AI is here to stay and we will keep evolving with advancement in technology & tool’, said, Manan Kapur, Senior Partner at YAAP

CXOToday has engaged in an exclusive interview with Manan Kapur, Senior Partner at YAAP

Q- YAAP’s journey so far
A- We are proud to say that our journey has mostly been a successful one. We have built a strong team through our talent-hiring and various acquisitions. This progress reflects in our organization’s growth. From starting in just two offices, we’ve now grown to cover seven cities across Asia by adding new offices with a fantastic team of over 100 team members.

Throughout the years, we’ve had the chance to work with over 200 global as well as national brands. Right now, we’re absolutely thrilled to have a bunch of super smart and experienced individuals who bring their A-game to every part of our Design, Discovery, and Distribution philosophy.

Q- Can you tell us how YAAP has adapted to a rapidly evolving digital environment?
A- YAAP has always been a digital first agency, it’s rooted in our DNA and we are truly Built for Now, in this fast-paced digital realm that’s changing by the minute. It’s like a brand new “now” every day in this ever-shifting digital landscape.

We’re always bettering ourselves through regular training, brainstorming sessions, and a whole lot of exploring. We’ve not only seen the digital revolution happen, but we’ve dived headfirst into it. Our office serves as a dynamic testing ground. For instance, when the Metaverse (Web 3.0) was introduced, we organized our company’s first ever Web 3.0 town hall there, gauging firsthand reactions. So, yes YAAP is always on it toes pacing with the need of the hour.

Q- How do you predict AI will affect your business and what steps are you taking to be ready for it?
A- AI has been a part of our industry for quite some time now. With the bigger players coming in, it has gone big & popular. Our business is attuned to it and it’s the second nature of our industry, we keep shifting gears as new-age tech comes in.

We’ve kicked off AI-driven marketing efforts with our clients that span from content creation to performance campaigns.  AI is here to stay and we will keep evolving with advancement in technology & tools.

Q- Influencer marketing continues to evolve, but there is one common concern: Oversaturation – 

What are your views around the same?
A- Influencer Marketing is relatively new yet booming. More & more brands are exploring this space. Since the audience is looking for content, more people are becoming creators. It’s like the supply is trying to meet the demand.

In fact, you see it as saturation but we see it as another opportunity. India is a treasure trove of opportunities. Now, within categories we have started seeing more sub categories & niches. Earlier one lifestyle influencer would post about sneakers in the mix but now you have a sneakerhead community of its own on digital & regional influencers. Going forward, you will see a lot of new genres of influencers sprouting up who will speak to diverse audiences from different geographies, in a language that’s most suited to them.

Q- Is generative AI affecting B2B sales and marketing, or is it too early to say anything on that front?
A- AI has been recently adopted in B2B sales & marketing. While some of the use cases have really proven to be successful we are yet to witness its full realization. It holds immense promise in reshaping different dimensions of B2B activities, whether it’s crafting content, generating leads, personalizing communication or analyzing data. The ones at the forefront are simplifying & templatizing processes to elevate customer interaction via chatbots. While we’re in the early stages, the growing acceptance of generative AI indicates that it will have a significant role in shaping strategies for B2B sales and marketing moving forward.

Q- Key achievements and key campaigns
A- Six years of YAAP have been nothing short of an adventurous journey, with a great talent pool and a diverse client base, we have executed some award winning global & national campaigns. The one that really sticks out with a mass impact is our ‘UPI Chalega’ campaign where we, along with UPI, partnered with several banks & NBFCs to drive the awareness & then adoption of digital payments in the country. Watching that awareness turn into an everyday thing was a great example of how our 3D philosophy panned out.

Along with this, we have worked on different aspects of digital & brand building with multiple young as well as legacy brands. All these endeavors have won us accolades and have kept our team motivated to do more.

Q- YAAP vision
A- Content remains the foundation of the past, present, and future of brand building & advertising. We proudly identify as a content specialized company. In the contemporary landscape, every element — whether it’s a social media post, TVC, article, influencer feature, media campaign, or mainline — is a form of content. Our aspiration is to deliver some of the most powerful and influential content to audiences, facilitating brands in forging impactful presence. Our unified goal remains being one of the largest independent agencies which offer solutions bed rocked on its 3D philosophy – Design, Discovery & Distribution.