#Introducing… Sokrati
In July this year we welcomed Sokrati, India’s leading data-driven performance marketing and analytics agency, to the Dentsu Aegis Network family. This acquisition will see Sokrati rebranded as Merkle | Sokrati, launching Merkle in India and further scaling Dentsu Aegis India’s data and performance marketing offering.
Founded in 2009, Sokrati is headquartered in Pune and employs over 160 digital marketing professionals. We spoke to Aniket Khare, VP Business Development of Sokrati, to learn more about what Sokrati has to offer…
So, Aniket Khare, tell us what you do!
I’m responsible for Sokrati’s growth and currently leading the Client Acquisition efforts. Strategic solutioning for our new clients is also something I closely oversee.
Over the years I’ve managed Google Channel strategy for Sokrati’s clients and also headed HR functions to ensure we’re more than adequately staffed with the best talent in the country.
What does Sokrati specialise in?
Data-driven marketing is in our DNA and is central to everything we do at Sokrati. Where many advertisers see marketing as an aesthetic-heavy function, we see it as a continuous analytical process. ‘Continuous’ because of the large data that is generated each hour of a digital campaign’s lifetime and ‘analytical’ because unless we choose to act on this data, it’s just numbers sitting in a database.
So yes, Sokrati specialises in gathering wisdom (and not just data) to optimise our clients’ marketing campaigns.
Which markets do you operate in?
We have a significant presence across India with a dynamic client base — from e-commerce and travel to BFSI and B2B SaaS providers. In fact, we’re one of the largest Google Premier Partners and the only home-grown Facebook Marketing Partner.
Internationally, we’re working with clients with some interesting offerings in SE Asia.
What did you know about Dentsu Aegis Network before you joined?
DAN has always had a significant presence in the Indian digital ecosystem with their acquisitions of iProspect, Webchutney and Isobar.
The Merkle acquisition was another close development I followed and see them as our American cousins, sharing the same data-driven mindset and work culture.
What made you decide you wanted to be a part of the Network?
From the first day of my interaction with the DAN team, I felt the metaphoric “click” in our minds and hearts. I believe it was the close match of our mindsets and the strong credentials in the digital space that made me realize we would form a strong synergistic entity.
What are you most looking forward to as a new member of the group?
The key to being a part of the DAN family is the specialisation each member brings in. Sokrati had always shared a healthy competition with existing DAN agencies since our early days and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can use our collective expertise now to enable a more comprehensive digital transformation for our clients.
What are your key priorities for this year?
Obviously growth in the media business is a natural target for us. But we are also looking to significantly expand our footprint in the technology and analytics space. Merkle’s backing should expedite this footprint expansion through capabilities like DMP, CRM analytics, lead nurturing and hyperlocal advertising. Expanding our presence in the B2B marketing space is another challenge we’re taking on at the moment.
If you could summarise Dentsu Aegis Network in one word?
Forward-looking and ambitious.
And finally… if your brand could be a Netflix show for the day, what would it be?
‘Limitless’.
If NZT-48 is Brian’s miracle drug to solve crime mysteries, data & technology is Sokrati’s answer to solve our clients’ performance marketing concerns.
Visit Sokrati’s website or say hello at conversations@sokrati.com to explore how a data-driven marketing methodology can increase returns on digital spend.
