Katha Studio: Katha, founded in 2021, is a boutique marketing agency, that leverages storytelling and builds campaigns enabling brands to connect with their cohort and offer creative solutions to achieve milestones. It was founded by Swati Jain with a vision to promote indigenous brands by carving a niche identity for them. Since inception Katha had a vision to put Indian brands on the global map with its compelling messaging, high-converting strategies and seamless execution.
We offer content, design & branding, social media strategy and management, production and shoots, public relations and influencer marketing, SEO and performance marketing services to our clients. In three years of its existence, Katha has worked with a dozen brands – which includes long terms retainers for SMO, PR and performance marketing; as well as launch events and projects for CSR initiatives or coffee table books.
For us, effective communication and authentic stories are the foundational pillars on which we place our ideas, strategies, and campaigns. We believe that even if the brand is native-born, it has the potential to appeal to the global masses and make a difference in the world. Over the years, Katha Studio has grown such brands and shone them on social media and other marketing channels.
We champion creativity, challenge status quo, curate authentic storytelling to impact culture and communities.
1-Can you share some insights into your journey from journalism to founding Katha Studio? What motivated you to transition from media to marketing and communications?
The written word has been of immense meaning and value to me. As long as I remember, I wanted to be a writer and started my career as a trainee journalist at The Asian Age. Through the decade I worked with several newspapers and magazines such as Asia Spa magazine, Times of India, Metro Now. It was a beautiful phase and working in the newsroom, not only built me as a professional, but I grew as a person as well. As a lifestyle journalist I wrote on various themes, including food and travel. I was chosen to represent India at the World Gourmet Festival in Madrid in 2009 and won the Laadli award for a story on Adivasi women in Madhya Pradesh.
In 2010, I took a break as I was in the family way. My love for short form writing grew, and I thought of shifting into marketing to add another layer to my learning curve. The first application I sent was to The Lalit, soon I got the job. I worked there for five years and launched The Lalit London, The Lalit Mangar, Keshav Suri Foundation and worked on several campaigns. In 2021, I quit my job to start Katha Studio. The Lalit was our first client and we still service them for content and PR verticals.
2-What were some of the key challenges you faced while launching renowned restaurants and hotels like Social, Wow China Bistro, and The Lalit London? How did you overcome them?
Every project big or small comes with its own set of challenges. For me, what was both exciting and challenging was to operate in different cities, where you start building connections & resources from scratch, especially while launching The Lalit London, which was a totally different market. I feel in most situations once we set our heart to it, wisdom comes from within. Here also, I followed my basic instincts while reaching out to people or planning strategies and I am glad all these were successful launches.
3-Katha Studio focuses on promoting hospitality and F&B brands. What strategies have you found most effective in amplifying the beauty, culture, and hospitality of India on a global scale?
The Indian sub continent has everything a discerning traveller may want, however I feel it has not been promoted well, sometimes the narrative is amiss and sometimes the infrastructure or policies. Take Khajuraho for example, it is a beautiful place with history and culture thick on the ground. It is a UNESCO world heritage site, has Raneh Falls and Panna national park, even good infrastructure now and can be a great family destination, but we tend to link it to Kamasutra temples, as some two decades ago it was marketed as such.
It is my dream and mission to tell stories of my land, and put India on the global map. No where close to it yet, but I am sure to do it.
4-As an award-winning journalist who has held esteemed roles at various publications, how has your background in journalism influenced your approach to marketing and communications?
I feel content is king. No matter how powerful the visuals, for me it is the written word that makes the story. My experience as a journalist has taught me to look at both the sides of the coin and craft thoughtful narratives while sharing a brand’s story.
5-Looking ahead, what are your future plans for Katha Studio, and how do you envision contributing to India’s global tourism campaign in the coming years?
We are excited to kickstart a travel campaign at Katha. It is still in its nascent stages of planning, and being a young organisation, funding is often a challenge, but we are sure to roll it out soon and create a huge impact with it. Katha was born with a mission to put India on the tourism map as the preferred choice for travellers across the globe. I want to get outbound into areas like MP and Orissa and North East India, which have a lot of potential but that lies unearthed.
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