“True money in advertising, in the long run, from global integrated agency-client relationships”: Menno Kluin

An elevator pitchesque chat with Dentsu Creative US’ CCO at Goafest '22.

While the rumbles of the myriad sessions at Goafest coupled with the clinks of soda cans being opened sounded across the halls of the Grand Hyatt in Goa, Menno Kluin, Dentsu Creative US's chief creative officer stood out; calm in posture and with a light smile on his lips, a clear contrast to the loudness of this annual advertising event and the popular Abby awards.

Kluin was attending the festival as part of the One Show jury; this was the first year of the Abby awards partnering with the One Show, a premier global awards platform. After his session on day two of the festival, he spoke to us on the sidelines.

Citing the examples of Pepsi India using deep fake technology and Cadbury India using AI/ML in its ad, we asked how he, as a chief creative officer, manages equality if a client demands such tech usage without much regard for creativity. Was he worried creativity would take a back seat?

"No, I don't," he replied immediately and says that "it depends on the DNA of the creative leader, on the DNA of the company... if the ask is to do a commercial, you try to do the best possible commercial, if the ask is to do a print execution, you try to do the best possible print execution, if the ask is to do AR/VR, our team doesn't shut down because the execution is tech-heavy..."

Also Read: What exactly is happening at dentsu in India?

When asked about his opinion of brand dilution in the context of Dentsu India's restructuring and the eventual assimilation of Webhutney and Taproot into McGarryBowen, Kluin sees everybody being drawn into camps: Accenture, WPP, Dentsu... "True money in advertising, in the long run, is in larger global integrated agency and client relationships where you control the entire ecosystem."