Agency Spotlight: Solomo Media: A Day at the Agency!

This is part of our Agency Spotlight where we bring forth agencies who are doing kick-ass work with their clients and helping them achieve their business goals. For this month, we’d like to showcase Solomo Media. 

With butterflies in my stomach, I went ahead for a day out in an agency. Small office in a big building, yes you got to ask your way around to get there.

Start up with an interesting name - quite common but what sets this agency apart is thorough knowledge of what they do. They don’t believe in division of client or an agency but believe that they’re a team; together to build the brand concerned.

Brief interactions with both the founders, Rohit Awasti and Rupesh Mishra, made me learn so much about digital marketing that I envy those who actually get to work there. Hard working team spread across a humble setting establishes the commitment each person brings to the table. Team of young fellows led by two industry experts, that’s what SoLoMo Media is all about.

Two things that set this agency apart are in-depth knowledge and industry experience of the founders and sense of ownership in each team member. These two qualities together give SoLoMo its strong foundation which gives confidence to the leaders to go ahead and pitch for more and bigger clients.

Less than 2 years old, the agency is already over achieving and finding ways to keep clients’ expectations in check.

Functioning

The team of around 20 odd people handle interesting clients across sectors like Organic Harvest, Action shoes, Dr. Path Labs, iTimes and Extra Carbon (the last one really got me interested). From app developers to content curators to designers, all are available under one roof. There are no designations per se; everyone contributes in every possible way. Brainstorming happens across the levels.

The final output of the agency is clearly because of the strict hiring process. Their hiring process includes 3 stages; long written test followed by an interview with the bosses and the final stage is interaction with team heads. Based in NCR region of Indrapuram, the agency attracts members from places like Gurgaon and Rohini (Yes! I feel for those guys but they say it’s worth it).

The team is fairly new (with some members as fresh as a month and a half) and the agency has plans to expand. When asked about growth of digital marketing in India, Rupesh highlighted how newspapers are losing to new digital age of Ipads and mobile phones and this industry has nothing to look back to. Rohit shared his estimate that in next 5 years, modestly speaking, digital marketing would take upto 50% of the entire space which is 13-14% as of now. However, there is a long journey to tread on, since understanding of digital space is very limited amongst Indians.

Day to Day Activities

A normal day starts at usual hours and people keep trickling into office by 11. Usually they have content and posts ready days in advance but that can differ from client to client. The entire office is as passionate about Nimbu Pani and Maggi as work! They have lunch together which is always on the house at the office and the options are varied. I remember an employee telling me, "The thali we had that day was yum and so damn filling."

Work culture, needless to say, is transparent and very frank. They love to pull each other’s leg and work out of the office terrace when the weather is nice.

Not just internally, by the anecdotes shared by them, it seemed they enjoy candid relationships with their clients as well. Rupesh shared that they don’t shy away in giving practical suggestions to clients. They like to think from the client’s perspective and even suggest cost cutting whenever needed. The biggest compliment that an agency can get is when its client looks up to them for suggestions and SoLoMo enjoys that privilege.

Though I wanted to stay back for some more time, I had to bid them adieu.

People were busy wrapping up their work as they were heading for their first offsite to Nainital. But from whatever I gathered SoLoMo is still trying to win over struggles of a start up but rooted deep with its updated knowledge and never say die attitude.