THE ABHI-ASH BASH... Krazy Kiya Re!!

4Ps B&M's Monojit Lahiri checks out the complete freak-out that accompanied the “wedding of the century.” What unleashed this unprecedented media frenzy... And was this madness called for? Read on...

It was truly the (Grand) mother of all events! From the time India’s most “eligible bachelor” turned his sexy gaze on the “most beautiful woman in the world” it’s been hype hoopla and hungama all the way. Today Abhishek Bachchan and Ash Rai – oops, Bachchan – are man and wife, but you seriously think you’ve heard the last of them? Visit your friendly neighbourhood shrink people, because you ain’t heard – or seen – nothin’ yet! Act II is about to begin with the feedbacks, reactions, observations, and most importantly, speculations! Can the gorgeous free-spirited super-star ever hope to fit into (allegedly) “Mama’s boys” life with confidence... into the (now-traditional, now new-age) Bachchan sansar with the required orthodox, low-key, persona desired? While marketers are busy toting up a figure to gauge the collective worth of the brand Bachchan – last estimated at Rs.7 billion – the moot question is: Has the media finally lost it, in its self-appointed role as stalker & paparazzi on an over-drive?

Lowe’s Priti Nair believes that the frenzy has as much to do with the over-hyped times we live in as the significance of the event itself. “It’s tragic to see the depth Breaking News has nosedived to. A while ago – I am not kidding – it proudly trumpetted the price of onions. Imagine!” All the sickening and boring details, flashed & printed ad nauseam, Nair believes, is the new disease – the celebration of trivia and it has as much to do with the dumbing down of the media as fierce competition blitzes the media space. This results in mass frenzy, making mountains of molehills and some really “creative” spins designed to grab eyeballs & get a leg-up in rat race.

One of the Mumbai’s most celebrated theatre directors (No, not the one ‘n’ only AP, for chrissake!) offers his take. “There can be no greater icon in the history of Bollywood than AB, right? When his son – today a rising star in his own right – decides to marry the most beautiful, glamorous and hot-ticket star in Bollywood, c’mon, it’s a pre-sold knock-out event! Naturally, the media would go ga-ga. Instead of a blanket ban (causing them to go ballistic), wouldn’t it have been so much better if they were allocated some time to shoot their pictures and clear out?” he reasons.

True! By excluding the media and using security to take care of the VIP guests – and inadvertently rough them up! – the Bachchans mucked it up. Interestingly, it was this very same Mr. Bachchan who, a few months ago, went to the media with a full page ad endorsing his son’s Guru to the skies. “Close friends and family are all very well as are cute speeches about the rationale that defined his actions in the media. I think selective memory and exploiting the media, when required, is also not a great act. I am very disappointed,” he adds.

Poonam Saxena – the Editor of Brunch – has difficulty breathing when the issue is brought up! When we eventually manage to tear her away from watching POGO Channel, she somewhat recovers and begins to talk. “Guys, we are all up to our ears with the AbhiAsh thing and have decided, in principle, to shove any news related to the golden couple in the deep freeze for at least a couple of months. Which is why, I am staying away from all news channels and concentrating on POGO! Bas, bahut ho gaya, yaar!”

Poonam – a hard-core showbiz journo of many years – admits that it’s big stuff, but genuinely feels that the channels and publications overestimated the news value of the event and went insane flashing it 24X7. “It’s like this. After a point, even the most curious and excited fan gets fed-up of seeing the same boring visuals, flashed repeatedly across all channels. Why this madness? I guess it has to do with the insecurity of channels... This is hot stuff and they don’t want to miss a beat, in case another channel gets that sudden, unexpected and winning dramatic visual of the Big B, Jaya or the newly-wedded couple that instantly allows them to surge ahead. Scary huh?”

So, at the end of the day, what gives? It’s a tricky question. Traditionally, worldwide, the celeb-media face-off has always been combustible, a love-hate relationship with each feeding off the other. Increasingly, the thin line between private (no entry) and public (welcome) are blurring with the media, insisting that the celebs owe them one. While the Bachchans maintain that they have every right to hold a “small private wedding” to which the media is not invited, critics aver that their pre-historic and regressive antics – temple-hopping, tree-wedding, astro-craze on one hand, and limited edition, starry designer functions with the newly-wedded couple rocking to the chartbusting Kajra-re on the other, makes a mockery of the whole thing. The simple truth is that celebrities are public property created, promoted, and in some fashion, owned by the media. Today, media has assumed the proportion of a Frankenstein and when towering mega-stars (who live in the public eye) suddenly decide to play coy and shut them off in an event that has swept most local, national and international news... Baby, you’re asking for trouble!

THE ABHI-ASH BASH... Krazy Kiya Re!!

Has Indian advertising truly arrived, globally?

Monojit Lahiri attempts a reality check...

In recent times, the media has gone gasp-pant-poof-yess at India’s ad presence (read Cannes) abroad! They speak breathlessly of the awards we scooped up, honours bestowed to our leading lights and status accorded to our work and industry at the “Oscars of the ad world.” They freak out on the ‘bhav’ given to our local dadas (Piyush Pandey and Prasoon Joshi) and boldly declare that internationally we are no longer perceived as pariahs, third world wannbees, seventy fourth from left, hysterically crazed to enter any which way into the magic list... But stars in our own right. A massive India presence (agency, clients, communication specialists and press) reflects the galloping enthusiasm and growing confidence of Brand India in the global scheme of things. No question about it – India has arrived with a bang in the ad world space!

Ujjal Sinha, the feisty CEO of the Kolkata-based Genesis Advertising (with branches in Delhi and Mumbai) finds it difficult to keep a straight face for long, and soon gives up! “Hey c’mon guys, you can’t be serious! Despite our humongous size, we don’t come anywhere near Australia or even Brazil ! They scoop up at least ten times the amount of awards we do with much less song and dance!” Sinha believes all this hoo-ha is very much a part of our national character and points in the direction of our annual fling at the Oscars. “The crazy hype is strictly locally generated, invariably leading to the predictable phooossss!”. He admits that we have certainly made marginal waves – thanks largely to Piyush Pandey’s relentless efforts but we have miles to go. “At best we have scratched the surface. Do we have a Neil French or John Hagiarty amongst us? We certainly have the talent, drive and energy and seem to be moving in the right direction. However, these are early days. The trick is not to get carried away, but consolidate on our strengths till we arrive at a time when we are celebrated on our own terms.”
 
Sushil Pandit – CEO of the Delhi-based, The Hive – however, marches to a different beat. “I think Indian advertising is a world in itself and it needn’t bother or worry about the global picture. No other country can even hope to match it for complexity, challenges and opportunities it throws up. Languages, consumer segments, affordability, price points, passion, desire, wants, needs, aspirational quotients... We have all the ingredients to be unique and self sufficient in a holistic fashion.”

Pandit, now warmed up, turns up the heat when he says that he believes a time has come when, instead of the world judging Indian advertising, we should start judging them! “The quality of our stars showcasing international juries across hi-profile ad-forums appropriately reflects our status on the global stage. There is neither any reason to be defensive nor seek approval from the West!”

O&M’s Piyush Pandey appears less euphoric & more realistic. “Our advertising has certainly come of age when you compare it to the average quality of advertising on TV across the globe. Our stuff is certainly better & more interesting than most others. However, it is that top 5% where we have to break into.”

The mustachio dada believes that we are still evolving and we have some ground to cover. In the West, some commercials are made at a budget that would exceed the entire media budget of some of our biggest spenders! Our talent lies in maximising results from minimum resources – no mean feat. “Everything considered, our recent performances at global forums and meets, the spark and quality of ideas from our youngsters and general standard of work produced has certainly created a buzz and expectation internationally. We have made our entry and we need to translate that expectation delivers outstanding work on a regular basis – something I am confident we can do!”

Pops Sridhar of Leo Burnett agrees, “I have been fortunate to have witnessed the entire drama from Act one... the emergence and ascent of our home-grown talents, the fade out of the phirang hot-shots, integration of the two worlds and the growing confidence and stature of our very own ad scene at global forums. The transition and journey from a white man’s domain to the Made-in-India stamp has been very special, and today we have proved to the world that we are second to none. Every single American agency located in India is rocking without any expat presence, something that you cannot say about Korea, China or even Japan.”

Mohammed Khan, as always, tempers this debate with sophisticated wisdom. The fact that the country is making great progress and Indians are making a mark in every sphere globally, he believes, is something that no one can deny and is hugely praiseworthy. “However, to ride on that and conclude (insist?) that we have made big waves and become a force to reckon with, is utter rubbish! We have not. We are (at best) just about beginning to draw attention. The one making waves is Brazil, who ironically is not even an English-speaking country! They have a very special Brazilian way of creating ads that are wacky, sexy and extremely endearing, which seems to be a huge hit in the West, totally disproportionate to the tiny size of their country. More power to the elbow!” Khan believes that if people are waking and looking at us, it’s largely due to the fact that Indians are making solid waves across so many diverse disciplines, spheres and fields. Advertising is only one tiny speck... Agree? 

Has Indian advertising truly arrived, globally?

Is Great Copywriting DEAD?

4Ps B&M's Monojit Lahiri ponders over this critical issue, with a little help from some creative stars

Once upon a time advertising was a class act. Elegant and stylish, it brilliantly showcased classy writing. This means that the constituency who made waves were individuals who were engaged in a passionate love-affair with the English language; had a complete command as well as enjoyed the ability to manipulate, narrate, coax and woo words in a fashion that enticed and entertained as well as moved (both) emotions and merchandise in the desired manner. The WORD was God and devotees pulled out all stops to elevate it to sublime levels. Frank Simoes, Shiben Dutta, Sayeeda Imam, Mohammed Khan (whose iconic ad celebrating the 10th anniversary of his agency, Enterprise, remains a classic), Ivan Arthur, Chris Rozario, Alok Nanda, Freddy Birdy… they comprised a small cluster of artists whose work was held up as glowing examples of outstanding advertising.

So, whatever happened to that kind of soul-uplifting writing where words sang and soared in magical fashion? Has it been brutally replaced by crass, terse, staccato, smart-arse slogans in the throwaway populist, bindas hinglish? Is the rampaging TVC culture responsible for seducing people with its quick-fix, addictive, audio-visual masala, which does not demand any cultural foundation… or is it all really a sign of the times; a natural reaction in an environment where communication is the key, speed the mantra and brevity the mandate?

Young and talented Tania Chakrabarty (O&M, Kolkata) believes it is an appropriate reflection of the here and now. “Patience is in alarmingly short supply and this is largely responsible for the demise of the long copy ads,” she says. While at a personal level Chakarbarty laments the state of ad copywriting today, she recognises that if the consumer is not in the mood to read them, the advertiser is not in the mood to buy them. Period. For Chakrabarty, this genre of writing is akin to possessing a ‘Benz’… “Something that exists in splendid isolation in the garage, brought out only on rare and appropriate occasions. For everyday, the chalu stuff is there, na?”
 
“It is the age of SMS, visual communication and e-mail, baby!” That’s the iconoclast, media hot shot Pritish Nandy, who believes that the very fact that we are able to effectively communicate with each other in a language without grammar, punctuation or spellings as taught to us in school and college means that the conventional, Queen’s English has been given a warm send off… “and no one’s complaining!” he avers, adding that, “Find me one kid who reads Dickens, Thakeray, Hardy, Wilde or even Shakespeare and I’ll find you a pig that flies!” Nandy is of the opinion that the defining role of things familiar, has changed radically. Technology has unleashed a generation that demands instant gratification through instant solutions. “All this has played a crucial part in this new communication mode, with advertising leading from the front. Ad-guys are quick to seize the mood and moment and milk it to the full,” he reasons.

The great Mohammed Khan however lays the blame on other areas. “I think Cannes is the biggest reason for the recent fade-out of quality writing because the stuff they exhibit, showcase, applaud, celebrate and award are (mostly) visual-led. This leads kids to believe that words are irrelevant and should be kept to a bare minimum.” The thinking is further re-enforced by a genuine shift in the art-copy configuration with art coming centre- stage, “Unlike earlier times, today’s art directors are articulate, savvy and interactive. They are stars in their own right, no longer shy, withdrawn creatures who need to be protected, instead ready to claim their (long overdue?!) pound of flesh in public.” But, Khan is convinced that even in today’s crazy kiya re times, if a writer is truly gifted, he is capable of finding an audience, clientele and market. The problem is the deadly dearth of quality writers.

Creative Director Titus Upputuru brings his own spin to the table. A passionate lover of the language, this young, pro-active communicator has gone well beyond hollow drawing-room posturing into championing a movement – on the net- called ‘Save the World’. Here’s his take. “TV is not called an Idiot Box for nothing! However, today TVCs certainly seem to enjoy a winning presence in the mediascape. Interestingly, one small fact is overlooked. Before the TVC hits the screen, they are ideated and put down on paper in the shape of a script, remember?” Upputuru concedes that their manifestation in a primarily visual format (solely designed to sell through entertainment) within a very tight timeframe (30 secs/60 secs) demanding zero intelligence quotient and catering to broadbased populist taste make it the flavour of the day. He admits that creative guys today prefer doing TVCs rather than writing ads. Why? “Because our hottest creative stars are people who are more TV/film/visual-oriented than copy-driven. Also, the glamour and excitement attached to it is high!”

So has quality writing been flung out of the window or shoved onto the back-burner? Is the well-written, exquisitely crafted English language a thing of the past? Well, there can’t – shouldn’t – be any sweeping value judgments because language is a product of its environment and its evolution, flexibility and usage will depend on which way the wind is blowing.

Once upon a time advertising was not need-based and neither were clients nor products ad-dependant. In that arena, the sophisticated, public-school, well-read and well-spoken individuals called the shots. Language, finesse and nuance of expression were appreciated and rewarded. Today’s marketscape, with its disparate and segmented target group, does not require it. The profile, psychographics, demographics and demands of the new age consumer does not connect with yesterdays urban-centric, English-specific, one-size-fits-all capsule. These people may not be too fluent with the Queen’s English but they are aspirational, loaded and in a hurry to live the good life. More importantly, they want to be wooed in their own language! In this new scheme of things (barring a few high-end categories) where jaldi bol, mota bol, seedha bol is the ruling commandment and Hindi/Hinglish the preferred lingua franca, do the magical Mohammed, fabulous Freddy or awesome Alok have a ghost of a chance? You decide!

Is Great Copywriting DEAD?

SIZE MATTERS OR DOES IT?

4Ps B&M's Monojit Lahiri takes a microscope and dives in to inspect whether the biggies have an edge over smaller agencies in the hallowed ‘land of ideas’! Read on to discover what he finds...

The US of A has always, in flashy and hi-decibel fashion, flouted, rooted and celebrated the ‘big is beautiful’ philosophy. Be it cars, corporations, lifestyle, pay cheques, movies, hype, babes-it’s all mega and wadda! The Big Daddy of Madison Avenue and the acknowledged Founding Father of America’s Creative revolution Bill Bernbach, however chose to differ. In a startling, landmark and audacious breakthrough, he launched the VW car (in the 50s) with two simple perception-altering words-THINK SMALL. And what a fall was there my countrymen!

However, the debate and discussion here is something else. Does the size of an ad agency determine the quality they will deliver? Does ‘big’ automatically spell excellence; and ‘small’, inadequate and therefore, suspect? Do the Biggies, by that token, have an instant edge over the smaller shops due to their global affiliations and infrastructural heavies? Finally, if advertising is really a business of ideas, shouldn’t this aspect be the real driver of quality and agency selection instead of size?

“It is a very interesting question and needs to be looked at in 360 degree fashion.” That’s Esha Guha, CEO of the Delhi-based Newfields Advertising. “Does size matter? Yes and No. Yes, because with the multinats swamping the Indian marketspaces and global ad conglomerates buying up Indian agencies outta sight - JWT, Ogilvy, Bates, Saatchi & Saatchi, Rediffusion DY&R, Dentsu, TBWA Anthem, Ambience Publicis - the smaller agencies definitely are struggling to come to terms with this reality.” Taking the case further, she believes that (with remote exceptions) the best and brightest creative talent will invariably end up signing up with a big shop. Why? “Simply because of the huge creative and financial scope offered. Suddenly, they have opportunities to work on large, prestigious global accounts, enjoy access to you-name-it resources, can actually have a (realistic) shot at the most celebrated (Cannes, Abbys, One-Show Archives) honours and awards and (to crown it all), also pocket a very lucrative pay-cheque. So yes, size here is a big deal!”

However, Guha is quick to point out that there’s a flip-side too, where there is place for everybody and size is not the cutting-edge monster devouring all in its way, as its often made out to be. “Contrary to one kind of mindset, the world does not belong solely to the big spenders and mega brands. There are dozens of small and medium advertisers, who prefer to work with smaller agencies rooted, down-to-earth, hard-working sans nakhras, committed to deliver the desired quality with speed.” The CEO proudly points out to (among several)- one outstanding LIC ad that they produced in recent times which won out in the face of stiff competition from the more glamorous, Mumbai-based biggies.

Bikram Sen (Ex JWT, Clarion, McCann and present head honcho of Sony Advertising) takes the case further. “To me, size is not about monster ad spends or bullying. Its about temperament, aptitude, and the ability to rise to the big occasion-when it presents itself and deliver value that makes a difference.”

Sen believes size can be both a virtue and virtue and vice. “It can be the former for all the obvious reasons. The vice has to do with personalized interaction taking a hit in this assembly-line and factory-type environment which for its turn, impacts ideation. ” No wonder, more and more creative types are quitting the big agencies to either start their own small outfit or connect with shops that are creatively compatible & provide them with an environment to celebrate their own space”

Sandeep Mahapatra, the brilliant “planning” maverick in McCann blows away all negativity and reservation, ifs and buts against size and bursts in with all cylinders firing. He presents his case with scary facts. “Let’s not act, sweet, cute, corny, and kid ourselves that size is a villain and niche is God, okay? The reality is that in the space that we operate, size is everything. Why? Because businessmen like to engage with businessmen. Good businessmen like to connect with good businessmen. Big businessmen like to eyeball with big businessmen and that forms the starting point of a business association.”

Mahapatra explains that the celebrity creative person who heads his/her own ad-boutique is hugely respected by one and all, but will only attract the smaller fish as clients. Does this mean there’s a conflict? No. It’s just that it’s a historical fact that ‘small’ often translates to ‘great work’. That’s how they hit the spotlight, grab attention, become big (and then bingo)! Proceed to shelve and dump all the creative drives that made them hot! Suddenly they turn establishment, forget the audacious ideas and creative leaps that made them rock, play safe and cautious, rely on the safety of numbers and tread familiar, but predictably boring-comfort zones. Mahapatra is convinced that ‘big is good’. “The reason is simple for the client, agency and sharp creative person. Imagine a situation where you have a super-client-understanding, receptive, communication – savvy – with all his stuff in place and inspirational enough to get out some great work from the agency. Unfortunately, the poor sod doesn’t have the adspend to do justice to the vision or brilliant creatives that can bring change. It’ll be lost in some small, vague obscure publication and channels in the media landscape. If it’s however a Coke, then they have the financial clout to publicize and showcase their stuff to effect.”

In fact, it is also a psychological thing. People generally react differently to size… At award shows, a Coke is likely to be much more of a turn-on than, say Emami or Boroline. The other thing that ‘big’ offers is a great springboard because of an incomparable environment and platform to imbibe, absorb, learn, grow and develop… Come on, there’s a difference in whether you begin your career with an HLL or a Mina Chemicals, for chrissake! Size matters-and don’t believe anyone who says anything else… 

SIZE MATTERS OR DOES IT?