Dr Reddy’s Foundation to finalise an advertising agency

After its agency, Mudra, shut down its Hyderabad office, Dr Reddy’s Foundation (DRF) is looking for a new agency. For the time being, RK Swamy BBDO, Hyderabad, will undertake some tasks

Dr Reddy’s Foundation (DRF), a non-profit organisation that strives to create quality education opportunities for the poor, had appointed Mudra, Hyderabad, to handle its creative duties two months ago. Now that Mudra has shut down its Hyderabad office because operating expenses were exceeding earnings, DRF is looking for fresh advertising agencies.

The other businesses with Mudra, Hyderabad, were Hindustan Latex, Bambino Agro Industries and Duroflex Mattresses. None of these businesses have decided upon an advertising agency as yet.

DRF primarily targets economically deprived people in the age group of 18-35 for its flagship programme, the Grameen Livelihood Advancement Business School (LABS). LABS’ main purpose is to equip this section of people with qualifications in curricular areas such as BPO, retail academy, customer relations and sales, micro irrigation, automobile, hospitality and bedside assistance for patients.

DRF also aims to attract quality faculty members and communicate with corporates for partnership and placement purposes on a regular basis.

Minu Abraham, strategic team leader, DRF, confirmed to agencyfaqs! that, for the time being, RK Swamy BBDO, Hyderabad, will release ads to recruit faculty members for the foundation. Whether DRF will continue with RK Swamy BBDO as its advertising agency will be decided in a month’s time. Abraham added that their organisation may also appoint another agency to share the communication for DRF, along with RK Swamy BBDO.

The advertising spend for the programme is estimated to be Rs 7.5 crore. All the funding for the LABS programme is provided by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India.

DRF aims to train 1,50,000 people in various disciplines in the next two years through the LABS programme. The media mix for the business includes print and outdoor advertising, radio ads and on-ground promotions such as road shows and films that will run on local channels and local networks in rural areas to portray the transformational impact of the LABS programme on individuals and society.