Bang in the Middle forays into Kerala

The agency has partnered with ad veteran Satyan Nair and will operate as a full service agency.

Prathap Suthan and Naresh Gupta's agency Bang in the Middle (BITM) has partnered with advertising veteran Satyan Nair to set up its new operation in Kerala. The agency will operate from Thiruvananthapuram and will function as a full service agency. Having marked a presence in Gurgaon, Kolkata, Chicago and New York, the eight-month-old agency has now forayed in the South.

Nair, who was the creative head and co-founder of Stark Communications, is a well known advertising figure in the southern state. The longest stint that he carried out was at Young & Rubicam, Dubai.

"Kerala is on the cusp of some interesting changes in the advertising arena. For years, home grown brands have grown in 'God's own cocoon', so to say. Unfortunately, they have not been able to upscale their communication to match the growth of national brands. But there is hope. Bang in the Middle will bring in a new kind of thinking," promises Nair. According to him, BITM might be the only agency in the state to offer expertise in digital marketing and simultaneously work with traditional media.

"Personally, teaming up with Pat (as Suthan is known) is amazing. We go a long way back in time. And, I am sure he will bring in that breath of fresh air that a new Kerala requires," he says.

BITM's managing partner and chief creative officer Suthan says, "I am thrilled to be able to officially start business in my home state and work with my first boss (Satyan Nair). My relationship with Satyan goes back 25 years, and without doubt, I would put his credibility, craft, and competence on par with the best in the country."

Naresh Gupta, managing partner and chief strategy officer, BITM, says, "Kerala is a brilliant market for an agency like ours. With its huge literacy levels, pulsing media, and growing digital acceptance, I cannot see why Kerala can't define itself as India's most online savvy market."