Let’s get love back!

4Ps B&M's Monojit Lahiri examines the strange paucity of ‘Love-Ads’ currently and exhorts, subjectively of course, the pundits to – well – get love back!
The most revered, hymned and celebrated emotion in this world is alas, allocated [by the powers that are!] only one calendar day in the year: Valentine’s Day! And boy, is there an overdrive – across all markets – to hard-sell heart-sell! But look around and suddenly you’ll realise that there’s a strange paucity of ‘love communication’. In other words, ads today are harping about technological prowess, or pricing coups, or even off-the-zonker humour... where the hell did the cheesy love ads disappear to?

And that at a time when the nation is brimming with Don Juanistic fervour. Never in recorded history has there been such a titanic need, hunger and desire for love. Quickly translated, the market for love is… unimaginable! Hard-boiled cynics and myopic marketers may dismiss this line of thought but the savvy, intelligent, sensitive, emo-tracking communication dude gets the drift and taps, full-on, with thumper results! It’s not so hard to figure out why, really. Look around and you see this strange scene with human beings longing to invest in emotion, love, imagination and feelings, both in their life and work, but most of them have one major problem: They don’t have a clue! Declares Isha Khan, a Corporate Consultant, “They are caught flat-footed in the challenge of translating love into a palpable, tangible and credible action. Comprehensively and totally foxed at the task of dovetailing innovation speed and flexibility with the magic and mystique of bonding.” To grounded people (not totally consumed or corrupted by gross and crass materialism that surrounds us), the solution is simple: Get back to Basics. Junk those bulky reports. Dump those research studies. Give love a chance. Leverage this amazing emotion as a strategic device for an enduring emotional connect – with every member across your target group/constituency – and watch the bottomline soar!

Genuine, sensitive and smart communicators have always understood, recognised and leveraged this emotion intelligently to escape from the dreaded ‘commodity trap’ and place brands where they actually belong – at the emotional centric-stage. Confesses veteran behavioural scientist and communication-watcher Kishore Dave, “This is a hallowed space reserved for charismatic brands – Pepsi, Coke, Reebok, Nike, Apple, Fevicol, Vodafone, Airtel, Lux, Surf, HDFC, Samsung, Archies – which inspire a kind of passion and loyalty that are both off-limits and non-negotiable to the touts. Also, what better time than now – harsh, tough, cynical and complex – to bring back the past and get love back-on-track. Celebrate love as emotion, inspiration and motivation Number One! Reaffirm what smart ad guys and marketers have known all along... that in the endless battle lines between emotion and reason, the former leads to action; the latter, only to conclusion”.

Finally, if fun, sensuality, mystery and intimacy enthrall, engage, entertain, enrich and empower life, why should they be blinkered off from the communication thrust related to trade and commerce, business and industry? Aren’t they driven by people? Why not substitute the dumb, impersonal, corporatised passion-trimmed-into-efficiency mode with a strong, personal and emotional connect. Starbucks, Café Coffee Day, Barista and the new Bank (ICICI) ads seem to be doing it, brilliantly, all the time. Explains Creative Director Kaushik Sen, “They’ve understood that the rules of the game have changed. It’s no longer only about consumer contact programmes; it’s about hanging out and being involved. Not about taking notes – but taking the pulse. Also, they’ve recognised that the research guys, after researching the hell out of what they believe needs to be researched, have conveniently ignored the rest.” The truth is – everything of value cannot be probed, dissected, analysed, scanned and researched for the right answer. Why? Because then we are in danger (As one perceptive pundit brilliantly put it) of being exactly wrong instead of being approximately right. Of placing consumers at the base of the pyramid rather than the centre. Of mistaking the fingers on our hands for the beat of our hearts.

So what’s the take out? As an ad guru has pointed out with rare perception and sensitivity, we need to stop talking about love and emotion and set it to work; blend it to the rampaging, new age emotion economy. The entertainment industry is a brilliant setting. It appeals to our creative, unconscious and intuitive side – zones that operate beyond rationality and rules, celebrating story-telling mystery and metaphor.

So at the end of the day: Is love a mango? A four letter word? Or a many splendoured thing? The April rose that only grows in early spring? Nature’s way of giving a reason to living, the golden crown that makes a man a king? You decide, but yes... the jury is out and the popular consensus is that [everything considered], love is indeed the CEO that presides over all constituencies and target groups simply because it unfailingly conquers the most significant, critical, precious, sacrosanct and empowering territory of all, your heart! And it’s time we got love back into the ad-business!

Let’s get love back!

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ADVERTISING

In this fascinating and rollicking first-person-account, the noted veteran ad-industry maverick, monojit lahiri, tracks the changing contours of India’s adscape over the last three and a half decades … and is convinced that we ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

Phew! From “Thank God you’re not one of those small-town, vernac types, dear boy” to “Oye angrez, Hindi aati hai?”… we’ve indeed come a long way! But to begin at the beginning, it was a completely different planet, the India and Kolkata of the early seventies and a totally different adspace too. Fresh out of college (St. Xaviers, Kolkata, English Hons.) I had three choices staring at me, menacingly. Journalism, Academics, Advertising. The first was tempting because I loved and enjoyed writing and was a fairly regular contributor to (the now defunct) JS, as also some other colour supplements. The second was scary as hell… I couldn’t ever see myself doing an MA, going up to Oxford and returning to teach students – mostly bored as hell – the beauty, meaning and value of the English language! The third, advertising, was hands-down hot! It promised leveraging of language in an unusual setting and excitement, of an informal and unconventional nature, in the workplace. My (late) father, Sanat Lahiri, who was a huge name in the communication industry of those times, was delighted that I was coming into this line of work, but quite put off by the reason! However, entering the portals of the city’s – and India’s – largest agency JWT (then HTA) I remember feeling, by turn excited, nervous, apprehensive. The first two, because HTA, Kolkata was a prized branch with most of the hi-ticket (ITC, Brooke Bond, Union Carbide, HMV, Nestle, Metal Box, to name some) accounts in JWT’s bag, stupendous billing, solidly effective work and led by a truly iconic leader, Subhash Ghoshal. Apprehensive, because of my sudden feeling of paralysing inadequacy… Would I be able to bridge the impossibly bizarre gap between Shakespeare & Shelly, Dickens, Lamb & Shaw, Donne & Swinburne and somewhat un-literary lines like ‘just for fun’, ‘chew some gum’, chiclet?!

Looking back, those early days were tough, confusing and difficult. Advertising, writing was not about beautiful language but tapping, inventing and creating word-pictures that linked the brand to the consumer in an engaging and interesting way. Luckily, I soon got the hang of it and was thrilled when my hot-shot copy chief ‘okayed’ my first ad. “Yup, you’re getting the drift, lad. Good. Now, run down and get your masterpiece translated in Hindi, okay? There’s this shabby-looking, pan-chewing, pyjama-kurta clad character sitting at a desk next to the staircase. You can’t miss him, son, he’s one in a million!” Loud guffaw.

Cut to year 2009. I am into this big discussion of how creativity in advertising is shifting lanes with a brilliant and successful, hi-profile creative hot-shot. I am waxing eloquent to this person about this outstanding writer I knew of, creator of some brilliant campaigns, winner of ‘best copywriter of the year award’ a zillion times, when my friend gently interrupts and asks about his present status. I am about to say that he’s moved out of the big league with his art partner to start his own outfit and must be surely doing very well, when my friend, with a wicked smile, interjects, “The reason for his fadeout was simple. Bhaisaab ko Hindi nahi aati thi boss [He did not know Hindi]!” Laughter.

Prasoon Joshi, my pretty concise friend above, wasn’t being conceited, sarcastic or smart-backed. He was (in his own witty way) hitting the button, spot-on. I should know. Back then in the seventies, there definitely existed a huge colonial hangover which spawned an indisputable ‘caste system’. Multi-nationals boomed and defined the culture, environment and ambience of the times. English was the preferred and desired lingua-franca of adland and everything else was perceived as down-market and vernac(ular)! The ruling and dazzling ad stars of those days – Alyque Padamsee, Gerson Da Cunha, Sylvie Da Cinha, Kersey Katra, Mohammed Khan, Frank Simoes, Nargis Wadia… to name a few – fitted seamlessly into that rarified (elitist?) clique. Everybody else was… not quite there. Western music, English theatre, clubs, parties, avant garde cinema, poetry-reading sessions – it was pretty much like a private club where trespassers (at best) could be tolerated; though seldom accepted. It might come as a shock to today’s ad-progenies to know that even the likes of Piyush Pandey and Prasoon Joshi had to cool their heels for a considerable period of time before getting their due worth. Why? Simple. They just didn’t ‘belong’!

It was the 21` Idiot Box that really marked the first ground-breaking change in this structure, mind-set, pecking-order, hierarchy. (Admittedly, Lintas did have an excellent language copy section, but it was more of a sideshow because the times were English!) Suddenly, the way communication was conceived, presented and consumed underwent a seismic change. On cue, the ad world (forever watching and tracking) got ready to change gears, switch lanes and hit the gas pedal. They noticed the stirring and enthusiastic reception of an audience (read: potential consumer) base, well beyond the traditional, metro centres with interest. However, to connect with this constituency, one needed a different sensibility in terms of mindset, language, nuance, etc, a continent away from the urban, anglicized, suited-booted variety, residing at South Bombay, Chowringhee, Connaught Place… Could the ruling ‘saab-brigade’ be able to rise and accept the challenge? This is exactly where and when seeds sown by erstwhile, unsung and unremembered visionaries like Kamlesh Pandey and Suresh Mallik – among others – started to flower and bloom. While the ‘Koi Hai?’ school of advertising weren’t hurled into exile, Advantage Bharat came into being, threatening fresh momentum each day! This wasn’t a fad but dictated clearly by the new market forces that spawned a brand new consumer universe – confident, comfortable in their vernac skin and refusing to be bullied into being forced to worship everything angrez; cash-rich, ready to turn consumer but on their own terms and through communication, language, idiom & metaphors of their choice.


The industry’s response to this cataclysmic change was spearheaded by the erstwhile Servicing Executive and later ‘language’ Copy Chief (as the Hindi copywriters were dismissively and condescendingly referred to) of Ogilvy, Piyush Pandey. Promoted to CD and later NCD, Pandey with CEO Ranjan Kapur, soon formed a formidable duo that was to change the face of advertising in India. Kapur believes that it was his creative partner “who gave our national language the pride of place it deserves and forever banished the anglicized, South Bombay brand of effete advertising.” Along the way, he made two outstanding contributions – celebrated ‘emotion’ as the ‘real’ core of advertising and moved ‘language copy’ from eek to wow – from the backroom to the front office! A great, disciplined, caring, responsible and hands-on leader who mentored a galaxy of creative hotties burning up today’s adbiz – Sonal Dabral, Prasoon Joshi, Bobby Pawar, Pushpinder Singh, Josy Paul, Abhinay Deo, Sagar Mahabelashwar Kar, Kamal Basu, Mahesh Chauhan, Satbir Singh… the list is endless. Pandey was also largely instrumental in “nationalising’ Indian advertising. Paul believes he made it more personal and “replaced the voice of God with the sound of humanity.” Through a touch of alchemy he seemed to morph, convert and transform Hindi into a language that the Indian heart understood, loved and resonated with the best. Right from Chal Meri Luna, through to Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai, Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, Heere Ko Kya Pata Tumhara Umar Kya Hai, the Cadbury and Fevicol classics, Ogilvy’s mustachioed mavericks worked to seamlessly bind India to the best of the ad universe. Today, the war has already been won, or lost, depending on whose perspective you’re using to look – Hindi and Hinglish advertising reign supreme. Whether it’s the Humko Binnies Mangta to Yehi Hai Right Choice Baby, Thanda Mutlab Coca-Cola, Dil Mange More, Oye Bubbly, Teda Hai Per Mera Hai, Youngistan Ka Wow… the deluge rages on.

Beyond this shift from Sala Mein to Saab Ban Gaya to Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, there have been other startling changes too, the blazing and vibrant celebration of ‘Youngistan’ in ad land heading the list. In the seventies, it was unheard of to have anybody who didn’t have grey hair or proven calendar years of experience hit any designation of authority. In the 90s, Nirvik Singh headed the Kolkata branch of Grey at age 26. By age 33, he was CEO! Praveen Kenneth took over as CEO of Publicis India at 29. Mahesh Chauhan became the CEO of Everest at 35 while Raj Kurup became a superstar CD of Grey at 30. Arun Iyer, the 32 year old NCD of Lowe Lintas endorsed Subodh Menon, age 26 … Youngistan ka wow - and how! In a business where human insights and visceral connect rules, where the audacity of daring to adventure and explore new means, methods and technologies to communicate in an engaging and interesting manner to the chosen constituency is critical, dumb, and moth-balled rules don’t count and nor should (automatically) the zillion years’ experience. Performance is the key. Unburdened by baggage, never taking their eyes off the ball, the best of the new kids on the block are re-defining the rules of the game. More wind beneath their wings! The other fascinating difference is the recognition and celebration of creativity as the primal force in the advertising process. Fierce competition and brand-building has placed creativity as the single greatest differentiator in the consumer mindscape, making it both a job description and a goal. Beyond pretty pictures and clever phrasing, the best of today’s advertising repeatedly demonstrate the art of creating exciting, engaging and relatable advertising – irrespective of how dull and boring the product maybe – beyond its category riding on the BIG IDEA. In the last few years, Indian Advertising Inc.’s blazing performances at Cannes – the Oscars of the ad world – and the huge respect, applause, awards and accolade accorded to several of our gifted, ad luminaries bears fitting testimony to the fact that Indian advertising – and creativity – has indeed come of age.

What else? The mind blowing spread and reach of new age media avenues and technology to grab and zap consumers wherever they are, whatever sex age and background they be! The fantastic rise and rise of the smaller agencies, doing path-breaking work, earning respect and winning large accounts in competition with the giants. The wonderful infusion of brilliant talent from non-metro, small towns (placed 47th from left in the bad old days!) to offer and provide ‘mitti ki khushboo’ to products and services, alien to the urban sensibility, and of course the deadly ménage-e-trois between Bollywood, cricket & ad land.

How do I look back, as a communication practitioner on the tumultuous and eventful three and a half decade journey? Mostly, as an exciting, entertaining and enriching chronicle and commentary of the life and times we lived through. Was everything about yesteryear’s ad land boring, unprofessional and irrelevant – and everything today, spot-on, exciting and sexy? Not at all! Focus, content and treatment – the creative package – is defined by the trends, demands and compulsion of the time and environment we live in. Some of the work that stars like Frank Simoes, Kersey Katrak, Sylvie DaCohna and Alyque Padamsee, for example did, was truly brilliant and easily comparable to anything done today. On the other hand, a lot of today’s material, in the guise of great advertising, sucks! Value judgment is dangerous and likely to be inaccurate, subjective and unfair. Sure, there were – and will always be – the fakes, pretenders, clones, windbags, dwarfs desperately trying to play giant but that comes with the territory. However, I believe two aberrations need to be addressed, quickly. One, the mindless obsession to hit the “Hindi” track, come what may. The brilliant Agnello (Taproots) Dias offers an amused take. “This Hindi- mania has come to such a stage that new, young aspirants hesitate to forward their English-speaking (school, college, institute) credentials, lest they be ridiculed by the Hindi brigade with ‘Oye, angrez, hindi aati hai’?’..” While he acknowledges and admires the path-breaking contribution done by Messrs Piyush, Prasoon and gang, he wonders if they ever realised that they were unleashing a rampaging Frankenstein’s monster! Add to that the hysterical promotion and projection of ad celebs instead of brands and serious issues, involving the industry; and what you have is not a sign of the times ... it’s uninformed and lazy journalism.

At the end of the day, the basic tenets of great advertising will always endure an engaging, entertaining, enriching and empowering way to involve and connect the prospect to the brand; to perceive each finishing line as a fresh starting point... and the exponents of this elusive craft will always be individuals who have the sensitivity, feel and chutzpah to context life. Nothing more. Nothing less.

And so to, tomorrow...

ONCE UPON A TIME IN ADVERTISING

IS SMALL THE NEW BIG?

Smaller Agencies are cracking the glass ceiling and breaking through to grab A-list clients, earlier reserved for the biggies.
Even a decade ago, could you have ever imagined corporate giants like ITC, Godfrey Phillips, TOI, Audi, Diesel, Platinum, Emirates or Renault cosying-up with any agency that did not feature among the top 5 in adland? Would these organisations ever dream of risking going to a small shop, no matter how hot the buzz they generated? Well, times, they are a-changin’, because that’s exactly what seems to be happening. In recent times, whether it’s Strawberry Frogs (Emirates), Law & Kenneth (Renault), Creativeland Asia (Audi), Taproot (TOI), Shop (Godfrey Phillips), Happy (Diesel), Metal (Platinum)… small agencies are indeed making big waves. What’s up? Has there been a paradigm shift in the mindset of the Indian management big boys? Are they, now, prepared to put their money where their mouth is? Is risky, edgy work slowly finding favour in place of predictable, stodgy stuff? Does this move signal a return to basics?

Ogilvy’s NCD Abhijit Avasthi takes first strike. He believes that since advertising is an idea-driven business, clients will always be drawn to any agency – small or big – who can provide that. “It’s never a conscious decision regarding scale or size. It’s usually governed by three factors: Great ideas, ability to take it through – in terms of infrastructure and media-engagement to ensure effective delivery – and the capacity to afford the agency of his choice”. He is convinced that any agency that can think fresh and stay ahead of the game has no reason to feel threatened. Santosh Desai, Communication Guru & CEO, Future Group, has a different take. He believes that smaller agencies shouldn’t be perceived small only on the cinema of size or scale. “Their uniqueness lies in the fact that these shops are about creative ambience which is brilliantly appropriate in a time when the ad business is definitely moving ahead to be governed – more than ever before – by the creative product. Most larger legacy-agencies, unfortunately, continue to be deeply entrenched in a structure, hierarchy and traditional blue-print and cannot be as free-spirited, edgy, quirky, interesting and nimble-footed as the smaller shops. Clients too, often find it easier to engage with these entities because, apart from fresh ideas, they are always available for interaction, which helps effective and prompt delivery,” says Desai. Everything considered, he is delighted at this move and believe it is an idea whose time has come.

Arvind Sharma, head honcho of Leo Burnett is up next with his informed take on this contentious debate. He believes that this animal – small, edgy shops – has always been around and appeared seductive to one kind of client. Earlier there were the Enterprises & Contracts of the world. Even earlier, there was the mother of them all, MCM, headed by the late Kersey Katrak. “These shops are headed by creative entrepreneurs driven by different motivations. They break away from large agencies because they begin to find it too complex and restricting and want to fly. The blueprint can be perfect for one set of clients, but with larger clients demanding larger scale and width of services, can this work? Can they match up with the resources of larger agencies dedicated to continuously engage in exploring newer innovative avenues related to brands & ideas,” asks Sharma. TOI’s Director, Brand Management Rahul Kansal is more forthcoming. He is of the opinion that there has been a definite and dramatic paradigm shift in thinking from the client’s perspective. Earlier, the larger multi-nationals were more comfortable with the legacy-agencies because there was – they believed – compatibility in terms of an MBA connect and so forth. “Strategy and marketing consultancy ruled. Over time, clients got their act together, by learning and monitoring these areas themselves. They realised that ultimately the creative product was what they were looking at and sought out agencies that could provide that,” says Kansal. The movers n’ shakers of both Shop and Taproot (Birdy-Akhtar & Aggi-Paddy) were known to him, personally and professionally, so there was a huge comfort level. Cutting-edge quality with speed was easier to access with these guys because of the nature of these agencies and relationship. Arvind Wable, Chief of FCB Ulka, North doesn’t quite agree. He reckons that “these flirtations are not new and have existed all along. Most of them have not survived because in the bigger space, the boys have been separated from the men! When the clients are looking for communication engagement across all media parameter and avenues, we are talking resources and infrastructure along with management skills of a mega nature. Can they ever hope to match that? They are okay for one-off ad campaigns and lightweight stuff, but anything of scale, size and dimension mandated for the long haul … no chance!”

The last words fittingly must come from Aggie & Paddy whose one-year old agency Taproots is considered the hottest shop in town! While Paddy believes that “there is enough place for everybody,” Aggie warns that jumping to conclusions is silly. “These are early days for some of us who have broken away to start our own agencies and consistency is what is required to actually address this question change,” says Paddy. While their rampage continues – the latest acquisition being National Geographic Channel and Blackrock, the largest mutual fund company in the world – his focus and wit remain intact. “If you can manage to stand up and be wanted among the Goliaths of adland, I guess it’s going okay!” says Paddy. As for the future, you guessed it… you ain’t seen nothin’ yet, baby!

IS SMALL THE NEW BIG?

SEXISM IN THE MARKET PLACE

Are women despite their education, intelligence, purchasing-power and increasing space in the Corporate Pecking Order, still treated as second-class citizens and patronised by male marketers?

“Hello? Good morning Ma’am. I have some very exciting investment opportunities. Can I please talk to Mr. Anderson?” Clara Anderson, the wife, [incidentally] is an extremely successful and highly paid executive in a blue chip multi-national. She is 35 years old. Does she feel insulted, humiliated or piqued at being summarily dismissed only because she is a woman? Did the tele-marketing executive know that she earned more than her husband? That she had a solid bank balance, drove her own car, owned several credit cards, travelled abroad on work…? Of course not – but, everything said and done, this was a financial thing and men were best [and meant] to handle this stuff best, right? Women didn’t understand this. They were into sentiment and emotion and pink floral motifs, not logic, analysis or number crunching, right? This sweeping stereotyping continues despite some startling facts. A recent US Survey has indicated that women control $20 trillion in annual consumer spending, which could rocket to $28 trillion by 2014! Also their $13 trillion yearly earning could zoom to $18 trillion in the same period! The survey further adds that in sheer aggregate terms, women represent a growth-curve bigger than India or China. Still, in India too, a tunnel-view, patronising attitude persists towards women.

Social Scientist Ashwin Chaturvedi believes it has to do with male conditioning screaming “It’s a man’s world” in the brain! This is so deeply embedded in the male marketer’s mind that he can’t seem to let go. Unfortunately, the fact is, every single day is a lost opportunity for this stone-age marketer and he needs a quick, crash course in learning to sell to women; to keep his ears to the ground, observe, listen, ask questions, understand absorb, connect. A 2008 research study tracked how women felt about their work, lives, and most importantly how they were being served by business. Despite their new-found status and position in the professional and social space, they largely felt [everywhere on earth] undeserved, undervalued and underestimated. Their multi-tasking is well-known, but how many marketers have been smart or sensitive to offer them time-saving solutions specially designed for them? The report states that even today it’s real tough for a lady to locate a pair of trousers, buy a healthful meal, and receive focused, financial advice without feeling she is being patronised. Cars; sold for men. Houses; sold for families. TVs and electronic goods; ditto. And when would they be sold to women? Only when they’re pasted bright pink/yellow/purple in colour.

Women have noted this apathy and started to get pro-active. Female marketers are coming to the fore to effect excellent corrective measures in areas which are believed to be traditionally male-dominated … like Real Estate! And rocking the status quo, big time! Leveraging their female intuition brilliantly, surveys indicate that at least 62% of the women investors today are planning to expand their portfolio and over 30% admit that the credit crunch has had no impact on their portfolio plans. They are radically revamping the sector with increased professionalism, attention to detail and superior customer service which includes home and family – friendly incentives. This outstanding initiative, blending creativity with pragmatism has brought forth a Property Women’s Award “a forum which recognises the success of women who are creating opportunities and taking control,” says Melissa Porter who launched this award.

It’s time to forget “girly marketing” which is often defined as: anything that’s pink and assumes all women are devoted single-mindedly to shopping, dieting and having their nails done! Marketers do it because it’s voguish and familiar. According to Andrea Learned [hi-profile author & consultant who advises marketers to effectively reach women beyond gender advertising stereotypes], “Women’s standards in purchasing are higher than men, so in satisfying women’s requirements they will brilliantly serve both and dramatically improve the overall customer experience.” She further suggests three simple tips to the chauvinistic male marketer, “One, use storytelling. Women love narratives. Two, provide tools and service toanswer consumer’s questions and increase their comfort levels with the product. Three, form a Customer Advisory Board that includes women members.”

In conclusion, men might be from Mars and women might be from Venus – their drives and sensibilities are different – but it’s time to respect, recognise and acknowledge the power and equity of women customers. They have rightfully started trashing male-specific selling patterns and dumped the one-size-fits-all pitch, demanding attention that understands and responds to their very special wants, needs, desires, insecurities, aspirations, fears, dreams … Is it too much to ask for a fraternity that occupies half the sky?

SEXISM IN THE MARKET PLACE