Interview: Amit Relan, Director at WOOT Factor: Brand Architects

An interview with Amit Relan, Director at WOOT Factor: India’s premier Experiential Events Management Company

Welcome to an exclusive interview with Mr. Amit Relan, the esteemed Director at WOOT Factor, India’s leading Experiential Events Management Company. With a passion for creating unforgettable moments, Mr. Relan has spearheaded WOOT Factor’s journey to redefine event experiences.

Join us as we unravel his insights, expertise, and the innovative strategies driving WOOT Factor’s success in crafting immersive and impactful events across the nation.

What inspired you to establish WOOT Factor, and what sets it apart as India’s premier experiential events management company?

Amit Relan: I had started my career by working in corporates, but in a decade I realised my entrepreneurial side and I always knew that I was also an entertainer at heart. My instincts work best when it comes to curating unforgettable experiences for those around me in personal life too. 

Establishing WOOT Factor was marrying my passion and profession. Till today, even after 14 years, I don’t feel like I’m going to work every day. It’s something I look forward to, being the brand architect that I always wanted to be.

At the onset, I’d like everyone reading this to know that WOOT is not just an event management company. We are a brand experience organisation with ROI driven mind-set that strive relentlessly to weave a story for our clients. Therefore, our trusted nomenclature of being ‘Brand Architects’ fits so strongly into our being.

We have worked over the years to change the perception towards events and event agencies, I feel that’s our USP, and we like to maintain our differentiation factor at all times.

Can you share some of the most memorable events WOOT Factor has organized, and what made them stand out in terms of creativity and impact?

Amit Relan: Memories are created when milestones are met, that’s the sole objective that drives every WOOTer within our organisation.

Recently we organised a cricket tournament for one of the leading private banks of India. The participation included prestigious clubs/gymkhanas, housing societies, and corporates of Mumbai.

Another one was when we organised a co-partnered road trip adventure experience across Rajasthan between a leading automobile brand and a private bank.

We curated brand experiences for a luxury and lifestyle festival in Mumbai conducted by India’s most respected and prestigious heritage brand. It was a first 96.4% sustainable event where we sourced raw materials from an eco-partner to adhere to the theme to ensure it was an environment friendly and a conscious event.

Every event is an experience for us, every event provides us the goal to achieve better results. Hence, for us we can’t really point out a few specific ones, we treat all events will equal fervour and the zeal to learn from each experience.

How does WOOT Factor approach the process of conceptualizing and executing experiential events that resonate with clients and attendees alike?

Amit Relan: Our first approach is to understand the brief from our client and see how we can come in to add the WOOT factor to it. After we decode the brief, we sit with all our teams to brainstorm ideas. This is where half our work happens. Once we are clear on the ideas, we know how to translate that into reality

We always put ourselves in the shoes of the audience who will attend the event. What would we like to experience when we come for a musical night, a carnival, a Bollywood dance party, an exclusive luxury real estate property launch or a car launch. The kind of experiences we would like, that’s what we translate into reality.

Also, another important aspect that we keep in mind is to curate a different experience depending upon the brand, the category in which they operate in, the target audience of the said event and what is the end goal (ROI driven) that we can provide to our client. These simple steps ensure a unique experience curation at WOOT

In an age where virtual events have become increasingly popular, how does WOOT Factor adapt its experiential approach to digital platforms?

Amit Relan: At WOOT we love to play around with the latest technology in our brand curations, but of course we never force fit something just because it’s trending. WOOT isn’t a part of the bandwagon and we are perfectly alright with curating select, unique experiences as we are with the massy ones depending on the event requirement.

We have been instrumental in creating microsites based initiatives and connects for over a decade now, for our esteemed clients for various Pan-India, large scale events so as to ease the operational aspect of an event as well as to streamline the control in our hands more effectively and reach a larger consumer base using technology connects.

Post pandemic we have seen a huge foray into the ‘Phygital’ experiences and it’s exciting to not just curate for live audiences but also monetise the opportunity to connect with individuals virtually and build a larger viewer and customer base.

What role does innovation play in the event planning process at WOOT Factor, and how do you stay ahead of emerging trends in experiential marketing?

Amit Relan: Innovation is the mother of all solutions for us at WOOT! We thrive on them. Each brand is different, they cater to different audience segments, hence it’s imperative for us to curate a separate experience for each.

We created an IP for one of the prestigious global private bank in India which included curated music, immersive art, Sufi experiences. This was a wonderful platform for the bank to create a closer connect with its priority clients.

Our end goal has always been the value addition we bring to our clients, whether it is from an ROI/Business perspective or from an intangible aspect of an experience. We focus on the long-term, instant gratification isn’t a WOOT way of life.

We believe in the slow-cooking method that brings out the best flavours. Honest, transparent, dedicated approach to curating brand experiences for the last 14 years have helped us stay ahead of the curve and create a few distinct, standard operating procedures of our own.

How does WOOT Factor collaborate with brands to align event experiences with their marketing objectives and brand identity?

Amit Relan: WOOT believes that each client is a brand representative who is a passionate custodian of the brand. The way we feel about WOOT is the same way a client feels about his/her brand.

We go through several rounds of discussion with the brand representative to understand what is the objective behind the event. Is it lead generation, is it new customer acquisition, is it gratification program for existing customers, or a niche engagement, a family carnival, internal employee engagement, M.I.C.E event, etc.

Our events are tailored accordingly, what we would do for an exclusive, invite only, luxury event is not what we would curate for a mass level concert.

We believe in creating brand identities for the client by encouraging them to create IPs, something that can be replicated from time to time. This builds brand affinity, recall, and loyalty for their clientele/audience. We have been successful in creating IPs for leading private banks and real estate enterprises at WOOT

Looking ahead, what do you envision for the future of WOOT Factor, and how do you plan to continue shaping the landscape of experiential events in India?

Amit Relan: The future at WOOT Factor is being crafted as we read this! We are always on the hunt for new technical innovations that we can incorporate in our experiences. Also, we are on-boarding partners who are focused on providing eco-friendly, sustainable materials.

WOOT Factor has been a major player in the banking and finance sector, automobile and the real estate sector. We have worked with the best names in these industries.

We have expanded our portfolio and created a separate identity called WOOT Luxe that deals in creating exclusive brand experiences for the luxury sector in India.

With two offerings from the house of WOOT, we get a clear direction as to what kind of events to design in order to keep shattering the glass ceiling when it comes to brand experiences.

WOOT Factor feels like home, not only for me and my Co-Founder, Smita Shah, but also for our little community of employees for whom the undying spirit of ‘ubuntu’ remains the north star.

This culture that we have inculcated is to keep our WOOT family as one team that has a common goal. Together we stand strong and prepared for all the curve balls that this ever-evolving industry has to offer.

Our interview with Mr. Amit Relan, Director at WOOT Factor, offers a glimpse into the visionary leadership propelling India’s experiential events industry forward. Through his dedication to creativity and excellence, Mr. Relan continues to elevate WOOT Factor’s reputation as a trailblazer in delivering unforgettable event experiences.

As the company thrives under his guidance, the future promises even more groundbreaking innovations in the realm of experiential event management.

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