Big ideas, big wins: Pradeep Sarkar, Apocalypso Filmsworks
In conversation with exchange4media, ad-film maker Pradeep Sarkar speaks about the changing scenario of ad-film making in India, his production house Apocalypso Filmsworks and the ‘big idea’.
Pradeep Sarkar is one of the few people in the profession who still draws his story boards himself, and being from an art background, he even designs his sets himself. He heads production house Apocalypso Filmsworks, which has been behind several well-known ads such as Tata Yellow Pages and Onida KY Thunder, which won Abby Awards; campaigns for Aaj Tak and ICICI Prudential, among others.
Sarkar has also directed two feature films – Parineeta and ‘Laaga Chunari Mein Daag – Journey of a Woman’.
Another unique thing about Sarkar’s style of working is that he likes working with an audio board. A habit that he developed after working with Aamir Khan on the Coca-Cola commercials.
After graduating from the Delhi College of Art in 1979 with a gold medal, Sarkar joined Tulika Advertising Agency as Creative Supervisor. He began his career in Contract Advertising, Delhi and after 17 years of pure mainstream advertising, he left Contract as Associate Vice President Creative and jumped into ad-film making.
Chilling is not his cup of tea as he likes working all the time. He says, “Some people call it being a workaholic, but I say, ‘yeh nashaa hai, peshaa nahin’.”
In conversation with exchange4media, Sarkar speaks about the changing scenario of ad-film making in India, his production house Apocalypso Filmsworks and the ‘big idea’
You are a veteran in the industry. How would you describe the journey and changes in the ad world?
To be very honest, in those days big idea was the winner, now also it is the big idea that is the winner. I don’t think the big idea bit has ever changed nor will it ever change, because if the idea is not there, it will never work – as simple as that. Keeping that bit aside, the style has completely changed – in terms of visual styling, in terms of people styling, in fact, the way ads are seen these days, all that has changed a lot. When we started, it was mainly English; of course, Piyush was the one who brought in the change from English to Hindi. Hindi then became mainstream from a sidelined language. Another change that is very prominent is the change in the outlook of the people. A few things that were taboo in those days are no more now; the audience is smarter and we don’t have to say very much since they already have a point of view, and in this process we have changed as well.
Amid so many production houses, where do you see your production house?
Where it stands now, I would myself like to ask people; where I would like to see it, is the question. I would definitely like to see it in a different way altogether. I don’t want Apocalypso equal to Pradeep Sarkar and frankly, I have learnt this from Yash Raj Films. Yash Raj could have been Aditya Chopra or Yash Chopra. As an outsourced person working with them, I learnt that you have to build a brand in totality. We will soon get two very fresh and different kinds of directors on board. So, I really don’t want Apocalypso to be known as Pradeep Sarkar or any particular name, I want it to be known as a whole team altogether with a very strong production team.
You have worked with the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan. Do you think brands benefit more if associated with such big names? In fact, don’t you think they tend to overshadow the brand name?
Yes, a brand definitely benefits when associated with a celebrity name, since these celebrities have a fan following, they are well-known and there is an ‘aura’ they create for the product, which helps the brand and audience connect better. Now, the question of whether a celebrity name can overshadow a brand name, it totally depends on the idea; if the idea is big then nothing can overshadow the product, no matter how big the celebrity name is.
Since you direct movies as well as ad films, how different are the two and which of the two do you enjoy more?
For me, it’s always the same, because you are inching forward to tell a story. Of course, in movies it is a longer process, whereas an ad film is done in two days – but story telling is a part of both. I enjoy both equally; it’s not fair to ask which of my two babies is dearer to me.
How do you see the future of the Indian ad-film industry?
When I started, Sayeda, my creative boss, suggested that I create an in-house production house. I was not very comfortable with the idea since the ad would get stuck with one kind of client. But that definitely looks like the future, where there will be one person (the agency producer), the cameraman, the director, etc. – this kind of a scenario is on its way. This can be regarded as one of the things that will happen. The market and agencies will obviously become bigger and better, so there will be changes. What will remain the same is that big ideas will still win.
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The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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ShareSwapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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