Continued from Part I
Tril was supposedly a path breaker with Endura007 which cleaned the clothes, killed germs and gave sparkle like no one else did… It still wasn’t sinking into the jug head Indian buyers mind set that India and its dirty clothes needed German help to sparkle… The Indian detergent market was not the same like Europe from where Tril came from if it was P&G ‘s Ariel which ruled the charts , in US it was Tide and no Ariel would be available… definitions of premium varied and so did the varieties of Tide or Ariel that one got in their respective markets
The Rs.5,700 crore detergent market in India which is segmented into two product categories - powder and cake was one tough nut for Tril to crack….. Sub categories like concentrates/compact (variants of Surf, Henko, Ariel), premium (variants of Surf, Henko, Ariel), mass premium/mid price (Rin, Mr.White, Tide and regional brands) and popular (Nirma, Wheel, Chek) made it difficult for the brand managers and the advertising agency to decide where to enter and where exactly to position. Tril after careful analysis decided to take the mass premium category and that is why this actor from the south was chosen to come all the way and dip dirty clothes, take them out and show ho it sparkles…research said she had the appeal… she was loved by the mass and yet had a premium appeal… she looked premium and yet was mass like material…
The first Tril advertising (launch ad) which Ram and co had made with no famous star in it had shown the offer of this unnamed product for maximum whiteness effect…. The sparkle and the clean which no one else did gave,….. The house wife tries the product and lo and behold, she gets the promised whiteness. After which the product's brand name appears from heaven as Tril….
The competitor was not to be left behind…. He had to prove that this unnamed detergent powder that is offered for trial does not provide that super whiteness and even if they do the unnamed new fellows cannot be trusted…. And they showed a lead female actor who wore cotton saree to look like an ordinary bharathiya nari waxing about the super whiteness of the time tested age old brand while unnamed detergent gets pushed to the background by a group of women talking about the excellent performance of the old brand…
What could Tril do but get another star to counter propaganda..? And the research luckily agreed to the very obvious… get the competing star to kill the other one….
The phone rang again….
Hello … said Ram….
Hey Ram…. We are on the way… said Guru….is everything ready?
Ram didn’t say YES… it was understood that when the unit was there since early morning they would be ready and tired of waiting….
Ram let out a huge sigh of relief … he had his plans for the ad shoot and release… had to rush back to Chennai after the post shoot works… had other brands in his kitty competing for his attention… The life of a client service director was in soup… the more clients in his kitty the more was the confusion… the bigger ones got the better attention and the smaller ones were never happy with that fact of life… the bigger ones weren’t happy either with the divided attention that they got… after all they paid through their noses for listening to them at least ,full time…
The phone rang again….
Hey Ram ..said some one… this time it was not Guru…
Khurana here… I have sad news for you and Tril…..
What is that? Asked Ram
The other guy is reducing its price by half… said Khurana who was head of the research team back in the Chennai agency office…
That means?… asked Ram visibly annoyed
That means now Kite detergent powder will be available at 23 Rs and not 43… said Khurana…. They call it as the biggest ever consumer advantage transfer…
My foot …..said Ram…..
He knew what it meant to his brand… Tril…. It was a price war that was launched… and quite un expectedly,,, the whole shoot now became futile an effort.. after all the strategy was to talk about value for the mass premium segment…
A car came and the whole unit stood up….
Like a dream which came true, the star descended from it…
Showing posts with label shooting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shooting. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
and SHIT happened ....Part II
Continued from.....part I...
In advertising, whether it is film or still, what goes on at the back of the scenes is far more out of the ordinary than what you see on the screen......
The day of the shoot all the guys there had fixed jobs….division of labour - Ram style!!!
While the crew would take the shot and direct the models our art director would keep the local children from running into the shot. Ram would make certain that the sofa was set up properly and Guru as a client service guy, would position his fat self on an unsteady chair and hold a small tree branch above the camera so the leaves hung just in the top border of the shot. Precarious it was but the job demanded it and the creative guy in him once a while woke up to support such dare devilry.
The sun was just starting to place and spread a stunning reddish pink blush on the massive windows of the mansion. The female model took her place on the sofa with her glass. She looked gorgeous and stunning. Guru climbed the ramshackle chair with much acrobatic skill on display and remained there balancing and making as minimal sounds as possible…The male model walked into the shot and took his position. A soft breeze came in and soothed the setting
Can we go for the take… announced the photographer…YUP it looks perfect… positions … shouted the director…
The female model charged up and ‘wore’ the looks… her eyes looked the cam invitingly and her cherry red lips said sweet tales to the camera…
Suddenly the lights went dim, as if some one switched it off and the crew in unison looked up…. The sun wasn’t there… simply vanished..disappeared in a fraction of a second …
Ram kept staring the sky, as if that will terrorize the sun to come back…He couldn’t and when his neck pained he slowly came back…
Wait for a min …he shouted…. and asked the director… shud we? Can we???.
Fuck it… exploded Guru,as he threw the tree branch down… his arm had a spasm from holding the branch and his legs in twinge from the circus on the almost broken chair…
Ram looked pityingly….. But lights…..he muttered…
Guru jumped down.. and the crew started panicking as rain clouds began to accumulate…and yo.. thunder… a huge lightning flashed across the skies with an explosive voice falling down the air and directly on to that lawn….
People started running and the folks who had assembled in want of seeing the film being shot.. had all gone ..
The model in her black some thing and the made up face screamed in horror, and started running and no one knew what to do. Ram tried holding her to cajole her but she cried even more loudly as if he had just tried to molest her… Guru started laughing at the show as rains unleashed its absolute supremacy with all its ferocity … The ‘creative’ GURU stood there , and got wet..he loved rains… its music…..its soft touch ….the romance it brings down with its wet arms… the passion with which it swept heat and dust in its wave and vigour with which it replaced silence and calm.…
What the fuck are you doing… shouted Ram as he rushed for cover…no one will go….. no one will go……. he kept on shouting as he ran….
And when it was all over, the crew could do anything there but a photo shoot… the models became unrecognizable and the female was so overcome by shock that she cried and cried and started talking to her mom in her mobile…she looked like a ghost with the make up flowing down and Guru couldn’t control his laughter seeing the girl who just sometime back had made a wow… and had unleashes tones of admiration in the sets….the cameras were wet.. the crew was tired ..the sofa was drenched and the house owner started shouting at the mess…
Get out ….all of you… he screamed ruthlessly…
The pandemonium bought down by the rain had made the shoot an impossible dream even though Ram still thought that they still can give it a try….
No one seemed to agree with Ram….no one even asked him whether it is a pack up or not… The day had ended and ended in the worse possible way…
Back to office… still wet and teeth chattering, Ram, left alone thought to himself as to what next? How could it be re arranged? It’s not easy to put all elements, everyone back to place and shoot it… but it had to be done…
The choice was clear.. There was no choice and he HAD to do it…
When you are bring raped and you know that you have know escape,why make the fuss... why dont lie down and enjoy... Ram sunk into a perverted logic and all the thousand things that vied for his attention waited ....
mmm
In advertising, whether it is film or still, what goes on at the back of the scenes is far more out of the ordinary than what you see on the screen......
The day of the shoot all the guys there had fixed jobs….division of labour - Ram style!!!
While the crew would take the shot and direct the models our art director would keep the local children from running into the shot. Ram would make certain that the sofa was set up properly and Guru as a client service guy, would position his fat self on an unsteady chair and hold a small tree branch above the camera so the leaves hung just in the top border of the shot. Precarious it was but the job demanded it and the creative guy in him once a while woke up to support such dare devilry.
The sun was just starting to place and spread a stunning reddish pink blush on the massive windows of the mansion. The female model took her place on the sofa with her glass. She looked gorgeous and stunning. Guru climbed the ramshackle chair with much acrobatic skill on display and remained there balancing and making as minimal sounds as possible…The male model walked into the shot and took his position. A soft breeze came in and soothed the setting
Can we go for the take… announced the photographer…YUP it looks perfect… positions … shouted the director…
The female model charged up and ‘wore’ the looks… her eyes looked the cam invitingly and her cherry red lips said sweet tales to the camera…
Suddenly the lights went dim, as if some one switched it off and the crew in unison looked up…. The sun wasn’t there… simply vanished..disappeared in a fraction of a second …
Ram kept staring the sky, as if that will terrorize the sun to come back…He couldn’t and when his neck pained he slowly came back…
Wait for a min …he shouted…. and asked the director… shud we? Can we???.
Fuck it… exploded Guru,as he threw the tree branch down… his arm had a spasm from holding the branch and his legs in twinge from the circus on the almost broken chair…
Ram looked pityingly….. But lights…..he muttered…
Guru jumped down.. and the crew started panicking as rain clouds began to accumulate…and yo.. thunder… a huge lightning flashed across the skies with an explosive voice falling down the air and directly on to that lawn….
People started running and the folks who had assembled in want of seeing the film being shot.. had all gone ..
The model in her black some thing and the made up face screamed in horror, and started running and no one knew what to do. Ram tried holding her to cajole her but she cried even more loudly as if he had just tried to molest her… Guru started laughing at the show as rains unleashed its absolute supremacy with all its ferocity … The ‘creative’ GURU stood there , and got wet..he loved rains… its music…..its soft touch ….the romance it brings down with its wet arms… the passion with which it swept heat and dust in its wave and vigour with which it replaced silence and calm.…
What the fuck are you doing… shouted Ram as he rushed for cover…no one will go….. no one will go……. he kept on shouting as he ran….
And when it was all over, the crew could do anything there but a photo shoot… the models became unrecognizable and the female was so overcome by shock that she cried and cried and started talking to her mom in her mobile…she looked like a ghost with the make up flowing down and Guru couldn’t control his laughter seeing the girl who just sometime back had made a wow… and had unleashes tones of admiration in the sets….the cameras were wet.. the crew was tired ..the sofa was drenched and the house owner started shouting at the mess…
Get out ….all of you… he screamed ruthlessly…
The pandemonium bought down by the rain had made the shoot an impossible dream even though Ram still thought that they still can give it a try….
No one seemed to agree with Ram….no one even asked him whether it is a pack up or not… The day had ended and ended in the worse possible way…
Back to office… still wet and teeth chattering, Ram, left alone thought to himself as to what next? How could it be re arranged? It’s not easy to put all elements, everyone back to place and shoot it… but it had to be done…
The choice was clear.. There was no choice and he HAD to do it…
When you are bring raped and you know that you have know escape,why make the fuss... why dont lie down and enjoy... Ram sunk into a perverted logic and all the thousand things that vied for his attention waited ....
looking back for related stuff ....1,2,3,4,....
mmm
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
and SHIT happened !!!
In the beginning was the Idea. ...
And then came the Story Outlines....
And the Story Outlines were without form....
And the Idea was without substance......
And darkness was upon the face of the Writers.....
And they spoke among themselves, saying, "It is a crock of shit, and it stinks."
And the Writers went unto the Creative Directors and said, "It is a pail of dung, and we can't live with the smell."
And the Directors went unto their bosses , saying, "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."
And they said to themselves to self assure... "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."
And then spoke among themselves, saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."
And then went to the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, "This new idea will actively promote the growth and vigour of the studio with very powerful effects."
And the President looked upon the Idea and saw that it was good......
And the Idea became an ad film......
And this is how shit happens......
Ram and Guru were running around working for their extremely expensive furniture client and wanted a little unusual and eye-catching stuff for their proposed full page color ad in a national magazine….Guru reported to Ram and Ram reported to GOD knows how many.. And this shoot and the project was so important that they (READ RAM.. Guru was just assisting him) had bet their lives on it….
Okay what the heck…..,( you feel ?…. ) everybody wants different and stunning, for everything from tires to treadmills, from charities to champagnes….here but we have a case where it meant a little extra. It could lead them into bagging the client’s first foray into TV advertising…. That is, if they did it and did it to the client’s satisfaction….(clients satisfaction is an imaginary entity like orgasm, it doesn’t exist and yet many fake it and worse as Men think we gave it ....agencies too think we gave it……)
Monotony was their selling point and familiarity became their differentiation by accident…
Stuff like “come…. See our price, we got the quality”, everyone looked, sounded and behaved the same…. Ram and Guru were in the team that won the pitch where some 7 ad agencies fought a bloody battle, sweated it out…agencies woke up from slumber, some even from their death beds and got into action. As in any pitch,this one too was a mix of comedy, politics, apathy, late nights, peeping Johnies, blame games, expectations, courage, creative outpour and a lot of celebrated humbug . Agency heads directly ASSume charge, as the client was big,(now a days even for the smallest corporate they do as any business is welcome) - lavishing their divine charm and diplomatic aristocracy-- people were given special charges..
Even expertise from outside was hired (OOF!!!) Individuals were identified for specific tasks. .research guys sprung in action, questionnaires, key boards, assuming, tabulating concluding what the consumers need, want, demand...media guys burnt their midnight and early morn oil to find some media where the new ads (assuming that the account is won) could be placed..Vox pops.. Field interviews..focus interviews... dealer opinion records ..Brainstorming ...creative blockbusting...Dictums like....“You can’t have an ego in this business, but be aware that everybody has lots of them"...7 day weeks.. Friends meaning four letter words..positioning statements............creative teams and briefs-who "will weave from its plain threads the rich tapestry of flackery that envelops a big idea" and then with all the hype and hoopla ,baggage and politics- proceed to the clients side for what the industry calls as 'pitching'.. When they won it RAM and GURU had the winners grin for sure but the loosers frown, GOD knew why….So when Ram said, “why not we put the sofa in the garden?” Guru tried not to look at him with some thing new to say or better idea to suggest because he knew how things worked here, in this industry and he simply listened. For guru the creative who was stuck in the post man work in client servicing, it had become the order of the day that “why not” means “do it”…
The client’s most beautiful sofa will be displayed and on it would be a gorgeous damsel in a black something with enough curves and curls exposed with a glass in her hand and suggestive looks in her eyes. Walking towards her and the sofa would be a handsome man in a white dinner jacket, also holding a glass. They will sit in the sofa and the sofa is so good that they will……well you know what…. It was literally evident where the evening was heading to and that it would not end on the front lawn for sure….The house to shoot was an issue… no good places were available and the ones who were ready weren’t good.. Or lacked the POSH look as Ram called it… The ones who said well may be we can but no trolleys.. No cameras… no light ups… if yes ok… They expected the crew to shoot from air, with cameras and lights hung from air and if possible, models too so that they don’t walk and spoil the expensive marbonites…
Ram was tense on the day of shoot but as it dawned bright he was a bit relaxed… it happened always with the guys in execution.. the concept makers sit in their plush cabins and make ideas… no matter how and how much it can be executed... Ideas in mind and ideas in execution are two different things boss...but… who cares?.
The shoot was to happen on a bright sunny day and has to happen on bright sunny day… and to Ram’s relief it was REALLY a bright sunny day… but as Guru put it, ‘it is like your temper Ram… it can change any minute…’
So it started off as a perfect day for the shoot and surprisingly the models came on time, and more surprisingly the MOTHER wasn’t there with the female model (they come not to protect the daughter, but to bargain for money,,, the lesser the costume, the higher the price)…and to Rams pleasure the house owners were courteous enough to let them use their private rooms, make up and dress change even though by that act of benevolence they deprived the local onlookers a chance to be far more interested in the shoot and pre shoot preparation…. But as they say.. it was Murphy’s day out and who can prevent something which was destined to happen???
To be continued...
And then came the Story Outlines....
And the Story Outlines were without form....
And the Idea was without substance......
And darkness was upon the face of the Writers.....
And they spoke among themselves, saying, "It is a crock of shit, and it stinks."
And the Writers went unto the Creative Directors and said, "It is a pail of dung, and we can't live with the smell."
And the Directors went unto their bosses , saying, "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."
And they said to themselves to self assure... "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."
And then spoke among themselves, saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."
And then went to the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."
And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, "This new idea will actively promote the growth and vigour of the studio with very powerful effects."
And the President looked upon the Idea and saw that it was good......
And the Idea became an ad film......
And this is how shit happens......
Ram and Guru were running around working for their extremely expensive furniture client and wanted a little unusual and eye-catching stuff for their proposed full page color ad in a national magazine….Guru reported to Ram and Ram reported to GOD knows how many.. And this shoot and the project was so important that they (READ RAM.. Guru was just assisting him) had bet their lives on it….
Okay what the heck…..,( you feel ?…. ) everybody wants different and stunning, for everything from tires to treadmills, from charities to champagnes….here but we have a case where it meant a little extra. It could lead them into bagging the client’s first foray into TV advertising…. That is, if they did it and did it to the client’s satisfaction….(clients satisfaction is an imaginary entity like orgasm, it doesn’t exist and yet many fake it and worse as Men think we gave it ....agencies too think we gave it……)
Monotony was their selling point and familiarity became their differentiation by accident…
Stuff like “come…. See our price, we got the quality”, everyone looked, sounded and behaved the same…. Ram and Guru were in the team that won the pitch where some 7 ad agencies fought a bloody battle, sweated it out…agencies woke up from slumber, some even from their death beds and got into action. As in any pitch,this one too was a mix of comedy, politics, apathy, late nights, peeping Johnies, blame games, expectations, courage, creative outpour and a lot of celebrated humbug . Agency heads directly ASSume charge, as the client was big,(now a days even for the smallest corporate they do as any business is welcome) - lavishing their divine charm and diplomatic aristocracy-- people were given special charges..
Even expertise from outside was hired (OOF!!!) Individuals were identified for specific tasks. .research guys sprung in action, questionnaires, key boards, assuming, tabulating concluding what the consumers need, want, demand...media guys burnt their midnight and early morn oil to find some media where the new ads (assuming that the account is won) could be placed..Vox pops.. Field interviews..focus interviews... dealer opinion records ..Brainstorming ...creative blockbusting...Dictums like....“You can’t have an ego in this business, but be aware that everybody has lots of them"...7 day weeks.. Friends meaning four letter words..positioning statements............creative teams and briefs-who "will weave from its plain threads the rich tapestry of flackery that envelops a big idea" and then with all the hype and hoopla ,baggage and politics- proceed to the clients side for what the industry calls as 'pitching'.. When they won it RAM and GURU had the winners grin for sure but the loosers frown, GOD knew why….So when Ram said, “why not we put the sofa in the garden?” Guru tried not to look at him with some thing new to say or better idea to suggest because he knew how things worked here, in this industry and he simply listened. For guru the creative who was stuck in the post man work in client servicing, it had become the order of the day that “why not” means “do it”…
The client’s most beautiful sofa will be displayed and on it would be a gorgeous damsel in a black something with enough curves and curls exposed with a glass in her hand and suggestive looks in her eyes. Walking towards her and the sofa would be a handsome man in a white dinner jacket, also holding a glass. They will sit in the sofa and the sofa is so good that they will……well you know what…. It was literally evident where the evening was heading to and that it would not end on the front lawn for sure….The house to shoot was an issue… no good places were available and the ones who were ready weren’t good.. Or lacked the POSH look as Ram called it… The ones who said well may be we can but no trolleys.. No cameras… no light ups… if yes ok… They expected the crew to shoot from air, with cameras and lights hung from air and if possible, models too so that they don’t walk and spoil the expensive marbonites…
Ram was tense on the day of shoot but as it dawned bright he was a bit relaxed… it happened always with the guys in execution.. the concept makers sit in their plush cabins and make ideas… no matter how and how much it can be executed... Ideas in mind and ideas in execution are two different things boss...but… who cares?.
The shoot was to happen on a bright sunny day and has to happen on bright sunny day… and to Ram’s relief it was REALLY a bright sunny day… but as Guru put it, ‘it is like your temper Ram… it can change any minute…’
So it started off as a perfect day for the shoot and surprisingly the models came on time, and more surprisingly the MOTHER wasn’t there with the female model (they come not to protect the daughter, but to bargain for money,,, the lesser the costume, the higher the price)…and to Rams pleasure the house owners were courteous enough to let them use their private rooms, make up and dress change even though by that act of benevolence they deprived the local onlookers a chance to be far more interested in the shoot and pre shoot preparation…. But as they say.. it was Murphy’s day out and who can prevent something which was destined to happen???
To be continued...
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Out of the box..
Imagine you're in Airport. While you're waiting for ur flight, u notice a kiosk selling cookies. U buy a box, put them in ur travelling bag n search for a seat so u can sit down and enjoy your cookies. Finally you find a seat next to a gentleman. You reach down into your travelling bag and pull out your box of cookies.As you do so, you notice that the gentleman starts watching you intensely.He stares as you open the box and his eyes follow. Just then he reaches over and takes one of your cookies from the box, and eats it! gosh....
You are little surprised at this. Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you.Now, what's ur immediate impression of this guy?
Crazy?
Greedy?
You both continue eating the cookies until there's just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to u. After he's finished he gets up, and without a word, he leaves.
You think to urself, "Did this really happen?"........
You're left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So yuu go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies. when suddenly you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies.......still unopened.......gosh again !!! Only then you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other man's bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake.
Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You've just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You're seeing things from a new point of view. Is it time to change your point of view?
Now, think of this story as it relates to ur life, in advertising and otherwise..... Seeing things from a new point of view can be very enlightening.Think outside the box. Don't settle for the status quo......Be open to suggestions. Things may not be what they seem. Unless and until, one realizes about the fact and external factors.......
Every Point has THREE Sides; Your Side, My Side and The Right Side.To understand either the Other's Side or the Right Side, one needs to leave His Side...........
The trainees at PQRST agency were a happy lot.... after the first lecture on the first day of their intensive training session...... they found that advertising was REALLY REALLY an exiting place to be in... most of them new and fresh faces which the PQRST HR team ( ya folks... thats right...HR for Human resources) had handpicked from various B Schools... for those who had been lamenting of the lack of talents and the industry's apathy to the whole issue of attracting talents and nurturing and retaining them, its more than good news.... it is happening... back to PQRST and the new recruits..... they were a happy lot.... session after session, they were made to hear ,talk, think, work,sleep, draw ,assume and drop dead and flat.... it was cool, and cozy.... but for some ,they missed the informal and trendy air that they expected to breathe in and live in, much different from the tie and 'sir' culture that their B schools told them and tortured them with..... It took some time for many to sink it in their heads that no two ad agencies ( unlike the products they sell) are the same..... there is an inbuilt differentation, mostly inherited from the culture of the founding father or fathers( most agencies have many fathers, however dirty it may sound like)... Now I guess that explains why agency guys behave the way they do.... the pun is intended ofcourse.... and that differentation makes it different enough to be different from each other inspite of the multitude of simliarities that could make them same ,all the same, everyone, just pretending to be different like the brands of products that each one help the marketer to "market".....
After a week, but, a trainee mails me this story:
Yesterday for the first time, I attended a shoot for a corporate campaign of one of our clients. The theme was of a family comprising Father, Mother and a Girl child. ....Male and Female models were from Mumbai and Kid from Chennai. At 9:00 a.m the stage was set for the first shot, Mother exercising and kid has to crawl below mother, now the real challenge starts. Kid (2 years old) is no mood for shoot. We tried our level best to make her crawl, Both father and mother of the kid stood near camera and called her, but she was as adamant and still as a statue. Then father put some Cadburys 'Gems' and asked her to take it, she came this time but it was not a nice shot. This activity of shooting the child went on till 12:00. Then we decide to bring her elder brother who was 4 years old. When he came there was some change in the kid's mood. But we had to change the whole script and was forced to include male kid too.
She almost made the entire crew dance for her tune. At the end we somehow finished the shoot. The biggest learning of the day was that its an Herculean task to shoot with kids.
Truly he said, "We were feeling that making an advertising
meant client parties, negotiations, the bidding drama and a fabulous shoot. But its so surprising, it was 'expecting the unsusual'.. it was not being stylish..it was to become down to earth.. to look for surprises.. above all it was the realisation thatbeing in advertising is not a mere childs play....."
You are little surprised at this. Not only does he take one cookie, but he alternates with you.Now, what's ur immediate impression of this guy?
Crazy?
Greedy?
You both continue eating the cookies until there's just one left. To your surprise, the man reaches over and takes it. But then he does something unexpected. He breaks it in half, and gives half to u. After he's finished he gets up, and without a word, he leaves.
You think to urself, "Did this really happen?"........
You're left sitting there dumbfounded and still hungry. So yuu go back to the kiosk and buy another box of cookies. You then return to your seat and begin opening your new box of cookies. when suddenly you glance down into your traveling bag. Sitting there in your bag is your original box of cookies.......still unopened.......gosh again !!! Only then you realize that when you reached down earlier, you had reached into the other man's bag, and grabbed his box of cookies by mistake.
Now what do you think of the man? Generous? Tolerant? You've just experienced a profound paradigm shift. You're seeing things from a new point of view. Is it time to change your point of view?
Now, think of this story as it relates to ur life, in advertising and otherwise..... Seeing things from a new point of view can be very enlightening.Think outside the box. Don't settle for the status quo......Be open to suggestions. Things may not be what they seem. Unless and until, one realizes about the fact and external factors.......
Every Point has THREE Sides; Your Side, My Side and The Right Side.To understand either the Other's Side or the Right Side, one needs to leave His Side...........
The trainees at PQRST agency were a happy lot.... after the first lecture on the first day of their intensive training session...... they found that advertising was REALLY REALLY an exiting place to be in... most of them new and fresh faces which the PQRST HR team ( ya folks... thats right...HR for Human resources) had handpicked from various B Schools... for those who had been lamenting of the lack of talents and the industry's apathy to the whole issue of attracting talents and nurturing and retaining them, its more than good news.... it is happening... back to PQRST and the new recruits..... they were a happy lot.... session after session, they were made to hear ,talk, think, work,sleep, draw ,assume and drop dead and flat.... it was cool, and cozy.... but for some ,they missed the informal and trendy air that they expected to breathe in and live in, much different from the tie and 'sir' culture that their B schools told them and tortured them with..... It took some time for many to sink it in their heads that no two ad agencies ( unlike the products they sell) are the same..... there is an inbuilt differentation, mostly inherited from the culture of the founding father or fathers( most agencies have many fathers, however dirty it may sound like)... Now I guess that explains why agency guys behave the way they do.... the pun is intended ofcourse.... and that differentation makes it different enough to be different from each other inspite of the multitude of simliarities that could make them same ,all the same, everyone, just pretending to be different like the brands of products that each one help the marketer to "market".....
After a week, but, a trainee mails me this story:
Yesterday for the first time, I attended a shoot for a corporate campaign of one of our clients. The theme was of a family comprising Father, Mother and a Girl child. ....Male and Female models were from Mumbai and Kid from Chennai. At 9:00 a.m the stage was set for the first shot, Mother exercising and kid has to crawl below mother, now the real challenge starts. Kid (2 years old) is no mood for shoot. We tried our level best to make her crawl, Both father and mother of the kid stood near camera and called her, but she was as adamant and still as a statue. Then father put some Cadburys 'Gems' and asked her to take it, she came this time but it was not a nice shot. This activity of shooting the child went on till 12:00. Then we decide to bring her elder brother who was 4 years old. When he came there was some change in the kid's mood. But we had to change the whole script and was forced to include male kid too.
She almost made the entire crew dance for her tune. At the end we somehow finished the shoot. The biggest learning of the day was that its an Herculean task to shoot with kids.
Truly he said, "We were feeling that making an advertising
meant client parties, negotiations, the bidding drama and a fabulous shoot. But its so surprising, it was 'expecting the unsusual'.. it was not being stylish..it was to become down to earth.. to look for surprises.. above all it was the realisation thatbeing in advertising is not a mere childs play....."
Out of the box ofcourse one has to think, but many times the question is,' where is the box'?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
