Guest Column: Execution excellence drives creativity - Ajay Anthony
No matter how brilliant a creative idea is, its final resting place is the execution guy’s shoulder, says the Associate Partner & Dir, Ops, Pulp Strategy

Often what steers a great idea is the fact that it will be actualised. On that premise, execution lends itself to creativity, also addressing the Achilles heel that ideation tends to suffer from on occasion.
Applied to above the line media, there are opportunities for quick redressavailable at the table, a quick nip and cut here and there, or a quick reassessment makes the situation good to go. Below the line, especially in the activations universe, things look very different. Once on a roll, it is difficult to do a rethink and almost impossible to rewind. So, it is as important to be grounded in reality as it is important to be creative. Put differently, let’s just say it stands any campaign in good stead and it is in an agency’s best interest that any creative license be reviewed by the forces that man the playing field.
Given the dynamic environment we exist in, the sights and sounds that surround us change by the minute, but the idea is woven around a best case scenario. There is a gap to bridge and here’s where an on-ground team contributes with reality checks to a creative idea.
An idea leans to perfection, at times bordering on the Utopian, but the execution teams concerns itself with possibilities, however remote they may be. Execution informs idea, eliminating loopholes at the very inception. Knowing the environment’s capacities and limitations can only be an advantage. You then know what you can do, what you can do better, and what you need to do to make the almost impossible happen. Let me put it this way, knowing where the boundary is and where the fielders are standing makes it more likely for you hit a ‘six’ clean across the boundary. Of course, the strategy and creative approach you employ will begin the journey of brilliance, but no matter how brilliant the idea, its final resting place is the execution guy’s shoulder.
It is advisable then for the markeeteer to rely on an excellent creative team and an even better execution team. That if the nuances of the creative strategy are ever to come alive on ground. The best execution teams bring considerations and their experiences from ground zero back to the creative table.
To one watching from the outside and for insiders too, there are two ways to look at the situation, the more popularly accepted view being that the execution team has no imagination and does not appreciate good ideas, sizing them down to suit a convenient deployment. The other less subscribed to fact is that the execution team is as keen on the idea, albeit with its ear to the ground, not with the intent to curtail, but to enhance a design by eliminating any flights of fancy.
The creative and execution team make a great pair, challenging each other and helping each other grow. The execution team delimits the thought process of the creative team, at times reining in the ideas and at times giving them that much needed impetus to go the extra mile.The creative team returns the favour by exploring uncharted territories and testing waters and keeping the team on-ground, on their toes. Where the creative team dazzles with imaginative brilliance, the execution team returns the favour, relying on experience and redefining reality. The tussle between them is healthy, powers a great business and, therefore, is a perfect marriage of departments within the agency. This makes up an ideal world at any activations agency.
Which brings us back to contemplating whether or not execution excellence drives creativity?
Clearly, a lot rides on us the execution team, and by that logic it will be safe to believe that this team does in fact drive creative excellence, especially through the rough patches!
Ajay Anthony is Associate Partner & Director Operations at Pulp Strategy Communications
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
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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Swapan 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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