Youth Quotient: "Most brands in India yet to exploit social media platforms"

Prashant Potdar works at FoxyMoron as a Creative Innovation Strategist. Currently based in Delhi for a project, Potdar has earlier worked with 4nought4 Digital Technologies, Studio HIGH and Value Pitch. Potdar speaks about his tryst with the advertising industry.

What attracted you to the advertising field?

Advertising is very dynamic and keeps you on your toes and if you lose the grip, you'll be pushed out. I was into writing and making short films during college time (BMM) and most importantly, no dress code.

What are the three things that this industry has taught you?

The client is always right (but he is not) and the most important thing I've learnt in my four years is that good ideas are pointless if you don't know how to sell them.

What do you love about this industry and what are the things you dislike?

What I love about this industry, as I pointed out earlier, is dynamism, no dress code and the fact that your one idea can make you reach places.

Good ideas go nowhere if one can't sell them. Either be good at selling or thinking.

The worst is when clients say this idea is very good by this xyz brand, can we do something like this.

Any particular project you are proud to have been associated with in your career?

There have been quite a lot of them in the past four years.

If not this, what do you think you would be doing?

I will probably become a rickshaw driver! Definitely more money than advertising.

Who is that one leader in the industry whom you look up to?

YouTube since everyone seems to be looking for a reference on this platform.

Five brands, you would want to work with and why.

I'd rather love to work on smaller projects that are ambitious.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Settled in Burkina Faso and if not that then definitely go into auto-rickshaw business. I would buy a few and rent them.

Milind Gonsalves is currently working as a Copy Supervisor in Asymmetrique. He has also had stints as a social media executive at Tonic Media and WatConsult. Considering that politics would probably have been his second choice as a career, we expected his answers to be diplomatic and politically correct. So, it was a surprise when they were anything but that. Excerpts.

What attracted you to the digital field?
Like every factory-produced BMM graduate, I wanted to get into copywriting. Engineers had a monopoly on that one. It was by chance that my first job had an opening in social. I stuck by it, saw it evolve and offer tremendous opportunities to brands.

What are the three things that this industry has taught you?
It changes, every minute of every day. Relevance is key to the campaigns you craft. Be quick to take advantage of a phenomenon and equally quick to discard it once it has served its purpose.

What do you love about this industry and what are the things you dislike?
Communicating with your audience. Your brand can become an experience which in turn drives user-generated content. It is far more potent than any form of communication I have ever encountered.

Many brands still don't understand the full potential of this medium. We are bound by technological constraints when exploring more experience-driven activities.

Any particular project you are proud to have been associated with in your career?
For a minor player in a large game, the names are few but worth a mention. Indian Panga League - we had great content to work with. Our efforts to push it paid off.

If not this, what do you think you would be doing?
Standing for Elections. Politics is a very lucrative career in this country.

Who is that one leader in the industry whom you look up to?
None. The work is good all across the spectrum. The work of many agencies speaks for itself. It wasn't and never will be a solo effort. Digital requires an eclectic mix of content, technology and marketing effort.  No one person is instrumental in a digital campaign's success.

Five brands, you would want to work with and why.
Durex - perfect for shockvertising.

Coca Cola - they have done it all & I'd love the challenge.

Amul -  the kid in me would be really happy.

VW – for the same reason as Coca Cola.

Victoria's Secret – because who wouldn't?

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Fit, rich and dating a supermodel.
 

Misha Paul is the Senior Creative Supervisor at OgilvyOne Worldwide. She has also had stints at Social Wavelength and Edelmen. She admits that the pull towards advertising and digital was because she could not do with the “mundane and the routine”. Quoting Uncle Ben, among other things, she speaks about advertising, memorable projects and why she is not an engineer. Excerpts.

What attracted you to advertising?

Advertising attracted me to advertising. I once paid a bomb for a bottle of packaged water (out of the scanty pocket money I used to get then) and did not even regret it. Soon I became a loyalist, a ‘connoisseur’ of that brand. When my friend pointed out the absurdity of my act, I snapped at her ‘like a boss’, and promptly told her; ‘Have a break, have a Kit Kat.’ It sounds lame now, but it sounded pretty cool then. I remember I would stare at print ads, make notes of interesting lines, buy products with unique packaging, etc. That was when I realized I was bitten by the advertising bug. I was obsessed with the fact that innocent words strung together and fancy layouts could make me shift and revise my loyalties. Also, I can't accept the mundane and routine. I love energy and creativity.

What are the three things that this industry has taught you?

•         You have the power to change people’s decisions.

•         With great power comes great responsibilities. (Maybe Spiderman taught me that, but I'm using the line here. *advertising*)

•         Having a firm understanding of your responsibilities, can help you make the most of your power.

It’s not just glamour. I think this industry has the power to genuinely change people’s lives.

What do you love about this industry and what are the things you dislike?

I love the way people break boundaries, literally. The way they think. I love how each mind is a unique world of its own. I have always liked people who dare to think quirky. And this industry has such people. But do you know what happens when quirky gets chained to the shackles of ‘practicality’? It becomes murky. And that is what I dislike. But that’s the unfortunate part of any business. I wish we could just think; without budgets.

Any particular project you are proud to have been associated with in your career?

I like everything I do on a daily basis. But yes, pitches make me the happiest. Meeting new people and thinking about crazy ideas for pitches that go beyond budgets. And yes, I’ve been associated with a few projects like that.

What’s your most memorable moment in the media field?  Or one you would like to forget?

Nine years back I was clueless about what I wanted to do with my life. But I knew I wanted to write and live in Mumbai. In my second year of college (2006), my mom and I, over a period of three sleepless nights, put together a pretty shameful (I was proud of it then) but well-packaged portfolio and I came to Mumbai with it, for three days. I googled Ogilvy’s address, paid them an appointment-less visit, waited for no one in particular for about an hour and a half and finally, taking the HR’s cue, left my portfolio with the guards and left. I was smitten by the place, but that was also the day I knew the advertising world was too fancy, too huge for me.

I work with Ogilvy today.

If not this, what do you think you would be doing?

I am not an ad person. It’s  words I am obsessed with. I know am a writer. I’ve always been one and will remain one, innately. If not this, I would be either writing or trying out some other creative field that’s totally unknown to me.

Five brands, you would want to work with and why.

I would love to work for an international shoe brand(s) because I am obsessed with shoes. I would also like to work for an NGO, but in a non-commercial way. I would like to create a product/ a campaign that would actually change lives. For me, brands don’t matter. I would genuinely want to work with a brand with either a big budget or a big heart.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

This question is the reason I'm not an engineer today. I like being clueless and experimenting on the way to growth.

Even as most aspirants in the media domain dream of getting a cushy, well-paying job, Mulchand Dedhia decided to take the path of an entrepreneur. He, along with two friends, started Meter Down, an agency that specialises in advertising through autorickshaws.

Preferring the title of Chief Autorickshaw Driver, Dedhia has big plans for his organisation. We caught up with him to learn more about his entrepreneurial journey. Excerpts.

What gave you the idea of starting this unique concept of advertising?
It was almost two years after college when I was sitting at Carter Road Café Coffe Day along with my two batch mates Simi Sailopal and Ishan Mehta, who would later become my other two co-founders at Meter Down, discussing on starting something of our own. We all three have a degree in advertising and journalism, so it was very much clear that we had to start something of our own in the space of media. However, we did not want to be another agency doing regular work. After a week-long homework and brainstorming sessions, we made a list of eight innovatiive ideas which never existed in the country and had the potential to make it big by adding value to the cilent. Meter Down topped the list and a week later, we were in business.

Wasn’t it a risk to start your own venture? What were the challenges?
Initial capital and working capital are challenges for any start-up. We managed to pool in Rs 25,000 each as our initial seed fund and were very fortunate to receive payments from clients on time. We had a bigger risk in our business, because two of my co-founders quit their full time job to start working on the new project. Risks are moderate when you are young and have less family responsibilities. Our biggest challenge was that we were in a business which didn’t have any competition. We didn’t know how the market would react to our ideas, because we the first mover in the sector. It took us a while to get the entire autorickshaw community on the same page and turn the cluttered sector to an organised business.

Did you ever face the pressure to get a “safe” job?
We always had an exit strategy in place. The perks of working for an MNC may be higher than that of a start-up. However, decision-making authority, working on and implementing one’s own ideas within hours are what every entrepreneur relates to.

Tell us something about your experiences convincing clients about the feasibility of advertising on autos.
We always backed our proposal with a validated research on how the target audience of a brand is travelling within the rickshaw. In an ideal case, when a client’s media plan includes high cost hoardings and transit media such as buses and train, autorickshaw adds value to their plan with higher ROI and low cost investments. Till date, the biggest success story for a brand that has been using only autorickshaws as an advertising medium has been for Mouthshut.com. A serious client is well aware about the potential of the medium since the basic consumption of a rickshaw is at all time high, which only means more eyeballs for his branding.

Why choose autorickshaws?
An autorickshaw does about 80-90 trips a day in a 24-hour shift, which means it is on the road most of the time. Rickshaw travellers are generally between the age group of 15 years and 32 years, which include students, working professionals and women. It is the most preferred option for travelling for short distances. An average rickshaw traveller spends about 15-45 minutes in a rickshaw one way, which gives enough time for a brand to engage with a passenger. This is a very lucurative segment for most brands that cater to the masses.

What lies next in store for your start-up?
We are working on several pilot projects:
• Enabling rickshaws with free wi-fi
• Selling cellphone prepaid refills
• Installing tablets in a rickshaw

Gaurav Sapre is currently working with 22feet Tribal Worldwide as Business Development Manager. Prior stints were with Tribal Worldwide (erstwhile), Indigo Consulting and Digital Law and Kenneth. His job primarily includes bringing brands closer to digital and closer to people through digital, through the best possible solutions. Speaking to exchange4media, he talks about advertising, something, he claims, even god loves.

What attracted you to the advertising field?

I am still figuring it out. But looking back, I guess the opportunity to shape or build perceptions was quite fascinating. I remember my first interview, where I went completely unprepared about the knowledge about typical advertising departments or culture. But gradually the fascination grew and here I am years later, working within the same frame.
Also the lack of a dress code and a chance to play loud music at work!

What are the three things that this industry has taught you?

For every happy client, there is a client emoting the exact opposite emotion.
Simplicity still makes sense; a lot of sense.
Make hay before everything goes haywire.

What do you love about this industry and what are the things you dislike?

What’s not to love! The crazy nights battling to create that one amazing deck, the free flowing gut-bursting ideas coupled with cigarettes and rum (or tea depending on what time it is), the ability to shock and surprise the client with your point of view on the brief and also everything disassociated with it, the chance to interact with like-minded people who want to prove a point in life; and also in-house foosball tournaments and catfights.

Any particular project you are proud to have been associated with in your career?

Some awesome work on Renault during the first Indian Grand Prix. There were some crazy moments and passion shown by the team. Also the launch of Hero MotoCorp’s identity was a challenging one. I don’t even remember the amount of sleepless nights spent in office during that one. One corporate website with 16 bikes, a super simple CMS and innumerable banners – all within 15 days.

If not this, what do you think you would be doing?

Watching people at random weddings. Yes, full time.

Who is that one leader in the industry whom you look up to?

No one in particular within the industry. But yes I did give a mental hi-five to all the guys at Droga 5 who worked on the ‘Puma – After Hours Athlete’ commercial.

Five brands, you would want to work with and why.

I would love to work on IKEA, for the sheer fact that it can allow you to have so many ideas to create branded content. But I’d rather love to work on smaller kickstarter projects that are ambitious and have a great brand idea at the core.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

In Russia, watching people go ballistic even a year after they’ve won the 2018 FIFA world cup! But as Kevin Smith would say, “It’d be nice to know what the next five years will bring, but I don't.”

Shweta Goud works as an Account Manager at Famous Innovations. She started off her career with Law & Kenneth, before a stint with Bangalore-based Happy Creative Services. In conversation with exchange4media, Goud talks about following her father’s footsteps and the love-hate relationship she shares with advertising. Excerpts.

What attracted you to the advertising field?
While many have told me about this being a rare case, but my dad was in advertising and well, I am here now. First reaction I get to this is “I don’t know anyone who would say I want to grow up and be just like my dad, who is in advertising”, funny indeed. Neither did I, in fact, the case was the opposite, I never thought I would be here and it’s been an interesting ride.

Meanwhile, I always loved brands, their language, their evolving stories and how consumers perceive each brand to be. The most interesting part was how consumers made or broke the brands through their perceptions.

What are the three things that this industry has taught you?
• Nothing is constant. Be prepared to be prepared
• Nothing ever is as easy as it seems
• And my biggest learning: The best of the liars make for the greatest advertisers

What do you love about this industry and what are the things you dislike?
I have a love-hate relationship with this industry.

I love how lively and excited people here always are. There is immense passion that exists in all the creative people to do better and unique work every day. And I dislike how hard it is to showcase and gain respect and appreciation for that same work. There are so many great ideas that don’t see the light of day.

From the business perspective, while I like how a brand that was nothing is made into a star with a simple bright idea, I also dislike how some brands are mistreated through irrelevant crazy ideas and how easy it is to fib here.

Any particular project you are proud to have been associated with in your career?
I was extremely happy to be a part of creating the Amante Body Band and the entire campaign to educate women about the right lingerie for them and how.

And I am also very excited now to be a part of the team that is working on the legendary brand, Raymond, and re-introducing the Complete Man today.

If not this, what do you think you would be doing?
I would definitely be doing a lot more things if not this. From dancing and traveling to fashion and psychology or maybe even photography, I would love to explore all of these one day.

Who is that one leader in the industry whom you look up to?
The father of Advertising, Mr David Ogilvy. He is one of those very few, original advertisers, who really tried to understand the consumer and the product before starting any work on them. He went to the lengths and depths of the product to really write from the heart.

Five brands you would want to work with and why.
Nike – the ultimate, the simple the best. Their films are beautiful and their logo is epic. It is the best brand to connect sports, music and dance.

Google or Apple – These are progressive brands. They are the future and it would be fun to work on products and ideas that are absolutely new and futuristic.

Masaba Gupta – Because I love fashion and she, as a youth icon in the fashion industry, would be very interesting to promote as a brand.

India – Working on Brand ‘India’ would be so much fun. Positioning India and its people, making a mark world over and creating a whole new image of the country. I would love to promote India Tourism, Indian dance and Indian fashion via Brand India.

XYZ – I definitely would like to work for a whole new brand with a unique concept or product. Something that has no market or competition, something that has to be built from scratch and has a strong idea.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?
On the client side, managing a strong brand that is moving to global heights.

Dhruvil Patel started his career with PR firm IPAN handling public relations for Sony & Set Max. However, six months later, new avenues beckoned and he joined Network 18 as a marketing executive handled marketing for AskMe & Burrp, playing an integral part in launching Askme in Hyderabad & Pune. Currently, he works with advertising agency Tag Worldwide as a Senior Account Executive handling brands like Jaguar and Land Rover. He is also an avid cricketer. We caught up with him to get to know more about his journey in the media field. Excerpts:

What attracted you the advertising field?

Well, to be honest enough, I never wanted to work in an advertising agency; in fact, I wanted to get into hardcore marketing. An agency happened to me by chance & I am lucky enough it did as it let me associate myself with a wide spectrum of brands which helps me how each product can be projected in various ways. Advertising makes me better equipped as a future Marketing Manager.

What are the three things that this industry has taught you?

To be meticulous, to communicate your idea convincingly, & that the client is always right.

What do you love about this industry and what are the things you dislike?

The fact that India’s advertising industry is constantly evolving. There are specialized agencies in the digital space which speaks great volume of this evolution.

There are brands which are yet not daring enough to experiment.

Any particular project you are proud to have been associated with in your career?

Handling the brand AskMe (which was a part of Network18),  for its multi-city launch in Pune & Hyderabad.

If not this, what do you think you would be doing?

If not advertising, then you would probably see me playing for a club in the IPL or even for India. It has been something that I have always dreamt of and would give anything to pursue it if given a chance.

Who is that one leader in the industry whom you look up to?

Piyush Pandey (herd mentality).

Five brands, you would want to work with and why.

Apple – because if you don’t work with Apple, you want to work with Apple.

English Premier League – it is one of the biggest sporting events of the world!

Coca Cola – I would really enjoy opening happiness.

Cadbury (Mondelez) – apart from being a legendary brand, the hope that I will get free supply of chocolates.

Tata – one of the biggest and most trusted brands in the country, why wouldn’t someone want to work for it?

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

Giving a lot more interviews like this.