Chennai:Speakers at the two-day `Advertising's Future Shock-III International Convention,' which began here on Saturday, spoke about the rapid strides being made by retail advertising and laid stress on brand building and fostering customer relationship using modern tools of digital technology.

Inaugurating the convention, R. Gopalakrishnan, executive director, Tata Sons, observed that successful marketers would have to invest in understanding the paradoxes and crafting appropriately unique strategies. Recalling that after Independence, the leadership wanted India to tread the global path but adopted the wrong strategy, he observed, "We now seem to have chosen the right path."

He lit a lamp to inaugurate the convention being attended by over 200 delegates.

Professor of Marketing at Emory University in the United States, Jagdish Sheth, speaking on the focal theme of the convention, `Integrated Communication - Disintegrated Agencies,' elaborated on the fundamental shift in client-agency relationship, forces responsible for integrated communication and disintegrated agencies, bio-polarity of client-agency relationship, changing role of account executives, and implications of cross-functional integration. He emphasised the need for more automation and integration.

In opening remarks Chairman of the Advisory Board and Managing Director of The Hindu, N. Murali, said the emerging trends in the global advertising scenario was opening up new vistas, especially in the multiplication of media options. "We are witnessing explosion of media options, especially in the growing opportunities in retail advertising", Mr.Murali said. Retail advertising was growing at a faster pace.

Mr.Murali complimented the Advertising Club, Madras, for being a role model, especially in content creation, and for coming out with creative and serious thinking sessions.

Vijay K. Xavier, convention convener, and Ranju Kumar Mohan, president, Advertising Club, Madras, said the conference provided the industry an opportunity for invigorating and meaningful debate, by presenting live experiences and views from people. R.V. Rajan, Chairman, Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee, Advertising Club, Madras, said the past presidents of the Club would be honoured for their contribution to the growth of the advertising industry in South India, at a function on Sunday. A commemorative volume tracing the history of the Club and the history of the advertising industry in South India would be released.