Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Avlokita Dayal, Director and Co-Founder of Amplify, a boutique creative agency specializing in Digital Marketing and Design. Avlokita and her team are dedicated to delivering exceptional results by leveraging their expertise and understanding of human behavior. Let’s delve into the interview to learn more about Amplify and their unique approach to the industry.
Q. Can you please tell us in brief about Amplify?
Avlokita: Amplify is a boutique creative agency that focuses on Digital Marketing and Design. We firmly believe that an agency is only as good as its people, which is why we strive to hire the brightest, most talented, and most inspired professionals. Our goal is to ensure that our client’s brands receive exactly what they’re looking for from people they genuinely enjoy working with. We take pride in creating work that deeply impacts people’s lives by enriching their experiences through a profound understanding of human behavior. Our ultimate aim is to perfectly match our client’s brand requirements with a comprehensive understanding of their target audience, allowing us to create memorable and meaningful work.
Q. Tell us about the key person? What is his/her role and responsibility in the company?
Avlokita: At Amplify, our key person is Adhish, who is my business partner, co-founder, and creative director. Together, we form a dynamic team. While Adhish oversees the creative side of the agency, I handle the digital aspects, including strategy, hiring, and business development. It’s a collaborative effort, and we work together to ensure that our clients receive the best possible service.
Q. Who all are your clients?
Avlokita: We are fortunate to have worked with a diverse range of clients. Some of our esteemed clients include ITC Hotels, Kings Punjab, Network18, Acro Paints, Nolte India, DLF Emporio, The Chanakya, SpiceJet, Shangri-La New Delhi, Indian Accent, The Leela, Dettol (Reckitt Benckiser), Dainik Jagran, Swachh Bharat, Germany Tourism, and Organ India, among others.
Q. How are you different from people working in a similar domain?
Avlokita: What sets us apart from others in the industry is our commitment to keeping it real and managing expectations when working with brands. Digital marketing has its pros and cons, and we ensure that everyone we work with is well aware of these factors. By doing so, we can leverage digital platforms to their maximum potential and achieve the results we set out to accomplish. Drawing upon my background in psychology, I prioritize understanding consumer behavior and creating strategies that resonate with a brand’s target audience rather than catering solely to their internal teams. It’s crucial to remember that our marketing efforts are for our customers, not ourselves.
Q. How and why it is important to map your digital customer experience journey?
Avlokita: Mapping the digital customer experience journey is of paramount importance. However, before doing so, it is essential to understand the brand’s digital objectives and align them with customer expectations. Today’s customers are more informed, have greater exposure, and expect a lot from brands, especially considering the myriad of options available across industries. Therefore, it is crucial to first understand your brand, its target audience, and objectives, and then determine how these factors will influence the consumer’s journey when interacting with your brand online.
Q. What is the goal of your company, and how are you planning to achieve it?
Avlokita: Our primary goal at Amplify is to be a boutique agency that prioritizes quality control. We believe that this can only be achieved by working with the best professionals who excel in their dedicated tasks. Our goal is to always be a 30-people, 30-brand agency that consistently produces the best creative & digital work in the industry. We want to reach a point where brands aspire to be on our client roster, recognizing the value and excellence we bring to their marketing efforts.
Q. What were the challenges faced by the company during the pandemic? And how did you overcome them?
Avlokita: Like many businesses, we faced challenges during the pandemic. Since we primarily work in the luxury segment, most of our clients had to shut down or experienced limited footfall even after reopening. We had to rework our strategies not only for them but also for ourselves. However, we also had the opportunity to assist new brands that emerged during the pandemic. We helped them set up their business strategies and marketing approaches to effectively reach their target audiences.
Q. How are new immersive technologies making a positive impact on enterprises? And what new technologies are you using in your organization?
Avlokita: At Amplify, we utilize various software tools to enhance creativity and innovation in our design work, with AI leading the way. Additionally, we leverage VR & various installation to execute integrated online-offline campaigns, driving offline footfall to our client’s digital platforms. These immersive technologies have had a positive impact on enterprises, enabling us to deliver compelling experiences and achieve our client’s goals effectively.
Q. What are you looking forward to accomplishing most in 2023?
Avlokita: In 2023, our primary focus is on getting luxury brick-and-mortar brands back in the game. We aim to provide them with the confidence to run larger campaigns and effectively engage with their audiences once again. By leveraging our expertise and understanding of consumer behavior, we want to help these brands regain their market presence and achieve their objectives.
Q. What are the new trends you see in the industry today?
Avlokita: In the digital marketing industry, we are witnessing several new trends. Insightful paid promotions have become prevalent paired with brands opting for more qualified and accomplished influencers that truly connect with their industry to promote them. Additionally, content is shifting toward motion and video formats. Brands that want to captivate their audiences need to allocate budgets to regularly create engaging video content, which is a field we excel in, as my business parter & co-founder Adhish Duggal specials in this. It is truly the best way connect with your customers so they choose your brand over the competition.
Q. What challenges do you have to overcome to get here today?
Avlokita: The biggest challenge we face is being honest with brands, which can come at a certain cost. However, we firmly believe in being upfront and achieving success together rather than saying what a client wants to hear to secure the account, only to fall short of expectations or compromise on quality soon after. This practice has allowed us to have clients for 6 years while the company 7 years old. We are dedicated to producing quality work and being personally involved every step of the way to leverage digital platforms as best possible keeping a brands objectives in mind. We value brands that appreciate and see the value in this collaborative approach. At Amplify, we work with brands, not for them. We amplify their expertise and get them the results they seek.
Q. What does success look like to you?
Avlokita: Success, for me, entails producing quality work and fostering a strong and happy team. It’s about maintaining a healthy work-life balance for myself and every person in my organization. Striking that balance and achieving excellence in our work is what truly defines success for Amplify.
Q. As a leader of your organization, what important decisions do you make for the company?
Avlokita: As one of the leaders in the organization, I make most of the operational decisions. My business partner oversees the creative and tech side of the company and I handle various aspects, including hiring, pitches, strategies, content planning, approvals, and advertising strategies. I have an amazing team supporting me, but it’s crucial for me to be personally involved to ensure the success and growth of every individual and in turn the company.
Q. How do you encourage people working in your organization?
Avlokita: At Amplify, we encourage our employees to be independent and provide dedicated training to help them grow. If they meet our quality standards and prove to be reliable and accountable for themselves and the work, we empower them to excel on their own. Additionally, we provide incentives to team members who bring in business, keeping them motivated. When selecting team members, we look beyond just technical experience and focus on what each person brings to the company to help it grow as the industry we are in is constantly evolving and we need to keep up to stay ahead.
