K.M. Gokul Sundar

+960******* adbux7@r.postjobfree.com M 37 Chennai

Summary

With a Masters in Communication Management from AICAR Business School, I hold 16 years of experience in Marketing and Communication. Have a 360 degree integrated marketing specialisation in brand with a rich experience in FMCG and Media categories. I follow an insight driven approach for brand nurturing and had the privilege to contribute to brands like Chennai Super Kings, Gulf Oil India, India Cements, 92.7 Big FM, Etisalat, TN Chief Electoral Officer, TI Cycles, Meera, Roca among others in creating successful marketing campaigns which has earned enduring relationship with brand experiencers. Leading pitches and business expansion was one of my core area of specialization.

Experience

Marketing Head - Srinivas Fine Arts

Sep 2019 – Present

Working as a strategy consultant on brand & business strategy. Contributing to their business growth through mining customer insights which shifts the business perspective.

Head - Strategy & Digital at OPN

May 2016 – Jul 2019

●Lead Brand Strategy & the Digital wing for OPN. OPN has won the Agency of the Year and I have contributed for the key campaigns of the Agency like #TN100Percent, #GulfFanAcademy, #GulfGoFarHarBaar, #UberDirverMarketing, #GulfGiantGifys #GulfGiantGooglies.

●#GulfFanAcademy - Have planned and executed the Digitally Driven 360 degree campaign. The Gulf Fan Academy is in pursuit of the craziest fans of the Manchester United F.C. and to offer them a trip to Old Trafford, the home of Man UTD. The campaign featuring MS Dhoni and Paul Pogba has yielded 23 mn reach in 2 months which improved the TOM Awareness and Brand Consideration Set along with the legacy for Gulf Oil India in social media among football fanatics.

https://www.facebook.com/GulfOilIndia/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFhhvBCzAV0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpyOGXfHTR0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYQxVsFXK2k

●Have organically grown the Chennai Super Kings fan base from 8.6 mn to 12 mn through a responsive content marketing strategy in the seasons where CSK was not playing in IPL. Made #WhistlePodu trend in Twitter while other teams are performing well in the IPL 2016

●Grown the fan base of Gulf Oil India Facebook page from 54k to 6.5Lakh in a span of 4 month by adopting insight driven campaign optimization

●#TN100Percent - Been instrumental in strategizing and executing the #TN100Percent campaign for TN Chief Electoral Officer during the 2016 State Assembly election. The digital driven 360 Degree Campaign has yielded more the 2.9+ Cr engagement and shifted the paradigm of public election to an inclusive system by transforming voter apathy to voter responsibility for participation. First time in India the pre-election voter registration was increased to 78.4%.

https://www.facebook.com/TNElectionsCEO/

●#BIGGBOSSTamil - Have worked on the strategy for the Bigg Boss Tamil launch campaign for the Season 1. Since the TA was completely unaware of the BiggBoss concept, the task was to educate and create curiosity for the program. The core insight that BiggBoss is a self-confrontation exercise led to the strategy the of “Odavum Mudiyathu Oliyavum Mudiyathu’ (Nowhere to hide or escape) which crystalised the communication. The campaign yielded a grand opening of 6.5 TVR in BARC for the initial episodes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zb3dQFXOJs

Head - Digital Strategy at Push Integrated Communications Private Limited

February 2014 - April 2016

●Been instrumental in team building and business development for PUSH Digital which lead the SBU to reach the status of second largest digital agency in Bangalore in 2015.

●Lead one of India’s largest digital driven 360 degree social impact campaign for Kalyan Jewellers. The #MyGoldMyRight Campaign with Amitabh Bachchan has created an extensive brand impact on gold buyers across India within a short span of 40 days and gave a head start for all the 66 stores launched in the same tenure. In the short tenure Kalyan has become the largest Gold brand in the country

●Devised the Social Media Strategy for Etisalat, Afghanistan by analysing the socio-political environment of Afghanistan and identified the core social intent of the TG. The strategy provided a clear spectrum for Etisalat by providing a perspective of the Afghani’s sensitivities, sentiments, social values, intent, motives, aspiration and more importantly their thrust for woman empowerment.

Business Head - South & Strategist at Lopez Design Pvt Ltd

Jul 2011 - January 2013

●Developed the Brand Identity Model called Brand Soul.

●Lead Business Development & Strategy for special projects.

●Worked on the brand identity redesign strategy for Montra, the international sports bike brand of TI cycles.

Cluster Head - Marketing & Promotion - TN

January 2009 - May 2011

●Conducted an Insight Workshop for the Team of 92.7 Big FM to improve Brand Solutions Creative Briefing and Creative Output. The exercise helped the Sales & Programming Team to achieve 75% quarterly sales target in 2010 and better creative output which lead to winning of Maddys’ Award for the brand in several categories.

●The brand has reached the No.3 position in IRS Sep 2015 from a miniscule 2.3 lakhs listener-ship base in 2009 through the positioning and content strategy with the tagline‘MANASA THOTTA MELODIES’. This was rooted from the insight that ‘a 30+ chennaiite consumes songs as stories from his fun-filled memorable past where he re-lives his pleasant moments’.

Insight Manager at Mudra Communications

February 2008 - December 2009

●Has been the Pitch Leader of Nippon Paints and Amrutanjan Pitches which had a 100% conversion.

●Handled Henkel brand portfolio for Mudra which includes brands like Fa, Mr.White, Henko Stain Champion.

Sr. AE at Ogilvy & Mather

2007 - 2008

●Undertook a Brand Audit with qualitative research to derive the brand essence and brand blueprint which contributed to the way-forward strategy for Brand Meera’s communication.

●Launched brand Roca in India as a designer bathroom furniture with a visual merchandising package which brings alive the designer’s inspiration.

Assistant Brand Manager at Henkel

2004 - 2006

●Launched Neem active Natural Whitening toothpaste and re-launched Neem active Complete Care toothpaste by re-engineering the entire brand marketing mix including market prioritization as a result the brand beholds self-sustenance till date.

●Have achieved the business targets of 700 tons primary volume for Neem active Complete Care in 2006 through SKU re-alignment and stock liquidation strategy to achieve 37% profitability in brand financials and a special recognition of Henkel Asia Pacific Performance Mileage Award.

Communication Strategist at Red Antz

June 2003 - May 2004

●Have successfully launched Bhoondhak, the charcoal based water purifier in the rural markets of Raigad District, Maharashtra on test marketing basis.

Education

Landmark Education

Power to Create Communication Program, 2012 -2013

AICAR B School

PGDBA, Communication Management, 2002 – 2004 [3.6 CGPA]

Hindustan College of Arts & Science

Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.), 1999 – 2002 [74%]

Honours and Awards

●Was part of the Expert Panel consulting PWC for a feasibility study of the project by the Government of Tamil Nadu for the Media and Entertainment Park of Asia (2010).

●Won the Asia Pacific Performance Mileage Award in Henkel (2006).

●Won Maddys Award for the Best Social Media Campaign for Gulf Giant Gify’s and Gulf Giant Googlies (2016).

●Won a ‘Caughtya’ Award of Excellence for planning and executing the Dham Dhoom T20 campaign in 92.7 BIG FM (2009).

Strengths

●Holistic thinking

●Insightfulness

●Perseverance

●Tenacity

Language Proficiency

Tamil, English & Hindi

Hobbies

Research on insights, Writing, Reading, Cooking

Books written

●Insight and beyond

●The Paradigm Shift of Brands

Blog

http://insightpic.blogspot.com/

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