Dot Media, an influencer marketing agency says that it has surpassed the 100-crore revenue milestone. Earlier this year it unveiled a new identity with a logo, a website and social media platforms. This brand facelift is designed to enhance user experience and engagement, further solidifying Dot Media’s position as a leader in the influencer marketing space.
Having expanded its talent alliances to over 160 creators and celebrities across various categories in India, Dot has recently launched a new vertical ‘Desi Videshi’ for NRI creators to scale its operations significantly in the global influencer domain. Today, Dot Media boasts of a solid clientele roster ranging from digital creators, reality and television celebrities and more. From a small team of 7 back in Kanpur, it now employs 145 professionals, showcasing its ability to attract top-tier talent and deliver impactful results.
Alongside its strategic business expansions, Dot Media has also unveiled its new brand identity that aligns with its future business objectives. With this rebranding chapter, Dot aims to expand into new creator categories and creative and brand communication centric verticals.
The new logo, inspired by the beauty of geometry and the simplicity of a box, symbolises the agency’s strong foundation and innovative spirit. Through this revitalization, Dot Media is positioning itself for even greater success, showcasing its growth and aspirations for the future.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Shubham Singhal, CEO and Co-founder Dot Media
Q. Could you talk about the progress that Dot Media has made since launching in 2020?
Our journey began in 2020 as a talent management company in Kanpur with just 7 team members. Fast forward four years, and we’ve evolved into a cutting-edge, data-driven influencer marketing agency in Mumbai with a team of over 100 passionate individuals.
We started with TGB (The Girlfriend Box), a pioneering concept where we sent sample testers from new-age brands to influencers and community leaders. This initiative eventually grew into the influencer wing at Dot Media, where we manage creators across diverse categories.
As we grew, we launched Dot Talents, a specialised wing for celebrity management, and Dot PR, an in-house PR team offering PR services to our creators and brands. We’ve also elevated our content creation with the launch of Dot Studios, our in house production facility. Also, our partnership with Orange Elephant, one of the production houses, has enhanced our production and further cemented our market presence.. Our global outreach expanded with a network of international creators and the introduction of our ‘Desi Videshi’ roster, featuring talented Hindi-speaking artists from around the world.
Throughout our journey, our mission has remained constant: to be perceived as a comprehensive solution builder, rather than just a service provider. By offering a wide range of services and expertise, we aim to stay ahead of the curve and deliver exceptional value to our clients.
Q. What are the goals for 2025 in terms of revenue, profit, growing the talent pool, growing effectiveness of the work done from a client business perspective etc?
For 2025, we’ve set some ambitious goals. Revenue-wise, we’re aiming to grow by at least 1.5 times our current numbers. In terms of talent, we’re looking to expand our pool significantly.
We plan to onboard 20 Bollywood talents, 20 pre-Bollywood or Bollywood+1 talents, and 20 top creators from the industry who might not be served. Of course, like everyone, we’re also focussed on bringing on top clients. We’re confident that our growing talent pool will help us deliver exceptional results for our clients and drive business growth.
Q. How did the partnership with WYN Studio come about?
Our partnership with WYN Studio was a natural fit. They’re experts in narrative building, which was a gap in our services.
By teaming up, we can offer our services to WYN’s clients, who are a different demographic than ours. It’s a win-win actually. WYN gets to enhance their offerings, and we get to tap into a new client base. The partnership just made sense, and we’re excited to see where it takes us!
Q. Could you talk about the game plan for the various verticals like TGB Troop, Dot Talents, Dot Studios to create value for brands in 2025?
For 2025, we’ve got big plans for our verticals. At TGB Troop, our influencer marketing wing, we’re looking to onboard 20-25 new talents across unserved categories. This will help us offer more diverse options to brands.
Under Dot Talents, we’re expanding our Bollywood wing by onboarding 20-25 premium talents, including established and up-and-coming stars. This will make us a one-stop-shop for brands looking to collaborate with Bollywood actors.
For Dot Studios, we’re transforming it into a full-fledged production space.. We recently partnered with one of the production houses- Orange Elephant, and we look forward to creating meaningful IPs and content assets for brands with them!
Our goal is to move beyond one-off campaigns and create lasting value for both our brands and talents. With our production and distribution network in place, we’re excited to help brands integrate themselves into our creators’ content in innovative ways.
Q. What are some of the trends in the influencer marketing landscape that the agency expects to see in 2025?
Looking ahead to 2025, we’re expecting some exciting trends to emerge in the influencer marketing landscape. Firstly, community-driven collaborations will become huge. Brands will want to partner with creators who build and engage with communities around their content.
We’ll also see a surge in IP and episodic content. Regional content will be another big trend. Brands will want to tap into local markets and create content that resonates with specific regions. Lastly, we’ll see a lot of international influencers localising their content for Indian audiences and brands.
Q. ASCI has said that more than two-thirds of the top influencers fail to meet its guidelines. What should be the way forward?
The way forward is simple. Influencers and brands need to be aware of the guidelines and make sure they’re followed. We need to keep a close check on the content we upload and ensure that both managers and agencies are aware of the latest guidelines.
If both brands and influencers are on the same page, we can avoid any issues. It’s a joint responsibility, and by working together, we can ensure that the guidelines are met and the influencer marketing space remains credible.
Q. Brands and influencers and influencers need to ensure that their partnership focuses on authenticity and on being genuine. Is this often a challenge given business pressures?
Ensuring authenticity in brand-influencer partnerships can be tough, especially when there are business pressures to consider. Sometimes, brands have strict mandates that prioritise short-term gains over authenticity. However, we try to strike a balance between the influencer’s content and the brand’s guidelines.
We work to deliver content that meets both the influencer’s need for authenticity and the brand’s requirements. It’s a challenge, but we believe that finding this balance is important for long-term success. By prioritising authenticity, we can build trust and credibility with the audience, which ultimately benefits both the brand and the influencer.
Q. How has Dot Media integrated AI into its operations? What impact will AI have on the creator economy in 2025?
At Dot Media, we’ve been experimenting with AI to stay ahead of the curve. Initially, there were concerns that AI would replace jobs, but instead we’ve discovered its potential to supercharge our workflow. AI has been a total game-changer. By automating routine tasks, AI frees up our team to focus on high-creative work.
The secret to making AI work for us is by inputting the right prompts, we can unlock valuable suggestions and optimise our creative process. Rather than replacing us, AI has become a powerful tool that helps us meet deadlines, streamline our work, and deliver impactful content!
Q. Which are some of the big brands that Dot Media works with and which are the sectors being focussed on like FMCG, and pharma?
We’re proud to work with some amazing brands at DOT Media. Some of the big names we partner with include Yas Island, BoAt, India Gate, T-Series, Saregama, Zee5 India, Viacom, MTR, Nykaa Cosmetics, Kay Beauty, and Lakme, to name a few.
In terms of sectors, we’re currently focussing on FMCG, beauty, and OTT. These areas are our priority right now, and we’re excited to see the impact of our campaigns.
Q. Does Dot Media use virtual influencers? What role will they play in 2025 in shaping the influencer marketing landscape?
We’re experimenting with virtual influencers at DOT Media, and we think they have huge potential, especially in music campaigns. They can create a trend exactly the way we want it. Imagine having 30-40 virtual influencers promoting a new hand action trend or dance move. It makes it easy for people to follow and join in. Virtual influencers will continue to grow and scale in 2025. We’ll see more of them at events, shows, and premieres.
They’ll have their own communities and presence, which will be fascinating to watch. However, real influencers won’t lose their value. Human connection and community-building are still special to people. Virtual influencers will have their own strengths, but they won’t replace the worth of real influencers.
Q. Could you talk about the factors that prompted the new brand identity?
We recently hit a major milestone – surpassing 100 crore in revenue. To celebrate, we decided it was time for a brand refresh. Our new identity is all about enhancing user experience and engagement. We’ve got a sleek new logo, a revamped website, and a social media presence that’s more creative and empowering than ever.
This rebranding is more than just a cosmetic update – it’s about positioning ourselves for future growth. We’re expanding into new creator categories and exploring new verticals in creative and brand communication. Our new logo is inspired by geometric shapes and simplicity. It represents our strong foundation and innovative spirit. We’re excited to show off our new look and feel, and we’re confident it will take us to even greater heights.
Q. Is the goal to improve the agency’s brand perception?
Absolutely, improving our brand perception is a top priority for us. As we continue to grow, we’re focused on unifying our brand identity across all segments.
That’s why we’ve revamped our branding, so all our verticals – like Dot Studios, Dot PR have a consistent look. This way, clients can approach us for specific services or come to us as a one-stop solution. Our goal is to be seen as a solution builder, rather than just a service provider. The more we can offer a comprehensive solution, the more we’ll stay ahead of the game.
Q. Which are the key global markets that the new vertical Desi Videshi is targetting?
Our new vertical, Desi Videshi, is taking Indian content global. We’re targeting key markets like North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, where there’s a strong appetite for Indian storytelling and entertainment. We’re not just stopping at travel and FMCG. We’re pushing into OTT, food, automobiles, and even live comedy shows. Our creators are bringing their stories to a wide range of industries.
Also, gaming is another exciting area that we’re exploring. It opens up a whole new audience segment that loves interactive content. We’re already seeing the impact. Our artists are catching the attention of filmmakers, and we recently collaborated with Anurag Kashyap on a project. With web series, films, live performances, and gaming projects in the works, Desi Videshi is becoming a global force.
Q. Is the creator economy in India evolving in a similar manner as other markets?
I think the creator economy in India is evolving in a similar way to other markets, but even faster. Brands have become more savvy about what works for them, and influencers are now more focussed on creating authentic content that resonates with their audience.
They’re spending more time building communities and thinking about long-term gain, rather than just quick wins. As a result, brands are seeing the real power of influencer marketing and the conversions it can drive. We’re excited to see how this space continues to evolve in India.
Additional campaigns executed by Dot Media:
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2. Abhijeet Kain x Google India
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3. Sakshi Keswani x Jiohotstar (Champions Trophy)
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4. Rashika and Hitesh x Rha India
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