Collaboration and partnerships are essential in India: Archana Gulia, ODN

ODN is a leader in Shop-Now Content strategies, focusing on innovative and effective online showcasing for brands. Their vision is to be the go-to partner for brands looking to captivate consumers through impactful online content. ODN differentiates itself by consistently generating fresh and unique ideas using tools like AI, 3D, and VR. They act as partners to brands, creating content that aligns perfectly with their identity. ODN helps brands succeed in the online marketplace by adapting to the digital transformation and offering comprehensive services beyond website creation. They educate brands, provide strategic partnerships with marketplace leaders, and ensure tailored solutions for each client.

ODN empowers brands to effectively showcase their products and stand out from the competition by developing exclusive strategies based on deep consumer understanding. They measure success through key indicators like conversions, visibility, engagement, and revenue growth. With a culture of creativity and innovation, ODN fosters a customer-centric mindset and continuously challenges conventional thinking. Their future plans involve embracing AI, developing a robust data management system, and leveraging AI to enhance services while prioritising client satisfaction.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Archana Gulia, CCO and Co-Founder, ODN, speaks at length about the vision and mission of ODN, collaborations, upcoming projects and much more.

As the Chief Creative Officer of ODN, could you please share the vision and mission of the company? How does ODN differentiate itself in the market?

ODN’s vision is to be the partner of choice for any brand or label looking to innovatively and effectively showcase their products and ideas online. We help them sell their products and services through impactful online content. In today’s digital age, boundaries have blurred. Digital platforms give everyone an equal opportunity. ODN stands out by consistently generating fresh and innovative ideas that captivate consumers. With people spending three to three and a half hours on social media each day, we know they crave unique experiences. We also recognise that not all brands have access to experts, so we act as their partners, creating content that perfectly aligns with their brands. Using tools like AI, 3D, and VR, we produce exceptional content to set our clients apart and ensure their success in today’s competitive market.

With your extensive experience in fashion and product design, how do you apply your expertise to develop successful Shop-Now Content strategies for brands and e-commerce platforms? Could you give us some examples of your innovative approaches?

My training and expertise lies in fashion design, but the principles of design remain consistent across different fields such as jewellery, automobiles, and home decor. Regardless of the product, understanding the consumer’s problem, developing a solution, and effectively communicating with them are universal. While I may not have the technical skills to physically design a car, I can create compelling content that promotes and sells it. I take on the role of a showroom representative, showcasing features, organising test drives, and engaging with consumers. Using various mediums like videos, graphics, and written materials, I ensure the consumer comprehends the product. When collaborating with brands, whether established or start-ups, I adapt and create a visual language that aligns with their identity. By considering factors like price range, competition, and target audience, I gain a deep understanding of the consumer. I then devise strategies based on these insights to bridge the gap between the brand and the consumer, ultimately driving effective communication and sales.

The retail industry has witnessed a significant shift towards online shopping in recent years. How has ODN adapted to this digital transformation, and what role do you play in helping brands succeed in the online marketplace?

ODN has proactively adapted and positioned itself as a trusted partner for brands venturing into the digital marketplace. Our core values revolve around accessibility, affordability, and responsiveness to cater to the ever-evolving needs of our clients. We go beyond website creation by guiding brands to reliable web developers and collaborating closely with them to ensure alignment with the brand’s vision. We go beyond our job role to suggest strategies and partners to support other functions that we may not be servicing as ODN. Our flexible team of industry-leading professionals delivers exceptional services while helping brands save a significant portion of their marketing budget. Recognising the heightened importance of online content and product marketing during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken a leading role in educating brands and optimizing their online presence. Our agility and problem-solving abilities allow us to provide tailored solutions that meet our clients’ specific requirements. Furthermore, we possess extensive knowledge of various online marketplaces like Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra, and our specialist team excels in the tools and best practices of these platforms. Through strategic partnerships with marketplace leaders, we offer invaluable insights and recommendations equivalent to having in-house experts. At ODN, our mission is to empower brands to thrive in the digital marketplace, and we are fully committed to serving our clients and ensuring their success.

In the highly competitive e-commerce landscape, how does ODN help brands effectively showcase their products and stand out from the competition? Are there any specific design strategies or techniques that you employ?

ODN recognises that a brand’s identity and success hinge on understanding the consumer persona. We acknowledge that brands emerge for various reasons, driven by design passion, tactile expertise, or the desire to address specific market gaps. By deeply comprehending each brand’s purpose and objectives, we develop exclusive strategies that align with their identity and resonate with their target audience. Our approach mirrors a doctor-patient relationship, engaging in meaningful conversations to grasp the brand’s challenges, solutions, and aspirations. With this understanding, we create customised strategies that serve as a solid foundation for long-term success and growth.

We at ODN avoid a one-size-fits-all approach, tailoring design strategies and techniques to the uniqueness of each brand. We consider factors like brand passion, potential investment, and target consumers, ensuring our strategies effectively communicate and captivate the intended audience. Our goal is to empower brands to showcase their products effectively and stand out amidst intense competition. Through innovative design, compelling messaging, and a profound understanding of consumer preferences, we enable brands to make a lasting impact in the e-commerce landscape. ODN takes pride in developing exclusive strategies that capture a brand's essence and directly engage its target audience, driving success in the competitive e-commerce arena.

ODN being a start-up, what are some of the unique challenges and opportunities you have encountered in establishing the company as a market leader in Shop-Now Content strategies? How have you overcome these challenges?

We have encountered both challenges and opportunities in establishing ourselves as a market leader in Shop-Now Content strategies. Educating consumers about the importance of e-commerce and guiding them to make informed purchasing decisions has been a significant hurdle. Today’s savvy consumers rely on reviews, brand credibility, and online presence before making a buying choice. To bridge the gap between consumers and brands, we strive to position ourselves as specialists in digital content that drives conversions, enhances visibility, and establishes brand reputation.

However, we have observed that many traditional brands are slow to adapt to the digital landscape and lack a strong online presence, particularly on platforms like Amazon. We believe in tapping into the immense potential of reaching the vast consumer base on digital platforms. To overcome these challenges, our focus is on creating compelling content that elevates product appeal, maximizes revenue, and leaves a lasting impression on consumers. While we have the ability to provide traditional agency services, we deliberately concentrate on our core expertise in Shop-Now Content strategies.

Fortunately, we have been able to navigate the challenges that we have encountered so far, and gradually, brands are recognising the importance of establishing a digital presence and reaping its benefits. Our reputation for delivering content that generates conversions and boosts visibility has gained recognition. Our ultimate goal is to help brands adapt to the ever-changing digital landscape and achieve remarkable success in the online marketplace. We continue to seize unique opportunities to solidify our position as a market leader through our unwavering focus on creating digital content that converts, coupled with the evolving market dynamics.

In today’s fast-paced digital world, consumer preferences and trends change rapidly. How do you stay ahead of these changes and ensure that the Shop-Now Content content strategies developed by ODN remain relevant and effective?

It is imperative for us to stay ahead of evolving consumer preferences and trends. We understand that content created a year ago may no longer be relevant, considering the ever-changing Amazon landscape and the products we promote. To ensure the effectiveness of our Shop-Now Content strategies, we continually analyse industry leaders, trends, and market direction. Our team actively engages in trend analysis and industry research to gain insights into the market’s trajectory. We closely monitor successful brands’ strategies, both within and outside of the e-commerce space, to adapt our own approaches accordingly.

By remaining in tune with the industry, we can anticipate shifts in consumer behaviour and tailor our content to meet their evolving needs. If we find that past content falls short of meeting current standards or aligning with present trends, we proactively reach out to clients and suggest revisiting and updating it. Collaboration is highly valued, and we recognise the significance of staying relevant in the ever-changing digital landscape. Our data asset management tool facilitates easy access to and reproduction of past content assets, saving clients from additional costs. Furthermore, we actively adjust our strategies based on changes in search engine optimization practices, content formats, and consumer preferences.

We acknowledge the rising popularity of video content and the need for easily digestible formats that resonate with modern consumers. By staying up-to-date with these shifts and incorporating them into our Shop-Now Content strategies, we ensure our clients’ products remain visible, engaging, and influential in driving conversions.

Our commitment at ODN is to deliver effective and relevant Shop-Now Content strategies. Through industry monitoring, collaboration with clients, and adaptation to the changing digital landscape, we position ourselves as trusted partners in helping brands stay ahead of the curve and thrive in the dynamic world of e-commerce.

Collaboration and partnerships often play a crucial role in the success of start-ups. Can you tell us about any notable collaborations or partnerships that ODN has formed to enhance its offerings and expand its reach?

Collaborations and partnerships have played a pivotal role in our journey. The strength of our team lies in our employees, who are equal partners in shaping our direction. When they align with our vision, significant progress is made. We are immensely grateful to the clients who believed in us from the beginning and stayed with us, ranging from small brands to industry giants. Their trust and support have been invaluable. Flipkart has been a long-standing partner, trusting us even in our early stages. We ensured that the results we delivered exceeded their expectations, surpassing their own in-house team. Fruitful partnerships with brands like Fossil, Fabindia, United Colors of Benetton and Marks and Spencer have also contributed to our success. Furthermore, we owe a debt of gratitude to the consultants who played crucial roles in establishing various departments within our organisation. Collaboration and partnerships are essential in India, a country built on relationships, trust, and partnerships. It is through these strong bonds that we have achieved our current position. We understand the importance of collaboration and partnerships, and our success is indebted to the relationships we have fostered in the industry, the trust bestowed upon us by clients, and the guidance of consultants. Together, we have achieved milestones and continue to expand our reach in the dynamic world of e-commerce.

ODN focuses on enabling brands and e-commerce platforms to sell successfully online. Could you elaborate on the specific services or solutions that your company provides to achieve this goal? How do you measure the success of your strategies?

We offer a unique solution called ODN Verse, addressing a common challenge faced by brands in warehousing and logistics. We understand the difficulties of keeping samples in pristine condition while on the move, and that’s where ODN Verse steps in. Our approach involves creating versatile content and assets with a long shelf life. From a single shoot, such as a catalog and creative shoot, we generate a wide range of assets for brands, including website banners, social media posts, videos, performance ads, and more. We even repurpose them for physical catalogs at events or in stores.

With our digital asset management tool, brands can access and utilise these assets for an extended period, maximising their value. Beyond graphics and photography, we provide additional services like 3D renders, CADs, modeling, copywriting, and catalog production. Our comprehensive solution caters to diverse brand needs, helping them effectively showcase and sell their products online. We measure the success of our strategies through key indicators such as conversions, visibility, engagement, and revenue growth. By analyzing these metrics, we continually optimize and improve our content and campaigns.

Our ultimate goal is to empower brands to achieve online sales success and establish a strong digital presence. We take pride in delivering innovative solutions, leveraging AI and 3D technology when necessary, and delivering tangible, long-lasting results for our valued clients.

As the Chief Creative Officer, what is your approach to fostering a culture of creativity and innovation within ODN? How do you encourage your team to think outside the box and come up with unique solutions for clients?

At the heart of our company, empathy is a core value that we hold dear. We strongly believe that empathy plays a vital role in building meaningful relationships, whether it’s between colleagues or between us and our clients. We constantly remind ourselves to truly understand our clients’ challenges rather than simply focusing on selling our services. Our goal is to provide tailor-made solutions that address their unique needs and concerns.

Given that our projects are diverse and not standardised, we must remain agile and attentive to each client’s specific requirements. This requires active listening and careful consideration from every member of our team. Personally, I make it a point to listen attentively to my team, leading by example and inspiring them to do the same.

Our ultimate aim is to do justice to the brands we work with by aligning ourselves with their vision and target market. We prioritise the perspective of the end consumer and ensure that our work resonates with them. For instance, if our target audience consists of Hindi-speaking individuals who are new to the internet, we create a copy that is clear and straightforward, even if it means setting aside our creative aspirations. On the other hand, when targeting well-informed Gen Z individuals, we adapt our language and style to cater to their specific tastes and interests.

We want to emphasise that our purpose extends beyond creating impressive creative work; it’s about helping our clients sell better and become memorable to their consumers. Through regular conversations and assessments using the Net Promoter Score (NPS), we measure our performance and the likelihood of our clients recommending us to others. Achieving a high NPS across projects of all sizes is a testament to our team’s understanding that client satisfaction is of utmost importance.

As the Chief Creative Officer, I foster a culture of creativity and innovation by encouraging my team to constantly question and challenge conventional thinking. I remind them to approach our work from the consumer’s perspective, always ready to scrap and rework anything that doesn't make sense to them. By maintaining a customer-centric mindset and continuously striving for excellence, we have cultivated a culture that consistently delivers unique and effective solutions for our clients.

Looking ahead, what are the future plans and aspirations for ODN? Are there any upcoming initiatives or areas of growth that you can share with us?

The core vision is to embrace AI as a valuable partner and develop a robust data management system that reduces the need for clients to constantly reach out to us for inquiries. Our focus is on providing clients with personalised dashboards that offer convenient access to project details, allow them to compare images with previous deliveries, and more. Looking ahead, we have set our sights on harnessing the full potential of AI to ensure smooth operations and empower our clients with self-service capabilities. By effectively leveraging AI, we aim to improve our services and foster continuous growth, all while keeping client satisfaction as our top priority.