Will the pre-fix 'Rediffusion' become a thing of the past ? Market rumours say the hold-out is over. Both Diwan Arun Nanda and Ajit Balakrishnan have reportedly agreed to sell their controlling stake in Rediffusion DY&R India to Sir Martin Sorell's WPP Group.

By selling his controlling stake in Indian ad agency major Sista's, Bobby Sista set a trend in Indian ad agencies. He was followed by a long line of Indian agencies selling out to international agency networks, with the result that there are not many Indian majors left besides Mudra. (As far as Mudra is concerned, it is rumoured that not very long ago, Sir Martin had offered the Ambanis Rs 19 billion for a majority stake in Mudra Communications. Little did the WPP boss then realize that the Ambanis usually buy, rarely sell.)

Is the excitement over ? Will the large networks gobble up every start-up with promise ? Is 'big' always best?

Swinging '60s
Advertising was a business defined by ambition, not just a career. (Forget being a job.) Every young entrant nurtured the ultimate goal to start his or her own shop. And it was (is?) possible. With very little capital and a lot of guts, this is one business that can be built from scratch. Time and again this has been proved.

In the 60's, advertising was a land of promise for bright young Turks. The fabled ones set up their own shops and set the business ablaze. Led by the path-breaking Kersey (MCM) Katrak. Followed by Frank Simoes, Ravi (Trikaya) Gupta & Arun Nanda (Rediffusion). Joined later by Mohamed Khan, Bal Mundkur, Gautam Rakshit, Ashok Kurien, George John, Rajiv Agarwal ... the list is long and impressive.

Clients flocked to them because each provided distinctive marketing communications solutions. And talent made a beeline because it was respected & nurtured.
While many took inspiration from these success stories to set up their own shops.

Rediff
In July 1973 three young Turks walked out of MCM - then the big daddy of the ad business. The area of dispute was policy. Arun Nanda even broke a 'Fixed Deposit' bequeathed to him by his grandfather to help make the dream happen. Ajit Balakrishnan chucked up his job as Finance Controller to join Nanda and Mohamed Khan completed the trio. (Khan however was to leave the agency and migrate to the UK.)

The first few weeks of Rediff shaped the philosophy of the agency. It's ability to attract clients and its creative product ensured a big buzz. The defining moment arrived when two former clients - Arun Nehru and Arun Singh - both close confidants of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, pushed the other Arun into the spotlight by choosing Rediff as the Congress Party's advertising agency.

Over the years, Rediff has built a formidable reputation of a good product coupled with sound strategic thinking. It's policy to hire management graduates (both Nanda and Balakrishnan were from IIM) proved to be a great advantage, helping bring a perspective hitherto missing in advertising. Rediffusion's acquisition by the WPP Group is expected to be implemted in a phased manner as WPP will simultaneously purchase Dentsu's stake in the same company. But it won't be long before the Y&R brand makes its presence felt in India.

Percept
Harindra Singh of Percept has crafted a network strategy to defend themselves against further predators. By putting into place a 50:50 partnership with the Japanese no. 3 - Hakuhodo. By acquiring 50% stakes in other local agency networks like Imageads along with some regional shops. By setting up a celebrity management company, a film making unit and other advertising related service units. By setting up a foreign-media ad-sales marketing shop. And by setting up operations in other countries.

What began as one man's ambition is now a blueprint for a full-service shop.

Growth
Sure the networks will continue to grow. Acquisitions will be stated policy. But the spirit of enterprise can never die. Newer agencies will make the scene, succeeding in spite of the networks. (Some, perhaps because of them.)

After all talent is the edge that every agency seeks. And no network can ever be big enough to own all of it !