Webchutney and Isobar are complementary pillars of Dentsu Creative: Amit Wadhwa

The recent announcement of Dentsu Creative India promoting Surjo Dutt to the position of Chief Creative Officer at Dentsu Creative Webchutney, also revealed changes in Dentsu’s creative business, with plans to revive Webchutney and Isobar as separate portfolio brands.

In a release issued, Amit Wadhwa, Chief Executive Officer, Dentsu Creative India, said, “We have reimagined our creative business to align with the evolving needs of our clients. Dentsu Creative India now encompasses three portfolio brands: Dentsu Creative Webchutney, Dentsu Creative Isobar, and Dentsu Creative PR. Dentsu Creative Webchutney delivers creative solutions across both traditional and digital media. Meanwhile, Dentsu Creative Isobar focuses on enhancing digital experiences, and Dentsu Creative PR handles public relations.”

Two years ago, in June 2022, Dentsu International’s Global CEO, Wendy Clark, and Global CCO Fred Levron had announced the launch of Dentsu Creative, dentsu’s global creative network, at the Cannes Lions festival, designed to unify and accelerate creativity across the business. In a bold move, dentsu international created an entirely new global creative network, uniting its creative agencies, including DentsuMB, 360i and Isobar, and expanding its Entertainment, Earned Attention and Experience capabilities.

When Adgully reached out to find out about the strategy and reasons behind this decision, Amit Wadhwa, CEO, Dentsu Creative India, explained, “To effectively manage potential client conflicts and cater to varied client needs, some level of differentiation within the umbrella brand was necessary. Therefore, we have reintroduced these brands as sub-brands under Dentsu Creative. Dentsu Creative Webchutney, for example, focuses on providing comprehensive creative solutions, while Dentsu Creative Isobar specialises in digital services such as ORM, UI/UX, experiences, and branded content. This approach allows dentsu to showcase its diverse and innovative talents, offering clients both the scale and reach of Dentsu Creative and the specialised expertise of its sub-brands.”

Wadhwa clarified that Dentsu Creative Webchutney and Dentsu Creative Isobar are not independent brands, but complementary pillars of Dentsu Creative. “They have established trust and recognition among our clients and partners, and they have distinctive capabilities and offerings that enhance our creative and digital solutions,” he added.

Wadhwa maintained, “By reintroducing these brands, we are not reversing our previous strategy, but rather adapting to the market insights and trends that demand more creatively led, tech-driven solutions. We are not diluting the Dentsu Creative identity, but strengthening it with the Dentsu Creative Webchutney and Dentsu Creative Isobar capabilities. This is a smart and pragmatic move that combines the best of both worlds and creates a win-win situation for our clients and us.”