Candid 2.0 is only about 5 months old, we have re-dedicated ourselves to the business of Brand Activation all over again. In April, we instituted a new Purpose for Candid as laid out in The Candid Manifesto. (attached). This brave new version of Candid redefines what activation is all about. This new purpose was created by all of us at Candid Marketing as our new way forward to help build brands.

Originally, we founded Candid Marketing way back in 1995 as a cutting edge promotional marketing agency to help brands communicate with consumers more holistically.

Q What according to you, sets you apart from other marketing agencies?

Most other marketing agencies are focusing on entertainment, engagement and experience as a key objective of the activation program / event. Candid believes that brands spend money on activation with the strong intent of delivering results for the their brands. With this strong intent, Candid believes in committing and delivering marketing and activation results for clients and their brands. To this end, we have developed and ROO measurement tool for Activation – Candid PROOM. We develop activation creative and plans around the key result area that the brand has defined for the program.

Q Tell us about your most successful marketing campaign. How did you execute it? Anything you would have changed?

Fortunately, we have had several successful and award-winning activation campaigns over the years, and i would not single out any one. While, Candid has delivered some very impactful engagement and experiential activation campaigns which have delivered great results for clients in marketing and sales terms, i do wish we had been more data-driven in our approach during and post campaign. This would have allowed us to have a longer lasting impact, and this is one of the directions in which I see the industry growing.

Q What are the latest trends in marketing?

The trends one hears are pretty much all the same – AR/VR, Drones, Proximity/Beacon Marketing, Social Media, Digital, ECommerce etc etc etc, but the real challenge is in using all of these tools for creating an environment of measurable activation of consumers. That is something that many agencies (and clients) are not focusing on. Currently, the emphasis seems to be on simply ‘innovating’ and creating experiences. Delivering Tangible Results for clients is the biggest trend in Marketing & Brand Activation, in my opinion.