Why the brand re-positioning and the name change? What was wrong with the former name, 141 Worldwide?
Nothing was wrong with the old name. What we have now is just an evolution, an opportunity to launch ourselves to higher heights as a business. So nothing was wrong with 141 Worldwide. We are just launching to a new identity that enables us to deliver superior performance to our clients and businesses that we work with.
You talked about the array of quality clients that you had been able to garner over the years as 141 Worldwide. Some of the brands that started with you are still with you, why then change a winning name?
What has worked more than anything is the people that have worked in the business, and that was one of our reasons for success. The 141 Worldwide name was one name that we have registered and it’s also one name we have used as part of the Ogilvy Network. We are no longer part of the Ogilvy Network. And even though we had a choice to retain the name, we have chosen to use the opportunity to launch ourselves to a greater level of operation, and we have therefore chosen a name that speaks to that. Nitro 121 represents an evolution of a new level of operation the word ‘Nitro’ speaks about high performance. Nitro 121 speaks about a higher level of connecting with our clients, the brands and the consumers. So we believe that the new name and the new identity speak to the new journey that we have begun.
Why is the agency always in love with numerics – 141, 121?
You have to choose to be different. These numbers help us to be unique and differentiated. That’s a choice that we have made, and it also helps us to explain who we are, in not too many words.
What are we expecting with the name change?
If you look at Formula 1, it speaks about high performance. It speaks about high level of team work. So for us Nitro 121 represents a point where brands and businesses come to, and, working with us, their levels of performance improves. So every brand and business that comes in touch with Nitro 121 will leave us performing better. So that is the metaphor we have chosen. So Nitro 121 metaphor speaks about the higher level of connection with brands and consumers.
But why now?
Why not now? There is a higher level of competition in the marketplace, the market is evolving and we can not afford to be a dinosaur.
What we are doing is thinking ahead of the curve, ahead of the market.
So while other people are still thinking about what to do, we are moving ahead of the curve.
What are the new things?
We bring a new dimension of digital marketing, we have one of the strongest teams, and one of the best digital marketing guys in the country. I say that with confidence. With the guys working with us now, we have, on account of that, won new clients. We have recruited in the past one year, some of the best strategists. The average agency just speaks about creative, we are starting from consumer insight and developing strategy. We have recruited the best strategist and recruited some of the best digital marketing guys. We have reinforced the team. We are retraining the entire team and we are delivering consumer-insight led creative.
One of the reasons for the re-branding is to signify a clear part with Ogilvy. Who is afraid of who, Nitro 121 or Ogilvy?
I don’t know if anybody is afraid of anybody. The marketplace is big enough to accommodate all. What we have chosen is to use this opportunity to re-launch ourselves. And we did not need to have left the Ogilvy Network to do this. It’s a choice that we have made,because what you see is to try and look for opportunities and changing your name and identity is an opportunity to tell the market ‘this is the new me’. We could easily have done this and sent a press release to everyone, but we have chosen to invite the world to see that this is a different game, a new ball game that we are bringing to the table.
But those familiar with speed would ordinarily expect that you would go higher, not lower, 141 to a higher number not a lower one,like you’ve just done?
All you need to do appreciate this is to think about it creatively,and not as a mathematician. When you say 141, what does it mean? It means I’m one for one person, but when you say I’m one to one, it is a greater level of connection.
and then