Company Description
The Toddy is a boutique creative studio based in Mumbai, composed of a dynamic team of strategists, designers, filmmakers, and technologists. Our focus is on crafting disruptive ideas and turning them into engaging, impactful, and memorable content. We collaborate with a diverse array of clients, including Hamley's, Lakme Salon, Welspun Group, Cadbury, HDFC Life, and Steve Madden, among others. Our approach is driven by creativity, intelligence, and empathy, delivering compelling narratives that resonate with audiences.
Role Description
This is a day-zero opportunity to build and own our Kochi market presence. You will be mapping the market, forging agency partnerships, developing direct brand relationships, and closing retainers. This role suits someone who is deeply networked in the Kerala business and creative ecosystem, understands how Kochi runs on relationships, and can sell premium video production with confidence.
Key Responsibilities
Market Development
- Map and penetrate the Kochi advertising and brand marketing ecosystem from scratch.
- Identify and establish vendor partnerships with leading creative agencies in Kerala.
- Build a pipeline of direct brand relationships across different sectors.
Business Development & Sales
- Drive outreach, meetings, pitches, and proposals for TVC, DVC, branded content, and social media video mandates.
- Convert one-time project inquiries into long-term retainer engagements for ongoing video content.
- Negotiate project scope, pricing, and contracts in alignment with studio leadership.
- Build and maintain a healthy sales pipeline with regular reporting on leads, meetings, and conversions.
Client & Agency Relationships
- Maintain and grow relationships with agency creative directors, account managers, and brand marketing heads.
- Ensure smooth handover of closed briefs to the creative and production team.
- Act as the ongoing client contact during active projects, ensuring satisfaction and repeat business.
- Gather market intelligence on competitor activity, pricing benchmarks, and emerging opportunities.
Collateral & Positioning
- Customise pitch decks and capabilities presentations for each prospect segment
- Represent the studio brand accurately and compellingly reinforcing our premium, specialist positioning.
Required Skills
Must-Have
- 37 years of experience in business development, client servicing, or sales in advertising, media, or creative services.
- Proven track record of independently closing deals or retainers, not just supporting a senior BD lead.
- Strong existing network in the Kerala market: agency professionals, brand managers, or media decision-makers.
- Ability to articulate creative and production value to both agency and brand audiences
- Comfortable with end-to-end BD: cold outreach, warm follow-ups, pitch presentations, and contract close.
- Fluent in Malayalam and English; able to operate naturally in both formal and informal business settings.
Good to Have
- Prior experience selling video production, branded content, or creative services specifically.
- Understanding of video production formats: TVC vs DVC vs social video, timelines, crew, and budget differences.
- Experience working with or inside a creative agency or production house.
- Existing relationships with marketing heads at Kerala-based brands.
Edge Factors
- You sell through relationships, not just decks.
- You can defend a premium price.
- You think in retainers, not projects.
- You understand the Kerala market instinctively.
- You are a self-starter who can build from zero.
