Tara Sinha, First Indian Woman To Set Up An Ad Agency Passes Away

Tara Sinha, the first woman to set up an advertising agency passed away on Wednesday at 87 years. She was a veteran in the field of Advertising, Public Relations, External Affairs, Issues Management and Corporate Communications with over 50 years of experience in England, India and the USA. She, reportedly, had Alzheimers/Dementia.

Tara Sinha, RIP. The First Lady of Indian advertising.

— Wear a mask. Covid kills. (@AnantRangaswami) December 11, 2019

Facts About The Advertising Veteran:

• Tara Sinha became the first Indian woman to set up an advertising agency, when in 1955 she helped establish Clarion.
• She has authored articles and presentations on topics related to the quality of life programs.
• She is a recognised advisor on marketing and a range of other corporate areas involving relationship issues.
• An active columnist and a speaker on advertising and quality of life communications, she has authored two regular columns: one in a national daily and the other in the country’s leading marketing and advertising journal.
• She has also served as the President and Chief Executive of Clarion Advertising Services. After leaving this post, she found Tara Sinha Associates.

She went on to pursue her Senior Cambridge School Certificate – UK and CAM Diploma – Advertising Association/The Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK, at a time when even secondary education for women was a very big thing.

Early Life And Career

Sinha started her career with D J Keymer, Calcutta, the Indian subsidiary of S H Benson. However, Benson shut its Calcutta branch in 1955. Thereby, all the working staff at Benson's Calcutta branch gathered to form Clarion. Here, Sinha was appointed as the director. So, at the age of 23, Sinha was the head of an Ad agency. She then relocated to Bombay and went on to head The Bombay Office. Alongside this, she joined Coca Cola. Post this, she moved to the company’s corporate headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

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She then returned in 1984, to again head Clarion. But just 18 months after Sinha was appointed as President and Chief Executive of Clarion Advertising Services, she left and founded Tara Sinha Associates. Later, McCann Erickson joined hands with Tara Sinha Associates and Sinha continued as its head.

Professional Memberships

Tara Sinha was a veteran in the field of advertising. She not only served as the head of Clarions but also had a number of professional memberships. Her professional memberships include:

Governing Council of India Habitat Centre
• The Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK
• The Delhi Advertising Club, India
• Market Research Society, UK (past)
• The Association of Qualitative Research Practitioners, UK (past)

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She went on to pursue her Senior Cambridge School Certificate – UK and CAM Diploma – Advertising Association/The Chartered Institute of Marketing, UK, at a time when even secondary education for women was a very big thing.

She has also served as the President and Chief Executive of Clarion Advertising Services. After leaving this post, she found Tara Sinha Associates.

Lived Through The Genesis Of Indian Advertising Industry

Tara Sinha literally lived through the genesis of the Indian Advertising Industry. She served as a key planning member for communications and strategies for several mega brands. Since her advertising days, she has been the Chairperson of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi. She also served as the Member, Advisory Council IIT, Delhi and Chairperson, Advertising Sub-Committee, ASSOCHAM.

Picture Credit: India Content

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