CHENNAI: It was a desire to own a t-shirt with a logo of Coca-Cola that made a young Hemanth R step into the world of brands for a part-time job. “They were paying `50 per day, but I was not interested in the money. I wanted the t-shirt,” begins Hemanth, seated in his office in Anna Nagar, a testament to his never-give-up attitude.
Now a renowned player in the big leagues of branding, the founder and CEO of ACTC Studio, Hemanth was unaware of the field till he ventured into it. “I was in class 10; Coca-Cola had just launched the 500 ml pet bottles. My job was to promote this in supermarkets. Only after joining there did I know that I was a promoter,” he says. Soon he fell in love with it. This movie buff persevered to get what he wanted, much like the famous dialogue in Shah Rukh Khan’s Om Shanti Om. Despite facing many lows and an equal number of highs, destiny couldn’t deny it to him.In a freewheeling chat, Hemanth takes us through his journey, and his wish to retire at the age of 40.
What made you choose this industry?
While doing my part-time job, I liked communicating. I had developed the confidence to sell and promote anything. So after finishing school, I did visual communication and in my final year, I did a part-time job to support my post-graduation studies. I worked with a Malaysia-based company called Flash Harmony which was promoting ceramic products. They took the top three promoters to Malaysia and I was one of them. Around the same time, I applied for post-graduation at Anna University. I had to go for admissions, but I was in Malaysia, so my mother appeared on my behalf. I did a lot of freelance during my PG to support my career. I represented the BBC for taking interviews. During Dasavataram promotions when Jackie Chan was here, I worked with that team. When the first IPL started in 2008, I worked as a promoter. I used to stay with the players; whenever they were free, I took their interviews to promote IPL.
Did you always know this was your calling?
After my PG, I went into teaching. I was a professor at DG Vaishnav College for three years and at Loyola College for two years. I was also a consultant for SRM University and St Britto’s College. During that time, I had finished my doctorate in film studies too. At one point, I felt I was too young to be a teacher and that it was time to be part of the industry. I used to get freelancing opportunities. When PVR launched at Ampa Skywalk, in 2010, I came up with Junior Film Makers (JFM), a short film competition. Soon, when brands started coming my way, I started a proprietary concern, Ingenious 6.
How was ACTC Studio formed?
I started ACTC Studio in 2019. The tagline for Ingenious 6 was Adding Colours to Concept. That became ACTC, the name of our company.
The first support I received for this company was from my landlady Padmini Shekaran. She gave me the space without asking for an advance and supported us even during the pandemic by waiving the rent. I didn’t have a lot of money to set up an office. We just wanted a visiting card. We were just three people, sitting on the floor, making calls.
Our first event was a marathon with multiple brand promotions. This industry works on credit format. So we didn’t have money to stay in a hotel. Since this was a morning event, there were yoga mats and we just slept on them. Slowly, we earned, and the first thing I bought was a doormat with ‘welcome’ written on it. From then on, I have built the space with my earnings. I don’t believe in the concept of loans. No investors or partners either. I now have a staff strength of 70 plus across four offices in Chennai, an office each in Bengaluru and Mumbai and four hybrid offices. ACTC is incorporated as an LLC in the US too. The company now owns 12 IPs (intellectual properties).
We manage around 54 brands across India. I have done promotions in 116 cities — from Jammu to Kanniyakumari.
What are your aspirations?
As part of ACTC Pvt Ltd, we have opened verticals like ACTC Academy, and ACTC food and beverages. We wish to grow in that. Also, if you look at the top 10 businesses/business tycoons from India, all are north Indians. We do have brand tycoons from the south but no business tycoons. I wish to become one of the top 10 business tycoons; one from south India.
How did you fare during the pandemic?
Covid opened a new window for us in the form of digital marketing. Many were doing online events and they needed digital promotions. We wanted to position ourselves as the number one branding agency, so we gave digital marketing a try, and had a successful run. We took up a lot of government projects with AICTE, the medical council, etc. This also brought us clients like Amazon.
What are the ways in which you give back to society?
I run an NGO called Neighbourhood Foundation. We tie up with brands like Tata Croma and Madras Coffee House and do CSR activities. Through this, we feed the needy. The NGO has also adopted 50 villages in the Ariyalur district.
When I was with Coca-Cola, they asked me to do promotions in rural areas. In the process, I realised there was a lot that they lacked and government support was also not reaching them. Some even received electricity only once a week. I wanted to help in infrastructure development for which I needed an organised platform. Hence I started this NGO.
Recently, when the licences of several NGOs were cancelled, we were the only ones to receive one based on our activities. Our reports are transparent and we submit them annually.
What are the lessons you have learned in your journey?
Keep working hard. People say all windows are closed. But you need to look for the open one. I have also had downfalls. Even my mother used to ask me to look for something else. I applied for a job in a hotel in Dubai, and as a waiter in China. But I always had the gut feeling that I was not designed for this. So, I followed my gut. Losing after making an effort will still give you satisfaction. I always tell people, your growth is not only for you, try to uplift everyone else. Hence I founded the NGO. With my growth, those villages also grow.
Who is your support system?
My mother. At a point when I had no job, my mother worked, got her salary, and used to take me to a movie just to make me feel better. And when I wanted to start my company, if the landlady had refused to give me the space, I wouldn’t have got the first project and not taken the next step.
How do you get over the lows?
I watch films whenever I am depressed. I watch movies in all languages and genres. I love French films. Even now I catch up on the latest releases. I wind up work early and go for the late-night show. I love watching movies in theatres. It’s a part of life now. When I was nothing, the only thing that drove me every day was the movies.
What is your daily routine?
My day ends at 2 am and begins at 6 am. I visit all four offices and catch my sleep in the traffic. I am delighted when there is traffic as I get to sleep more (laughs). I have two kids, Sanjay and Mira. I make it a point to drop them off at school every day as that is my time with them.
What are the challenges in your industry and how do you view competition?
Concept matters in branding. New brands need new concepts. We have to watch the market and keep ourselves updated with case studies. We cannot repeat our strategies and concepts with two clients from the same section. We can’t just work on a single brand either.
There are bigger agencies in India and they take clients and give them to us. But for some brands like Amrutanjan, we are the direct agency. Experience and new concepts matter here. To deal with competition, I believe in befriending everyone. When I work with a client, I don’t compete with another agency, we work with that agency and pitch together.
Your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
Be an idea, don’t come up with an idea. You have to experience that idea to deliver it.
What is your life’s mantra?
Life begins at forty. I want to retire at the age of 40. I am in the phase of setting everything up, so that company runs even if I am not around. My forties is the age at which my kids will start growing up and I want to be there for them. Most of our fathers work through their 50s because of compulsion. I don’t want to be like that. I believe in working hard till you can earn and then live your life with your family. Whatever you want to achieve, achieve in a given time.
