Ex-Grey creative acquires stake in B’lore ad agency

Brijesh Jacob, who quit Grey Worldwide six months ago as executive creative director, has joined hands with Bangalore-based ad agency White Canvas Communications. Jacob has also bought a significant stake in the agency, and is designated managing partner.

White Canvas is owned by Vinod Moolacherry, an ex-Lowe creative director and Deepak Nair, who was formerly with Draft Worldwide. Both came together to launch White Canvas in 2006.

Moolacherry has known Jacob since their days in Lowe, where they worked earlier.
“While at Lowe, I met Brijesh who was like a pinball bouncing ideas off every corner, day after day, and doing everything it took to ensure that good ideas saw the light of day,” he said.

Besides Lowe, Jacob has earlier worked with AV Marketing, Rediffusion Y&R, Saatchi&Saatchi and Grey Worldwide on clients such Audi, Vimal, Greenply, Havells’ and Surf.

White Canvas has also partnered with Jacob to launch 22 Feet, a digital agency that aims to offer clients powerful ideas that will leverage the full potential of the online medium. Jacob said that 22 Feet — which is the length of the human intestine — going by its name, will bank on ‘gut feel’ while working on brands and has already signed up with a few clients, and work is underway on a couple of projects.

Jacob said 22 Feet is not going to be “any sweat-shop.” “Advertising has to get agile in the coming days. New avenues will open up on coffee cups, behind buses and private vehicles. While online is the natural progression, with new challenges, and excitement, I am too much in love with the conventional advertising space, something I can’t let go of.”

So, Jacob will continue to maintain a presence in the offline advertising space. In addition to driving 22 Feet, he will also be responsible for White Canvas’ newly-opened Mumbai branch. In Bangalore, the agency has a headcount of about 15 people, who work on 5 international, 4 national and 6 Bangalore-based brands. Some of the clients are Sheaffer, Richard Brinsley, Atmosphere, Hippocampus, William Penn, Southindies, Bonsouth and apple-of-my-i.