Myntra.com scouts for new creative partner

Earlier, the creative duties for the brand were with Taproot India. Before Taproot, Happy Creative Services handled the company's creative mandate.

Fashion e-commerce store Myntra.com has initiated a pitch for a new creative agency. The process began a few days back and is currently underway in Bengaluru. Earlier, the creative duties for the brand were with Taproot India, which launched two integrated communication campaigns continuing with its theme of 'Real life mein aisa hota hai kya'. Before Taproot, Happy Creative Services handled the company's creative mandate.

Confirming the development to afaqs!, Sunjay Guleria, VP, marketing, Myntra says that the company has reached out to the best and brightest agencies in the industry. "It's an ongoing process, so we'd prefer not to name them, but assume it's a good mix of the 'big names' and the 'up-and-comers'," he adds.

Guleria further informs that the company is indeed including all previous agencies in the review. "It's an opportunity for us to explore a dialogue with new agencies with a fresh approach to e-commerce plus continue an ongoing conversation with those we've worked with in the past," he says.

Bengaluru-based Myntra is a fashion e-commerce portal which, in October 2007, received seed funding from Accel Partners (formerly Erasmic Venture Fund), Sasha Mirchandani from Mumbai Angels and another angel investor. In November 2008, Myntra raised funding of $5 million from NEA-IndoUS Ventures, IDG Ventures and Accel Partners. In the second round of funding led by Tiger Global and participated in by existing investors IDG Ventures and Indo-US Venture Partners, Myntra raised $14 million and towards the end of 2011, Myntra.com raised $20 million in its third round of funding led by Tiger Global.

Explaining the reasons behind initiating the pitch, Guleria says, "As the leader in the rapidly growing fashion e-commerce space, Myntra.com is looking to establish a creative messaging platform which takes the dialog to a whole new level. E-commerce has the opportunity to become the first choice for many consumers and in certain cases, the only choice when it comes to lifestyle and fashion in India. We're excited about showcasing that leadership and continue to strengthen the trust bond with consumers."

Myntra.com has been on air consistently for almost the entire 2012-13 season and with the pitch, the company expects to continue to drive category and brand awareness throughout 2013-14, relying on an integrated digital, social, mobile and mass media effort.

Myntra launched its first brand campaign with a TVC in July, 2011. The commercial titled "A fashionable new age" was created by Happy Creative Services and aimed to juxtapose new age fashion with old world grit.

Myntra's second campaign, with the tagline "Ramp It Up", was launched in October, 2011 with another TVC. The new ad scored high on the fashion quotient and the core message was to communicate the launch of the Autumn Winter 2011 collection on Myntra.com. In February 2012, Myntra also rolled out an OOH (out of home) campaign across Tier II cities, to build brand awareness and promote online shopping.

In June 2012, Myntra launched its third campaign which was created by Taproot India, emphasising the benefits of buying online, and was titled 'Real life mein aisa hota hai kya'. Myntra continued the 'Real life mein aisa hota hai kya' theme in its next campaign in October 2012 and extended it to showcase its wide catalogue and returns policy.

Explaining Myntra's plans in the super competitive e-commerce scenario, Guleria says that consumers trust leaders and Myntra will look to consolidate its leadership position and centre messaging which helps grow not only the business, but the overall category.