Dentsu Aegis Network launches The Story Lab in India

Sunil Kumaran has been appointed country head of the specialist content agency.

The Story Lab (TSL), the specialist content agency from Dentsu Aegis Network, has been launched in India. With a slew of product offerings in the area of content partnership, curation, original content, and content investment, TSL will work with brands to innovate their supply chain of story-telling.

For the record, TSL operates globally across 16 countries worldwide (including India).

Dentsu Aegis Network has roped in Sunil Kumaran to head TSL in India. Kumaran, who will operate from Mumbai, will be guided by Kartik Iyer, executive sponsor for TSL.

Kumaran comes with a rich media experience of over 20 years in strategy, media planning and buying, and has worked with agencies including JWT, Lowe Lintas and Rediffusion. Prior to his appointment at Dentsu, Kumaran was chief strategy officer at Reliance Broadcast. His role involved revenue and content strategy for the broadcast platforms. He oversaw creative and brand solutions for clients associated with the network.

Commenting on the launch, Ashish Bhasin, chairman and CEO South Asia, Dentsu Aegis Network, says, "Clients look at how they can influence consumers more effectively than just increase their reach through traditional forms of advertising. We have been building various expertise centres within Denstu Aegis Network and TSL is a significant step towards consolidating our position as a network which delivers superior value to clients and partners. Also, this is a big step forward to help us achieve our mission of being the second largest agency group by end 2017 in India."

Kartik Iyer, managing director, Carat India, comments, "We are very happy to have Kumaran on board. He brings with him years of strategic media planning experience and deep understanding of this space."

On his new role, Kumaran says, "Media convergence has disrupted the traditional advertising-led marketing communications model and content is one of the most valuable assets within media companies' and brands' ecosystems. I look forward to do some exciting work across brands within the Dentsu Aegis Network Group."

In India, Dentsu Aegis Network is supported through its seven global network brands namely Carat, iProspect, Isobar, Posterscope, Vizeum, psLIVE, Amnet, and the Dentsu branded agencies, namely, Dentsu Creative Impact, Dentsu Marcom, Dentsu Communications, Dentsu Media, Taproot Dentsu and Dentsu Webchutney. The recently acquired local brands of Milestone Brandcom, WATConsult and Fountainhead have been added to the Group.