StrawberryFrog launches India operations; Raj Kamble named managing partner and CCO

Almost four years after the initial feelers made their way to India, 14-year old StrawberryFrog has finally made its official foray into the country. On the occasion, afaqs! chats with Scott Goodson, the agency's founding partner and Raj Kamble, the agency's newly appointed managing partner and chief creative officer, about StrawberryFrog's global pedigree, its India plans, why the agency subscribes to the 'Jugaad' philosophy and more.

You know he's onto something big when Raj Kamble, former managing partner, BBH India, hands you a visiting card that smells of fresh strawberries. And sure enough, he is the newly appointed managing partner and chief creative officer of StrawberryFrog in India. Kamble is also a stakeholder in the agency. "How much?" prods afaqs!. "I am happy," he smiles, refusing to divulge any digits.

Scott Goodson, founder and chief executive officer, StrawberryFrog, co-launched the agency along with Karin Drakenberg in Amsterdam in 1999. Finally putting years of speculation to rest, the agency has now officially launched its India operations with a makeshift office in suburban Mumbai. With plans to move into a new office at Lower Parel that will be fully functional within the next six months, StrawberryFrog India currently has a staff-strength of five. The agency already works with Mahindra in India (read: Rise and Spark the Rise campaigns) and comes armed with several other clients in its kitty.

Around three to four years ago the team began interviewing people who could potentially launch and head StrawberryFrog in India. Goodson met Kamble in New York during the latter's pre-BBH days. Three years ago StrawberryFrog won the global Emirates business so the plan to bring StrawberryFrog to India got side-tracked. Though the plan was postponed, Kamble and Goodson continued their dialogue over the years.

"We've always wanted to launch in India. India is a dynamic market. It's growing and there's extraordinary talent here. Having an office in India makes a lot of sense right now," Goodson says.

Interestingly, while Kamble has a clear mandate at StrawberryFrog in India, he also has an international role to execute simultaneously. "We're thinking of a very innovative way of working. It's not a traditional model wherein you have isolated offices in different countries. Raj (Kamble) is working on an international basis with us," Goodson shares about his prized find.

While he has an Indian role for the Indian market, Kamble also has a role to play as far as outbound Indian brands are concerned and will also look into international brands that are looking to come to India. Of course, there's also the opportunity for Kamble and his team to work on the agency's existing, as well as new, global brands. He, however, refrains from commenting on the fate of StrawberryFrog's international clients that already exist in India. Will they be aligned with StrawberryFrog in India soon? Well, this line of questioning leads to a large 'Let's wait and watch' signboard.

StrawberryFrog is known as a 'Cultural Movement' agency overseas. And despite being a sizable organisation with cross country presence, the agency still carries the image of being a 'creative shop' or 'boutique'. So, how will StrawberryFrog be positioned in the Indian market?

Clarifying that the agency will indeed perpetuate its 'Cultural Movement' philosophy in India too, Goodson says, "In India, we will use the same model, tools, systems and processes that we use in other markets. That's the only way we'll be able to deliver a consistent product across territories."

He is comfortable with the perceived 'smallness' of the agency. "Today, you don't need an army of people to do global work; all you need is a small team with talented, focussed people." StrawberryFrog currently has offices in New York and Amsterdam.

"We're an 'Idea Generation Group' and follow the 'Jugaad Culture," Goodson tells afaqs!, "It's more about using your ingenuity and intelligence than having all the resources of the world at your disposal. We're non-bureaucratic and use the right size of people." The team looks forward to giving clients customised advertising services in India in the days ahead.

Ask the duo about the agency's new business strategy and Kamble answers, "We're not desperate and have no survival issues at this stage. At the risk of sounding arrogant I'm going to say this -- we will choose our clients as opposed to our clients choosing us." As far as their hiring strategy is concerned, the team is scouting for what they call 'hybrids' -- people who can run and chew gum at the same time, as Goodson chooses to put it. And sure enough, one of the first recruits at StrawberryFrog India is an MBA graduate who is coming on board as an art director. The duo calls such professionals 'next generation challenger talent' or 'BATM graduates' -- those who hold a bachelor's degree in Arts, Technology and Management. "We want to establish a happy, young agency, above all else," Kamble adds.

For the record, the agency is named after a poisonous Central American amphibian called 'strawberry frog'. "So while looking for strategic ideas and studying creative briefs, we look for that highly effective idea that breaks through everything. That's part of our 'frog way' of doing business," Goodson signs off.