Manoj Mathai was lucky to begin his career by launching the first coloured mobile handsets in India with the campaign ‘Black is Boring’. The campaign was for Alcatel, the French global telecommunications giant, many years before it merged with Lucent Technologies.

Manoj Mathai, Strategist and Chief Creative Officer founded Breakthrough – the Strategy and Branding firm for the Indian micro markets, in 1998 as a very small start up without an office space on a shoestring budget of Rupees 2500, investing only in human talent and renting out facilities on an hourly basis. For almost a zero-capital firm, the safe theory of investing in intangibles was his best bet at that time.

Breakthrough made its mark with his very first campaign ‘Good Morning, Mumbai’. The campaign was to launch the Kalakaumudi Daily, the first newspaper to print in Malayalam outside Kerala.

In the beginning, Breakthrough was just a prayer, a dream and a promise. Everything that the firm had was carried in an black bag which Mathai’s sister received on joining for the NIIT computer course.

Initially the branding firm operated out of Cubbon park and the Indian Coffee House on MG Road, Bangalore. Then, being in Kerala the railway stations at Trivandrum and Ernakulam transformed into the studios of Breakthrough for cutting and paste up of layouts and artworks. Rented the first office of Breakthrough at G8, Panampally Nagar, Kochi and left it after keeping it closed for 9 months for want of money to buy furniture. Eventually the firm had an office in a friend’s bedroom at Trivandrum.

Over the years Breakthrough grew up to be the leader in building brands in Indian micro markets. Mathai led Breakthrough to win over 60 regional and national creative awards working on local brands in micro markets in India, unlike big agencies winning for big clients.

The highlight of Breakthrough for Mathai was winning the most number of awards at Kerala Advertising Agencies Creative awards in 2010 and being Kerala’s Ad Agency of the year 2012 by increasing its tally by one from 16 to 17 awards from the just previous edition. As there was no Ad Agency of the year award in 2010, the firm had to be satisfied with its large haul and top points.

Mathai pioneered the unique ‘Brand Reverse Thinking’ in creating and powering brands in micro markets. This new thinking helps brands retain their market share and leadership position in regional and local markets. The thinking has been published as a full page story in the leading Indian Business magazine, Business India in its May 21, 2014 issue under the title ‘Beyond The Horizon’.

He has tried, tested and successfully implemented the Brand Reverse thinking for over two decades and helped brands retain the número uno position in a large spectrum of industries including hospitality, retail, media, IT, real estate, automobile, education, healthcare, beauty etc.

The detailing of Brand Reverse Thinking of Mathai can be understood if you study a few of his strategies like:

– ‘The only resort in Kerala, where time stands still’ for The Travancore Heritage Resort.

– ‘My Home. My Life.’ for SFS Homes.

– ‘The largest jewellery showroom in India is now at Trivandrum’ for Bhima jewelry.

– ‘The only resort where history meets future’ for Le Pondy Resort.

– ‘The first designer fashion store from Kerala’ for Vedhika.

– ‘Eat Pure. Stay Healthy.’ for Aroma Fresh Zero-Pesticide vegetables and fruits.

– ‘Even I am there in MT’s world’ for Malayala Manorama.

– The new position on design for Bhima Jewellery in the temple town of Madurai.

Mathai is a radical believer that India will transform to the next level in development quite easily if local Indian brands flourish and thrive to rule their own local markets.

He believes: if a million Indian businesses bloom into a million Indian brands, India will emerge as the new brand super power. This is his vision for new India.