Global advertising major Publicis Groupe’s digital company Digitas entered India last week as Solutions | Digitas through a merger with Solutions, a New Delhi-based marketing firm that Publicis acquired two years ago. Alan Rutherford, CEO, Digitas Global , who was in the country to announce the merger, spoke to ET on digital marketing and Digitas’ plans for India.

What is Digitas’ India strategy?

The Publicis Groupe is expanding its footprint for digital offerings in Asia. In India, it has merged Digitas Global with Solutions, a marketing firm. Publicis acquired Solutions in 2006 and has a 60% stake in it. The merged entity will be called Solutions | Digitas. The launch is a key move to strengthen Digitas’ presence in Asia and India is one of the important markets.

The Groupe already has a well-established presence in India. Solutions Integrated Marketing Services is strong in its integrated offering, which include direct, digital, promotions and shopper marketing. The new entity will take benefit of Solutions’ regional leadership along with Digitas’ global reach and business development resources. Digitas is set to become the fourth biggest global agency under the Publicis Groupe after Leo Burnett, Starcom and Saatchi & Saatchi. The company will be headquartered in New Delhi with offices in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata.

How will Solutions | Digitas’ operations differ from Solutions?

Solutions | Digitas will continue to service Solutions’ existing clients as well as offering an Indian service for its global clients. While Solutions, currently, handles clients such as Microsoft, HP, Pepsi, ESPN, Gillette, Castrol and Aviva, Digitas has clients such as American Express, General Motors and IBM.

There are about 250 employees in Solutions and we plan to add 1,000 and expand as we progress. Digitas also operates an independent healthcare marketing brand, Digitas Health, as well as Prodigious Worldwide, a global digital productions company.

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