatever has happened in India, and now globally, one thing is clear ― the Japanese are going to hold tight and hopefully make the right decisions for good, especially for India, that picked the ‘Agency Of The Year’ title at Cannes Lions this year,” he concludes.



Will Dentsu Group’s ‘One Management Team’ fix its image crisis?

Dentsu International’s CEO Wendy Clark is reportedly stepping down, multiple international reports stated. 

Storyboard18 reached out to the company for a statement but did not get a response at the time of filing this report. Clark took charge of the Japanese-owned advertising network on 1 September 2020. Prior to that, she was the global chief executive of DDB, the Omnicom-owned creative agency. Wendy is regarded as the most respected female agency leader in the global advertising circuit. She was previously a marketer at Coca-Cola. 

At Cannes Lions this year, Clark made an official announcement on the creation of Dentsu Creative as the company’s lead creative agency network and her vision to set up “One Dentsu” strategy that will bring Dentsu Japan and Dentsu International’s businesses closer. Under her leadership, Dentsu Creative Bengaluru went on to win Ad Agency of the Year at Cannes Lions 2022 – the first time a Dentsu agency won the prestigious award. Dentsu is the world’s fifth largest agency group with about 65,000 staff. The international business outside Japan employs around 45,000 people.

Under Clark’s leadership, the network also went through an accelerated ‘transformation’. This massively hit Dentsu International’s operations globally and in India. A series of leadership changes, consolidations and dissolutions of agency brands has been happening, especially in India, over the past year and a half.

Few ad agencies have witnessed drastic changes in a short span triggered by a raft of reasons ranging from the pandemic slowdown to restructuring to internal audits at units over alleged malpractices.

As it happens, the exits are bad PR, ironic for a company that is in the business of communication, senior agencies heads of rival networks. While Dentsu International’s big ambition is also to simplify its structure, the effort is “confusing and complicated”, according to agency insiders Storyboard18 spoke to. It’s been a year and Dentsu International India is still on the hunt of a CEO. Interestingly, Robert (Rob) Gilby takes charge as CEO APAC, Dentsu International, on 5 September 2022.

A former senior leader of Denstu agency observes, “Clark got in American way of leadership. The brutal slice down of operations and head count could have been dealt better. The Japanese didn’t particularly like this approach.” 


Is Wendy Clark leaving Dentsu International?

First-ever Agency of the Year title to an Indian agency – Dentsu Creative Bengaluru, India’s first-ever five Grand Prix haul led by Dentsu Creative bagging three of them, First-ever Titanium Lions to Indian agencies – Dentsu Creative Bengaluru and Ogilvy India.



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Dentsu Creative India Team Speaks On The Historic Year At Cannes Lions

DENTSU INDIA