AOL appoints Madison Media, Saatchi & Saatchi

Televisionpoint.com Correspondent
AOL, a division of Time Warner, has appointed Madison Media as its media AoR, while Saatchi & Saatchi will handle the creative duties.

The Bangalore offices of the two agencies will be in charge of the account. There was no formal pitch involved for the businesses and the size of the business is about Rs 8 crore.

PG Ponnapa, VP and General Manager, AOL Interactive Media India, said, "We have always admired Madison as an organisation that is known for its strong commitment to delivery, and are happy that two reputed units of Madison World - Madison Media and Madison PR, will be strongly supporting AOL's plans in India."

Said Sam Balsara, Chairman and Managing Director, Madison World, "Time Warner, owner of AOL, is the world's leading media company, and we are delighted that AOL has chosen us as its media and PR partner. I welcome AOL to our marquee client roster and I am confident that we will not just meet but surpass their expectations."

The media mix will include brand building activities through online media, mass media, followed by below the line activities. The aim is to make AOL a strong name in India for resources and information on the Internet, the way it is in the US.

Recently, AOL has launched AOL.in, a new portal offering free e-mail, instant messaging, and mobile services, in addition to robust local news and information for the Indian market. AOL.in offers e-mail with unlimited storage, leading safety and spam protections, and mobile access, as well as other mobile services, such as messaging and downloads.