Indian Oil initiates creative pitch

The company plans to empanel several advertising agencies for its corporate duties. The pitch process is being held in Delhi.

It has been learnt that Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) plans to appoint several creative partners in the near future. The pitch process, initiated around a couple of days back, is slated to be held in the company's corporate office at Delhi. The process is still in its nascent stages.

Senior-level officials at the company have confirmed the news to afaqs!, saying the development is part of a regular procedure that the company has been following over the years. The company is looking to empanel a host of advertising agencies for its corporate duties. The company, at regular intervals, typically empanels several creative agencies at a time and divides the creative mandate geographically. Apparently, a corporate campaign is on the cards.

In 2009, afaqs! had reported that IOCL had empanelled three creative agencies to handle its corporate duties; the agencies were Dentsu, Percept's AMO Communications and the Mumbai-based Inter Publicity. At the time, these agencies were appointed for a period of two years. The three agencies were responsible for both, the communication for the Mumbai-based headquarters of IOCL, including releases, tenders and various kinds of notices, as well as that for the Western region of the country. Prior to these three agencies, IOCL's corporate business was handled by Percept's IBD, Goldmine Advertising, and Foresight.

As per an empanelment process carried out a few years back, agencies responsible for the creative duties for IOCL's product range include Rediffusion-Y&R, McCann Erickson, Draftfcb Ulka and Grey Worldwide. The company's product portfolio includes brands such as Xtracare and Servo amongst several others.

Recently, Crayons Advertising, Goldmine Advertising, Adwit India, Square Communications, and Mode Advertising were brought on board to handle the communication for the company's northern region.

The media mandate for IOCL is being handled by Lodestar UM as of now.