#AOTYawards SG 2021 spills: Why M&C Saatchi Performance's power lies with its people

Founded in 2006, M&C Saatchi Performance is a digital media agency that takes a human approach to connect brands with people, across all channels. Delivering cost-effective and measurable results for its clients, the agency takes the time to understand each client's business, objectives and audiences. The agency also has a team of specialists that manage the effectiveness of a campaign, focusing on optimising channel content format and placements.

Among the list of brands the agency has worked with include Grab, Zalora, MPL, Bein Sports, Upgrad, Tinder and Alodokter. Recently, the agency also clinched the Gold award for Mobile Marketing Agency of the Year at MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's Agency Of The Year Awards 2021. Additionally, the agency also managed to clinch the Silver award for Digital Agency of the Year and the Bronze award for Performance Marketing Agency of the Year. 

M&C Saatchi Performance's managing director, Kabeer Chaudhary (pictured) told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that what makes him proudest about being part of his agency, is the team which is at the heart of the agency. According to Chaudhary, the agency's strongest asset is its people, and he praised his team for making the best of adverse conditions, especially in the past 18 months when the pandemic hit. "Besides a competitive pay and benefits package, we provide a platform for our employees to excel and innovate in their chosen career paths. We provide the flexibility to work from home and have a truly non-hierarchical and transparent agency model," Chaudhary explained. 

Tell us what the  win(s) mean for you?

Chaudhary: It’s a great honor for us to be recognised by the coveted MARKETING-INTERACTIVE's AOTY and their elite panel of judges alongside some really worthy competitors. Over the last few years, we have diligently invested into our people, processes, and products with a unified idea of building an agency of the future. We have covered some distance but we are still a long way from what we have set out to accomplish. The AOTY awards are definitely a strong validation that we are on the right track. 

What makes you proudest about being part of your agency?

Chaudhary: We are a fast-growing business with a diverse portfolio of exciting clients that challenge norms, which has helped us evolve tremendously. However, if I have to choose I’ll say I’m most proud of our people. Not just in Singapore but across all our APAC markets, our people are our strongest asset and I’m extremely proud of the way they have reacted to challenges and made the best of adverse conditions, especially in the last 18 months.

What are some of the initiatives you have in place to ensure your staff feel proud to be associated with your agency?

Chaudhary: We are very proud of the fact that our agency was able to weather the storm of the pandemic on our business without affecting our employees. We were able to sustain the business with zero redundancies, zero salary cuts. To add to that, we paid all our employees a performance bonus this year.

How are you attracting talent to your agency?

Chaudhary:

Besides a competitive pay and benefits package, we provide a platform for our employees to excel and innovate in their chosen career paths. We provide the flexibility to work from home and have a truly non-hierarchical and transparent agency model.

What are your hopes from Singapore advertising scene in 2021?

Chaudhary: First of all, I hope that all advertisers, agencies, and media vendors in Singapore that have been adversely affected by the pandemic are able to get their business back on track. In a non-covid world, with all its technological and economical advantage, my hope would be to see Singapore emerging as a leader in innovation in advertising in Asia and becoming a breeding ground for adtech companies of the future.