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Despite the challenges brought by the pandemic, the wave of transformation in the media and advertising industry is still happening. Many businesses have come up with innovations in many aspects - from vision and strategy to brand identity. To join the wave, on December 15, 2021, Mindshare announced a new identity to build a younger and more agile brand image.



The rebranding includes a logo using a new color system and font. At the same time, the brand name is separated into two elements - “Mind” and “Share”, serving as a wrapper that can be looped to form a frame around content. The new design also removes the “fan” icon, which has been associated with the company's image since 2008. Those changes will be applied across the entire Mindshare global network of 116 offices in 86 nations.


What is the purpose of this change, and what does it mean to Mindshare and the worldwide advertising industry? Join Advertising Vietnam to listen to Mr. Shankar Rajagopal, CEO of Mindshare Vietnam’s sharing about Mindshare’s rebranding.


ADVN: Thank you for accepting the interview invitation from Advertising Vietnam! We have heard that Mindshare has just changed its brand identity into a new younger image. Can you share more details about this decision?


Last year, we outlined our strategy to deliver enhanced and integrated media services for the transformation age. Moreover, we appointed a new global leadership team and introduced our vision to Accelerate Good Growth. The change in our brand identity is the freshest update and is a part of proceeding with our new direction. This is to put Mindshare into the heart of the conversation taking place instead of its being a logo ‘stamp’ found on the back or on the bottom of a communication just to indicate who it is from.


Our global CEO, Mr. Adam Gerhart, also believes this is the right time for Mindshare to embrace the intent of our name related to the means of collaboration, new customer expectations, and new open architecture of capabilities. The brand identity refresh aligns the Mindshare brand with the strategic direction discussed earlier last year. This update is also the latest step in our business transformation. Our integrated, client partnership-focused approach to delivering media services for the transformation age demands a more flexible identity. As we now have a brand identity that supports our strategy and our purpose of Accelerating Good Growth, we are excited.

 

Good Growth is the backbone of Mindshare, which has influenced the strategies of the company and customers over the years and resulted in many good results. Based on this vision, the brand emphasizes some core facets, including business ethics, the contribution to the local, and the awareness of environmental protection, while applying Artificial Intelligence to respond to customers' ever-changing needs.


The #CheckYourself campaign by Dove x Mindshare winning the Gold at Festival of Media Global 2021, Best Campaign for an Awareness Day


The “One million wishes - One million Bottles to refuel frontline” campaign by Suntory PepsiCo x Mindshare Vietnam has created meaningful values for the society

 

ADVN: What does the separation of the logo into two elements “Mind” and “Share” mean in the current context of the marketing industry?

 

In partnership with the agency NB Studio, Mindshare designed the new identity to promote Good Growth and connect more closely to customers. The separation of the logo into "Mind" and "Share" reflects the true nature of the modern marketing industry, which demands a closer and more robust integration between client and agency partners and a more bespoke approach for each client. Dyeing the logo in different colors, Mindshare hopes to provide further flexibility, ensuring that Mindshare can more authentically connect to clients, people, and content in the most appropriate way. 



ADVN: According to your sharing, Mindshare is constantly striving to increase flexibility and create authentic connections with customers. So, in Vietnam, how has Mindshare been pursuing this goal?


In the past few years, Mindshare Vietnam has constantly transformed itself with high levels of performance to bring new successes. We have grown our market leadership position. Not only have we successfully retained our key clients, but we have also won the trust of many new businesses in various fields - from CPG to new-age industry verticals like financials, real estate, premium beauty, and super apps. We also dialed up our efforts to be a digital-first organization by building our expertise in performance marketing, eCommerce strategy, content, and data analytics. To realize those expectations, we have continuously upskilled our people - our core strength, and attracted talents to impart fresh and cutting-edge thinking to help our clients’ businesses.


ADVN: Thanks to the strategy focusing on improving the staffs’ skills and expertise, what successes has Mindshare Vietnam achieved in recent years?


All the efforts have helped us receive global recognition and numerous international awards over the years. In 2021, we were honored to obtain many different titles, including WARC Media Global Top 3, Gold in 2021 Campaign Vietnam Media Agency of the Year, MMA SMARTIES Global, MMA SMARTIES APAC, and more. Therefore, we are honored to be one of the businesses that help put Vietnam firmly on the global advertising map. Last but not least, Mindshare Vietnam has been awarded the 2021 Mindshare ‘Global Office of the Year’ out of 116 offices in the network.


ADVN: In the context of the post-pandemic bringing more positive changes, what plans does Mindshare propose in the new year as one of the leading agencies in Vietnam?


Stepping into 2022, we hope that the pandemic will soon be behind us and Vietnam’s economy will bounce back into a strong position, giving confidence to marketers to re-invest in advertising to build brands. We will continue with our core offering of bringing both ‘branding’ and ‘performance’ into an integrated media & communications approach, thereby reaching out to our clients’ consumers in the most effective manner while maintaining the highest standards of efficiency along with brand safety. By refreshing brand identity, we are even more aligned with our strategic direction locally and globally to deliver better media services for the transformation age.  


ADVN: Thank you for spending time sharing valuable information with readers of Advertising Vietnam! We wish you and Mindshare Vietnam many new successes in 2022!

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Publisher: Advertising Vietnam

Content: Tuong Minh

Design: Dat Dang