BBDO/Proximity Indonesia ECD Rajesh Menon leaves the agency to set up his own agency, Chai

Rajesh Menon, recent Executive Creative Director of BBDO/Proximity Indonesia, has left the agency to establish his own agency.

During his two-year stint, BBDO won pitches for blue-chip clients like PepsiCo, Gudang Garam, Sinarmas Land and Carrefour. The agency also had a creative resurgence during his tenure, coming in 3rd at the Indonesian creative awards show, Citra Pariwara, in 2013, and winning metal and finalists at Adfest and Spikes. Proximity Indonesia also won its first-ever metal at Citra Pariwara under his creative leadership.

Menon (pictured) leaves to set up Chai, an advertising consultancy/agency. ‘Chai’ (or cha/chay/shai/choy/etc in various languages), means ‘Tea’… and the ingredients that go into making that perfect cup of Chai vary just as widely. Which, Menon says, is the philosophy behind Chai Indonesia – a place where solutions are custom-brewed to suit the needs of different clients and brands.

“I’ve been in Indonesia for almost 20 years now,” said Menon, “And it’s really interesting how things have changed. Just doing a 30″ tvc doesn’t cut it any more – consumers, and advertisers, are getting savvier. And that’s where Chai comes in. What new ideas or innovations can spice up the story? What ingredients do we need to add… or take out? Simpler, faster, smarter solutions – that’s what Chai aims to provide.”

Chai’s first client is Red Basket, a retail agency, where the task is to improve the creative offering in the retail space. And next? “Well, call me in a couple of months, and I’ll update you over a cup of chai!” smiles Menon.