India – Wunderman Thompson India has been awarded the strategy and creative mandate for ŠKODA, the Czech automobile manufacturer. The remit is inked to last for three years, where the business will be led and operated out of Wunderman Thompson’s Mumbai office.
The agency described the pitching process as “fiercely competitive.” Wunderman Thompson shared that leading to nabbing the account, the challenge had been to present their POV on SKODA’s after-sales services. Leveraging its data and tech capabilities, the agency worked extensively to understand the culture trend and engaged in consumer immersions to present solutions for the brand.
Wunderman Thompson India is no stranger to the creative and marketing demands of brands within the automobile space. The agency has had a long-standing association with Ford Motor Co, launching several of its successful brands in the country. It also continues to build on its decade-long relationship with HeroMotoCorp and has been a long-term custodian for brands such as Apollo Tyres and Exide Batteries.
Talking about the new partnership, Tarun Jha, head of marketing of ŠKODA Auto India, said, “ŠKODA is at a very critical milestone of its journey in India. As we gear up for the next phase of our growth with our India 2.0 strategy, we wanted a partner who will ride with us and add value to our business. With Wunderman Thompson’s experience in auto category and enthusiasm to build distinctive narratives, we are hopeful that journey will be successful.”
Meanwhile, Anurag Tandon, SVP & Managing Partner of Wunderman Thompson, Mumbai, commented that on the back of new product launches and network expansion with a laser-sharp focus on customer satisfaction, the brand is on an accelerated growth path.
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner the brand at this exciting juncture to provide business solutions and drive growth for [ŠKODA],” he said.
In January, Wunderman Thompson South Asia has named a new chief digital officer through the appointment of former dentsu president for West in India, Harsh Shah.