In today’s crowded marketplace, a strong brand isn’t enough. Bhavik Mehta, CEO & Founder of Thinkin‘ Birds Communication, explains how their agency helps brands rise above the noise through meticulous research, disruptive creativity, and a focus on client pain points in an exclusive conversation with Prabhakar Gupta.

1. What is The Brand Story of Thinkin’ Birds Communication?

I started my career as a Marketing faculty and the concept of branding always fascinated me. Helping my old students with a marketing plan in their respective businesses and jobs made me realize the absence of creative branding solutions led to the incorporation of Thinkin’Birds. I learned from my father, that if you brand it, you will sell it. And that’s how I connected the dots. My first team comprised my students and now we are a team of 32 creative people. It all started by educating people about the concept of branding. Over the years, our finding was that there was a gap between creativity, innovation, and delivery. And Thinkin’Birds at core delivers the amalgamation of these three to our clients. We are highly focused on providing a good value proposition, keeping in mind customer pain points and tension plots. And that’s exactly what we do at Thinkin’Birds.

2. In a competitive market, how does Thinkin’ Birds Communication differentiate its branding strategies to ensure clients stand out amidst the noise?

At Thinkin’ Birds, we understand that in today’s oversaturated market, simply having a strong brand is no longer enough. Brands need to differentiate themselves through innovative and strategically crafted branding that cuts through the noise. This is where our agency truly shines.

Our core differentiator lies in our meticulous research process. Before developing any branding strategies, we invest substantial time and resources into deeply understanding our client’s businesses, their target audiences, and the competitive landscape. This allows us to identify unique market gaps, consumer pain points, and untapped opportunities that can inform our branding approach.

We then fuse this data-driven foundation with our team’s creative prowess and market intuition. Our branding experts think outside the box, challenging conventions and industry norms to craft truly disruptive and memorable brand narratives, visuals, and experiences. We are not afraid to take calculated risks in service of helping our clients achieve true differentiation.

3. Do share an example of a particularly innovative marketing campaign that you have executed recently? And how mature the Indian market is in terms of market size and trend adaptability.

Out of all the campaigns we have run so far, London Bubble Co’s launch campaign is the one that stands out. We came up with a strategy to introduce waffles in the city for just 2rs. Within 3 days the whole of Central India was talking about this offer. We leveraged social media to reach the masses organically. We wanted to introduce something never heard of before and that’s how we went to the 50s & 60s era when you could buy food with a few coins. And people from afar thronged the outlet to witness this crazy offer. The response was so herculean that we then ran the same offer in every city they opened in.

While the Indian market has undoubtedly made strides in terms of market size and trend adaptability, it is essential to note that there is still room for further growth and development. Factors such as infrastructure challenges, regulatory environments, and regional disparities may affect the pace of market maturity and trend adoption across different sectors and geographic regions.

4. Over the past five years, the content and brand marketing landscape has undergone significant transformations. How has Thinkin’ Birds Communication adapted its strategies, particularly amidst the burgeoning utilization of ChatGPT and AI?

Over the past five years, Thinkin’ Birds Communication has proactively adapted its strategies to capitalize on the rise of AI and tools like ChatGPT in the content and brand marketing landscape. We strategically integrate AI as a complementary tool, leveraging it for ideation, research, and content generation, while preserving the essential human elements of creativity, cultural nuance, and storytelling prowess. Our evolved strategies harmonize AI-driven efficiency with human-centric creativity, upskilling our team to work symbiotically with these technologies. Additionally, we’ve revamped content strategies to cater to modern audience preferences, embracing novel formats like interactive experiences and micro-content optimized for discoverability through AI. By continuously monitoring trends and evolving consumer behaviors, we deliver cutting-edge, impactful branding solutions that resonate.

5. Do share the industry changes, trends and opportunities

The content and brand marketing industry has witnessed a seismic shift over the past five years, propelled by the rise of AI and automation tools like ChatGPT that have revolutionized content creation and analysis processes. Simultaneously, data-driven marketing and personalization have gained prominence, facilitated by advancements in data analytics and machine learning, while omnichannel content strategies have become crucial for delivering consistent brand experiences across multiple touchpoints. Emerging trends encompass immersive and interactive formats such as AR, VR, and gamification, micro-content tailored for social media and mobile consumption, influencer marketing and creator collaborations, as well as a growing emphasis on purposeful branding and cause-related marketing. Opportunities abound in leveraging AI and automation for personalization and efficiency, exploring new platforms like Web3 and the metaverse, harnessing user-generated content and co-creation, prioritizing inclusivity, diversity, and representation, and adopting agile, data-driven content strategies. To thrive in this dynamic landscape, agencies must continuously innovate, embrace emerging technologies, and adapt strategies to evolving consumer preferences while maintaining a strong focus on human-centric creativity and authentic storytelling.

6. Understanding consumer behavior is crucial. How does Thinkin’ Birds Communication ensure that its strategies resonate with diverse target audiences, especially in international markets?

At Thinkin’ Birds Communication, we place paramount importance on ensuring our strategies resonate with diverse target audiences, especially in international markets. Our approach revolves around localization, employing cultural experts and local market specialists to tailor messaging and brand experiences to specific regions and demographics. Rigorous consumer research forms the backbone of our efforts, combining quantitative and qualitative methods like surveys, focus groups, and data analytics to deeply understand consumer behavior, preferences, and motivations. We cultivate an inclusive and diverse in-house team, leveraging their multifaceted perspectives to approach challenges holistically and ensure our strategies are representative and resonate widely. Collaboration with local partners is key, tapping into their on-the-ground expertise for cultural relevance and compliance with local norms. Moreover, we embrace an agile approach, continuously monitoring consumer feedback and market shifts, enabling us to adapt our strategies in real time to evolving consumer behavior. By blending localized insights, rigorous research, inclusive representation, local collaboration, and an agile mindset, we deliver authentically resonant branding and marketing strategies that transcend boundaries and resonate profoundly with diverse audiences globally.

7. How is India’s creative talent shaping up to serve the needs of different projects?

India’s creative talent landscape is rapidly evolving to serve the diverse needs of different projects across industries. The country boasts a growing pool of skilled professionals nurtured by top-notch educational institutions and training programs, equipping them with contemporary skills and global perspectives. Indian creatives are swiftly embracing digital transformation, acquiring expertise in areas like digital marketing, UX design, and emerging technologies such as AR and VR, enabling them to deliver innovative solutions. India’s multicultural exposure provides a unique advantage in understanding and catering to diverse audiences, allowing for culturally sensitive and resonant creative solutions. Furthermore, India’s cost-effective talent pool and collaborative ecosystem, fostering knowledge-sharing and partnerships, make it an attractive destination for outsourcing creative projects. The surge of startups and independent agencies has fueled an entrepreneurial spirit, driving creative professionals to constantly push boundaries and deliver fresh perspectives. While challenges remain, India’s creative talent pool is rapidly evolving to meet the diverse needs of projects across industries, both domestically and globally.

8. What are the key insights to build a pipeline for acquiring new clients? What are the channels that have worked well for you in the past to acquire new clients and are those channels still relevant in 2024?

Building a robust pipeline for acquiring new clients is crucial for the growth and success of any creative agency like Thinkin’ Birds Communication. Here are some key insights and strategies we’ve found effective:

• Leverage existing networks and referrals: Our existing client base and professional networks have proven to be invaluable sources for new business opportunities. Actively nurturing these relationships, delivering exceptional work, and encouraging referrals have consistently yielded high-quality leads and new clients.
• Content marketing and thought leadership: Establishing Thinkin’ Birds as a thought leader in the branding and creative industry has been instrumental in attracting new prospects. We invest in creating valuable content such as case studies, and industry insights, positioning our team as subject matter experts.
• Strategic partnerships and collaborations: Forging strategic partnerships with complementary service providers, industry associations, and even non-competing agencies has opened up new avenues for cross-promotion and lead generation.
• Participation in industry events and networking: Attending and actively participating in relevant industry conferences, trade shows, and networking events has been a valuable way to connect with potential clients, showcase our expertise, and generate new leads.

Regarding the relevance of these channels in 2024, while the landscape may continue to evolve, many of these strategies remain highly pertinent. However, we’ve noticed a few shifts:

• Social media platforms are becoming increasingly important for showcasing creative work and building brand awareness, especially for reaching younger decision-makers.
• Influencer marketing and creator collaborations are gaining traction as effective ways to amplify reach and build trust with potential clients.
• Virtual and hybrid events have become more prevalent, necessitating a tailored approach to networking and lead generation in these digital spaces.

Ultimately, a multi-channel approach that combines traditional and emerging channels, coupled with a strong focus on delivering exceptional work and building lasting relationships, will be key to maintaining a robust pipeline of new clients for Thinkin’ Birds Communication in 2024 and beyond.