[February 09, 2009] SIT Group to set up digital delivery hub; hire 50 people Tweet New Delhi, Feb 08, 2009 (Asia Pulse Data Source via COMTEX) -- Smile Interactive Technology Group (SITG), an online advertising firm, plans to set up a global digital delivery hub for catering to the international customers and will hire 50 people for the venture. "Through the new venture, SITG will provide digital marketing, production and delivery needs of global brands. In the first year alone, we are looking at revenues in excess of USD 3-5 million dollars," SITG Chief Executive Officer Harish Bahl told PTI. "We are looking at servicing international clients through this initiative," he added. SITG, is a part of Quasar, the country's leading full-service digital agency, which in turn is owned by globally renowned advertising agency WPP company. The company will hire 50 people and will commence operations by the end of this month. Asked if this was the right time to launch an advertising agency as companies look at cutting ad spends to trim expenses, Bahl said that even though ad spends are being reduced, the spending for the digital medium is on the rise. "We are looking at those opportunities." Other leading players in the segment include Publicis, Isobar and recently, canon has bought stake in a company called FCS, he added. With companies looking to trim their advertising spends, online medium presents a lucrative medium for the companies to reach people as the number of internet users increases in the country. Quoting latest statistics released by the Internet Governance Forum, the company said India has the fourth largest number of Internet users in the world, with 81 million users, after the US (220 million), China (210 million) and Japan (88.1 million). "We are looking at companies in the space of IT, telecom and the financial services," Bahl said adding that because of the slowdown, companies are now looking at innovative and cost-effective ways to reach people. According to media agency ZenithOptimedia 2008 study, global Internet ad expenditure by 2010 is forecast to reach USD 67 billion and account for 12.3 per cent of the ad market. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]