Srikanth Raman : Associate Business Director

Name: Srikanth Raman

Designation: Associate Business

Director - CARAT - India Sun Sign: Libra

Educational Experience
B.Com (Mumbai University), MMS (Marketing) Mumbai University, 1991.

Professional Experience
One and a half years in Enterprise advertising as a Media Planning Trainee.

Two and a half years in Nexus Equity Communications, joined as a Media Planner; left as a Media Supervisor.

Seven years in Mudra Mumbai, joined as a Media Manager and left as a Media Director, Mumbai.

Currently with Carat India, since December 2002 as an Associate Business Director.

Job Profile
My basic job profile is essentially directing and controlling strategic planning and buying decisions for a key client.

The profile also includes initiating primary research to understand the buying behaviours of the target consumers. And periodically raising the bar in terms of service provided to our clients, ranging from better quality of Media solutions to more efficient ways of stretching the advertising rupee.

Advertising as career choice
Advertising, particularly media planning, at that point of time, seemed an ideal mix of quantitative skills blended with a certain amount of creative freedom.

For a new management graduate, who had all the ideals of making a mark in the marketing and advertising fraternity, media planning provided ample opportunities to make a difference to the client's business and therefore his bottomline.

Current Advertising scenario
It is unbelievably exciting! Due to the plethora of options that are there on the table, it has become unbelievably tough too. Reconditioning in set systems, thoughts and principles are the need of the day. One has to reinvent oneself almost on a month to month basis.

The clients, realising the importance of the investments made in Media/Communication, have increased their attention span in terms of involvement. And the increased involvement has made them more demanding. This means that one is constantly racing to be on one's toes. The experience makes an individual much richer, in terms of knowledge and information acquirement.

Right and wrong about current advertising scenario
Too many doomsday predictions are being made about this wonderful business of communicating to the consumer in a language and a manner that she understands and empathises with. Too many complications are being thrown in the ring, regarding a simple function of reaching out to the consumer when and wherever she is accessible.

Every industry is going through a churn and the same is happening here? but one has to meet challenges with a note of optimism. So nothing is wrong with this business, everything is right, and it can only get better.

Five years from now
Given such dynamism and emergence of new set of 'grammar' almost on an annual basis (from satellite channels to Internet to CAS to Convergence amongst others) any crystal ball gazing is fraught with ignorance. But wherever I am, I want to be in the thick of the action.

Hobbies
I love listening to music (from hard rock to grunge to Hindi film music of the 60's and 70's to AR Rehman and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan) and movies (partial to Hindi masala and Hollywood movies of the gangster genre and romantic comedies)

Idea of enjoyment
Doing what you like everyday? and going home to people who enjoy being with you everyday! Enjoyment should be a continuous emotional experience, and not an escape.