To begin with, the agencies started as one-man agents who booked space in the media. Even today, in our country, there are so many one-man agents who book space in the media. Soon the space booking was handed over to the contact-man, and creative wordsmiths adept at sloganising undertook the actual construction of the ad.

In the course of years, the ad agency became service-oriented, and was able to offer every possible service including marketing, market research (MR), and public relations (PR).

Ad agencies have evolved over a period of time. These days we have mostly studio-based agencies, some industrial and specialized agencies, and hot-shops who only plan creative campaign by engaging the services of freelancers.

At Madison Avenue, most of these large agencies of the world fiercely compete for new accounts, resulting in a shift of millions of dollars of billing from one agency to another. Advertising Age is an official publication of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA).

In India, advertising business is worth Rs. 8,000 crores. There were only 62 advertising agencies in 1958, which increased to 168 in 1978, more than 2.5 times the numbers in 1958. There are more than 500 ad agencies today. The oldest and largest advertisement agency in India is Hindustan Thompson Associates Ltd. The second largest advertisement agency is Lintas.

Mumbai is considered to be the Mecca of Indian advertising. These days agencies are also being set up at Bangalore, Madras, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Delhi.

In India the ad agencies are sole proprietary concern, partnership or private limited companies.

It is better to operate agencies on professional lines, rather than as a family. It is good to install MBO (Management By Objectives). An agency must necessarily plough back at least 75 % of its profits into business.

The advertising agencies are shifting from the creative mode to the marketing mode. Today the onus is on the agency to supply the client with data on his industry; the days of the clients briefing the industry are almost over. The agencies are expected to maintain database. There is a leaning towards software for optimizing media usage, and computerization of studio functions.

In India, the legal structure of ad agencies is that of a small proprietary concern or a big partnership. Sometimes, they are private limited companies, either big or small.

Indian advertising is a fragmented business. There are over 733 agencies accredited to INS. The top 25 account for 50% of all billings. In addition, there are many accredited agencies.

It is the top 25 agencies, most of which are headquartered in Mumbai, that set the pace and define the shape of the industry.

Agencies like HTA, Lintas, Clarion and O & M have shaped the entire advertising industry in the country. Many Indians firms are coming up, by importing Western ad techniques.

Many agencies die a premature death. Most people do not appreciate that an agency –like any other business – must be properly managed. It is simply not enough just to have great idea. In recent years, there has been a healthy trend towards sound management practices, especially financial planning and control.

This is a highly paid profession. It is a conspicuous high wage island. People operate on high profile. Their life-styles are opulent because of high expense accounts ‘of entertaining clients. They got their elitist brand due to this reason. But high salaries and freedom are necessary to attract talents.

Women have been an integral part of this profession. We have examples of Rhoda Meha; (OBM, Media Director), Nargis Wadia (Interpub, MD), Usha Katrak (ASP for many years), Tara Sinha (Tara Sinha Associates Delhi; Formerly, Clarion).