MUMBAI: Omnicom‘s branding firm Interbrand, present in India through Water Strategic Branding and Design, will now also be focusing on the digital branding space.

Interbrand European digital director Simon Smith said, "Digital, unfortunately, is seen as just another medium and while many more marketers are waking up to its potential, they tend to see it as a way to reach their audiences in a targeted, cost effective manner. In that sense, they see it more as a communication medium instead of a branding medium. There‘s a lot more than communications that you can do!"

Smith feels that the digital branding space still has a lot of untapped potential that savvy marketers could use to build strong brands. Water head and chief strategist Ashish Mishra said, "While digital itself has become all-pervasive in today‘s world, digital branding still has a long way to go. Currently, the medium is used more for downstream activities and tactical communication. With Interbrand focusing the space, we believe the digital space itself will move upstream and begin to play a strategic role. Interbrand‘s core belief is that brands have the power to change the world. And Brands that have a socio cultural evangelism at their core have a far greater chance of espousing causes & conversations in a genuine way."

In order to help that foray, Interbrand intends on working closely with the local talent in India. "Indians understand the cultural nuances best and are best placed to leverage digital branding here," Smith asserts.

Smith started his career in computer game design for Sony while still at University. After completing his first degree in Industrial Engineering, he got involved with creative departments during the dotcom boom. These early experiences exposed him to gaps between the digital and traditional marketplace which he has since been striving to fill.

Interbrand was started in 1974 and has since been involved in creating and managing brands as valuable business assets, not just logos. Interbrand operates through 40 offices worldwide and offers disciplines including analytics, brand strategy, brand valuation, corporate design, digital brand management, internal brand engagement, brand naming, packaging design, retail, verbal and visual identity. Some of the brands associated with Interbrand worldwide include 3M, AT&T, BMW, Godrej, P&G, Thomson Reuters and many more.