The rise of super specialist agencies

In the bustling Indian A&M landscape, a fascinating trend has emerged in recent years: the rise of super specialist agencies. These agencies, distinguished by their hyper-focused expertise in niche areas of the industry, are challenging the traditional model of full-service agencies and carving out their own unique space in the market.

The closing session at the fourth edition of AgencyCon witnessed young leaders from the industry sharing their views on the emergence of various super specialist agencies. The discussion titled, “The rise of super specialist agencies” featured founders of these agencies sharing their opinions on various aspects surrounding the topic. 

The panel:

Session Chair - Nabh Gupta, Founder, At The Moment Ventures

Arihant Jain, CEO, WLDD

Rashi Agarwal, Founder, Megalodon

Saksham Jadon, Founder and CEO, Youngun

Soham Thakkar, Co Founder, ARtmeTech

Srishti Modi, Founder, Lesssgo

One key driving force behind the proliferation of super specialist agencies is the increasing complexity and specialisation demanded by modern marketing strategies. With the advent of digital media, social platforms, and data analytics, brands are seeking highly specialised services to navigate these intricate landscapes effectively.  

What are Super Specialist agencies?

Saksham Jadon of Youngun explained that his agency specialises in viral marketing. He remarked that although a lot of agencies offer viral marketing, Youngun focuses on creating an event on the internet around a brand that becomes interesting enough for the audience to consume. He shared the example of the campaign they did for MakeMyTrip around reality show Bigg Boss.

Saksham Jadon added, "Our intent is to be a part of a cultural moment."

Soham Thakkar shared that ARtmeTech started as a creative tech agency with initial focus being on AR. Now, with the AI boom, they have started focusing more on CGI-led campaigns. 

Taking the chat ahead, Nabh Gupta explained how CGI is transforming the industry. He said, “CGI in this day and age is how we make something believable.”

Continuing the conversation on virality, Srishti Modi said that there is no magical formula to making something go viral. However, extensive research and analytics have helped the agency crack virality to an extent. She further added that brands are no longer competing with each other on social media. They are competing with other viral content and popular creators. “This is a space where you are competing with influencers and everyone in the content space. Our focus is creating something that is viral,” she remarks. Giving an example of how the agency is using a quirky approach with Swiggy Instamart, she says, “It's shitposting max and takes a lot of courage to convince the brand to do it.”

Rashi Agarwal said, “What we are doing (at Megalodon) is not just limited to creating virality but also changing how storytelling is evolving over time.”

Arihant Jain shared that WLLD started as an agency with a focus on meme marketing adding that a lot of branded memes that you see on the internet are created by WLLD. “Every agency starts as a specialised agency,” he added, explaining that specialisation is what enables an agency to grow and expand into other avenues. 

Why are super specialist agencies needed? 

Soham Thakkar explained that super specialist agencies are needed because they are best at what they do. He said these agencies know what they are doing and are well-equipped with knowledge and expertise about the specific niche that they specialise in. 

Saksham Jadon expounded that the consumption pattern of the audience keeps changing and evolving with time, leading to the formation of specific cohorts. When a new trend disrupts the market, it is not feasible for larger agencies to chase that trend–as they already have invested in developing expertise in overall campaigning. This is where super specialist agencies come in with their expertise on a particular trend.

Rashi Agarwal opined that the rise of super specialist agencies has to do with demand and supply. She explained that the industry is such that brands demand something novel and niche to stand out–and a single big agency might not have all the expertise. 

Concluding the conversation, Arihant Jain posited that it is imperative to inculcate new specialisations with time or one might run the risk of being redundant.    

Jadon pointed out a limitation of super specialised agencies and advised agencies to focus on upscaling simultaneously in order to sustain themselves.  

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