To say the world has redesigned itself in a virtual space won’t be an understatement considering the fact that we spend more than half of our day over the internet. Businesses are utilizing the virtual space to expand their offerings to hitherto unreachable customers. And to put their word across the potential customers, they utilize the services of Digital Marketing Agencies.
These Marketing Agencies set the tone of a business as seen and heard by customers. This requires a lot of creativity and insight into customer requirements. Something that Dedeepya Reddy at Fruitbowl Digital Media Pvt. Ltd has mastered over the years. Since 2010, she has been passionately and aggressively pursuing the growth of the digital-first advertising agency that she co-founded, Fruitbowl Digital.
In 20 years, Fruitbowl has successfully traversed the journey from a small startup to Social Media Agency of The Year, with a foothold in three countries. It is now a full-service media agency, with its headquarters in Mumbai with a reach that is both national and international. With a group of creative thinkers and talented experts, it creates brand experiences that although, digital-first, create an impact with consumers outside of it as well.
From digital marketing and social media content creation to on-ground branding activities and PR activations, it does whatever it takes to tell the story the brand needs to tell, discovering and solving problems they face in the consumer landscape. Dedeepya shares her journey at Fruitbowl with our readers here.
How do you keep yourself motivated? Please tell us about your idols, and inspiration. When it comes to advertising and creativity in general, there is always something new. A new way to communicate, a new story to tell or even a new trend to create. It’s this chase behind the new that keeps me going at the workplace. But beyond that, especially with Chal Rang De, what drives me is the impact that a single activity can create. I’ve seen it firsthand, and experienced the gratitude, positivity and confidence that can come from someone caring about your story enough to tell it; and that’s why I push myself to continue bringing as many stories to life as I can, both as a marketer and positive-change entrepreneur.
Share with us the highest point, most memorable and remarkable moment of your life, professionally. Also, the lowest phase of your life or the toughest deal to crack.
The day the news of our first project hit TV screens in India, and we realised that what we had started is now going to be a constant goal in our lives; one which actually makes a difference in the lives of others, that was definitely a moment I will never forget. About a year after that, I injured my back and was bed-ridden for a few months. Not being able to actively contribute to the work my team was tirelessly putting out and just having to slow down in general was definitely an eye-opener. While it was a difficult time for me as a person and an entrepreneur, it was also a wakeup call, one that I have been answering every morning since.
Tell us about your passions, aims and goals.
I have always been someone who tries to find the middle ground between something I love doing and something I’m good at. Over the years, I’ve added a third factor and that is the difference it can make. When it comes to Fruitbowl, I want to continue creating experiences for consumers that makes them engage with our brands, give them the opportunity to have a laugh, an opinion or a feel-good moment. With Chal Rang De, I want to spread the reach of our paintbrushes, take every enthusiastic volunteer we’ve ever had to places they want to touch with their art and in the end make a difference that matters, one that is remembered, felt and appreciated.
State us your major achievements and your company’s achievements under your leadership.
Kyoorius Award for Creativity for Good – Chal Rang De Karamveer Chakra – Dedeepya Reddy Social Media Agency Of The Year – Fruitbowl Digital Media 25 Most Promising Marketing Consultants – Dedeepya Reddy Top 10 Corporate Media Solution Providers – Fruitbowl Digital Media Marvelous Media & Entertainment Companies – Fruitbowl Digital Media
Kindly tell us about the challenges you faced to withstand the complexities of your industry. Brief us about the industry scenario from your perspective.
The advertising industry, especially since our foray into the digital environment, is cutthroat, fast-paced and slows down for no one. You’re constantly facing competition and are in a race to create the best, for the best. Social media is now evolving by the minute, with new platforms, new formats, and users become the leaders in the content creation and propagation. It’s an especially challenging yet exciting time because a lot of our existing knowledge is being questioned and we’re being kept on our toes.
What are the most important lessons you’ve learned throughout and would like to share?
At Fruitbowl, we’ve always believed in the Survival of the Freshest, and I still abide by that philosophy. The second you stop innovating, thinking, or trying to learn through innovation, is when you’ve not only fallen behind, but dropped out of the running.
Where do you see yourself in the near future? Tell us about your future goals.
Solving problems that don’t even exist in most minds, creatively and efficiently, in both the marketing and changefor-good ecosystems, to make a difference and bring about positive change in whatever we touch.
About the Leader
At Fruitbowl, Dedeepya Reddy works closely with the content and design team to create compelling brand experiences. In her role as the Chief Creative Strategist, she not only appreciates creative inputs (big or small), but also finds beauty in well-crafted spreadsheets and data that would provide analytical insights into the brand campaign. She strongly believes that striving for excellence and attention to detail are essential to creating marvels, something short of which, she would never present to any of her clients.
Chal Rang De, a non-profit initiative that she started while at Fruitbowl, is now a nation-wide effort that uses paint, colours and art to spread awareness about socio-economic and public health issues. Their work, that now covers many major sections of Mumbai, some parts of Bengaluru, and has even inspired others to take up the mantle across the country, has been applauded by international publications like The Guardian, Bloomberg, The Times Network and New York Post, and even the changemakers of the country including Anand Mahindra.
