I wanted to be a stand up comedian...and make fun of people around me. Actually ..its good that they enjoy it ..thinkin it was a joke...
But in this rat race..called life..i cudnt find an option of becoming one..in any of th phases of life...till date...so ..im somewhere in between....waiting for a breakthru....
But no worries as i never stay calm..and keep teasing my friends around...to such an extent that ...they come home from office everyday....after i sleep....
I dont wanna be serious in life...atleast in mid 20s....Actually ma plan is to stay alone...No marraige man..who cares a ***k....its like...you marry a girl whom you donoo and expect her to be the dream girl..you want!!...Its not a game..ok...its life....not just about having a Wife....
hey The word...marraige reminds me...about...Sania ..the great tennis player....she has 10000 fans it seems..(may b in pak...).and she says....people never miss ma game on TV..do they see her ..or her game....Oops...i dont mind..but ...Sania Mirza might have taken our Indian pledge too seriously . " All Indians are my Brothers & Sisters " Thats why she married a Pakistani...Didnt she find anyone in india...Hmmmmmm.Guess she might have got fed up of indian boys after watching Rakee ka swayamwar....or their parents might have thought that "Yeah we can boast ourselves..saying ..my girl in a foriegn country ..- Pakistan.....".....
I dont say that people are stupid ..but thier thoughts are stupid...
My friend bought a tshirt for 1900 which was worth not more than..500..as it had an offer of 15%......
You know....another friend of mine ..had submitted his Offer letter (which he needs to retain it along wiht him and show while joining....)back to the university for which he applied for MS.... along with thte acceptance letter...without even looking at it properly...and the best thing is ...he argues...saying..."why did the person who sent, staple all the docs together...dosent that mean..he wants us to send the offer letter..without seperating from the rest.." hmmmmmmm..these are the Young guns of india....naa.....
Coming back to indian pledge...ok lets talk abt..indian...why indian pledge..
..Hey how many you guys believe that an average indian.. spends 50% of his time..doing nothing..\
They Take in less....and try to give out more..
less? not food...:knowledge....
giveout more: not money........sweat,badwords,gyan about what india is.,corruption..,make unnecessary gossip....
Gossip,haa..... i have a lady in my office ..my god i hav never seena person who can talk so much....she makes the wierdest sounds one could have ever heard..i mean..she laughs so loud wiht all her 31.5 teeth out...that she grabs the entire office's attention towards her....Last time when i was in th eelevator along wiht her ....she took out a Deo(AXE) and started spraying it...That made me doubt her more..as it was clearly written AXE for MEN.....
....................................to be continued.....
Monday, June 28, 2010
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Laila phir se huyi impress.....
Be well-groomed. Brush your hair, shower, wash your face use deodorant, a little cologne, and apply acne medicine daily (if you have a problem with your skin). Don't wear your pants off your butt, often called "sagging", it's not that attractive to the majority of girls. This is essential if you are even going to approach an attractive girl . Wear clean, attractive clothes that fit. (If in doubt, get an older sister or close female friend to help you in this department.) Don't wear skin tight clothes, but don't wear clothes that are too baggy either, girls hate that.
2Have a great attitude. Be fun to hang around with, easy to laugh with, and be outgoing. Just don't be full of yourself. A girl may like an overly cocky guy at first, but eventually, she will find it selfish. Don't try to impress everyone - girls like humble guys. At the same time, a sense of humor is always good. Girls love it when guys can make them laugh.
3Show respect. If you respect everyone and give them their space, they'll all respect you. With girls, it works even better. If they see you respecting everyone, and not getting pushed around while you're at it, they will be reassured that you will treat them right. Be kind to all.
4Have good conversations. Try to aim for you both to be speaking half of the time, but make sure that you are saying something worthwhile; it's not attractive when only one person talks endlessly or when they say bad words. Another thing to watch for is her attention. If she isn't paying complete attention, do not repeat yourself several times. This makes girls feel you are desperate, and usually annoying.
5Show interest in her - let her talk. The #1 mistake when talking to a girl is focusing on yourself. Girls are way more comfortable when they talk about common interests. Ask about their interests, hobbies, favorite books, music, etc. If she asks you a question, answer it in a few, short sentences and then redirect the question back at her. This engages her in the conversation. When in doubt, compliment her like your hair looks nice today. Even if a girl does not like you yet, complimenting her will make her feel good about herself and think positively about you.
6Try flirting! Don't be obsessive! If you both make eye contact, do not be the one to look away, but do not stare for too long. When you both make eye contact, just give a slight smile. Touch her arm or shoulder for a few seconds. Physical contact is a great way to show you're interested. If she seems uncomfortable, do not do it again.
7She may look away and she might blush a little. Be careful though; you don't want to stare her down. A good move is to look away, and if she likes you she will shoot you glances. Watch for that. And be courteous. Open doors. Do kind things, girls love that. BEWARE!! this doesnt work almost all time in ireland.
8Respect her friends and their ideas and opinions. Always speak highly of her and never talk trash about her. It will damage her reputation and yours. Hopefully then it will work both ways - she will be tolerant of your friends. Be careful not to compliment her friends too much, however. Example: You may say "Your friends seem cool. We should hang out with them and my friends some time, I think they'd get along". You may not say "Sally is so hot. She has the nicest eyes". You may think getting her jealous is a good idea, but it just makes them angry.
9Have your friends be nice to her It's a fantastic thing when your friends don't make a total fool of you. Warn them ahead of time and avoid topics pertaining to embarrassing moments of your past or awkward jokes that make very little sense. Don't introduce her to your friends right away though. You want her to like you, not start dating one of your buddies. If your friends like to embarass you, try to avoid them altogether
.10Be polite to her parents. Be kind to everyone, especially them. Don't be too over-the-top charming with the parents, however, or they'll think that you have something to hide.Be willing make sure that you and her father get along as he will be looking out for his daughter
.11Don't criticize her. Unless she asks for constructive criticism. And even then she probably wants you to compliment her.
12Be romantic, but not over the top. If you've been dating for a while you may attempt a grand romantic gesture, otherwise, you'll look like a stalker. It's also okay to be a little cheesy, like giving her a bouquet of roses and a loving poem. It may sound like a bad idea, but girls will find it thoughtful if it came from your heart. A better idea than being cheesy is to really LISTEN to her & remember things she likes. Then take her somewhere she's mentioned wanting to go, or buy her the books she's been wanting & hide a little note inside. Flowers & candy are really cliche & don't really mean much since anyone can just buy someone flowers. Showing you've been listening to her wants & needs goes a LOT farther than roses!!
13Start talking to her casually. If you don't know her, make friendly conversation. Ask for the time, and/or compliment her watch. Avoid throwing too many compliments about clothes or shoes around, that might make women think that you are homosexual as many gay men are fashion-forward.
14Do not play "hard to get". Sure, you'll get their attention for a day or two then after a while, the girl will end up frustrated, and she'll think you don't find interest in her anymore.
15Be careful with what you say. Do not discuss bodily functions in her presence, or make jokes of a sexual nature unless she starts doing so. Also, don't discuss anything gross or inappropriate. She'll get grossed out.
16Hum in her presence She might think of you whenever she hears that song. And she'll probably be impressed by your good taste in music. Some girls have actually dumped guys or stopped liking guys when they insulted the music they like. So, it's OK not to like her music, but don't be insulting her favorite singer(s)/band(s)! Try to figure out what music you BOTH like.
17Start an inside joke with her! She will feel included and become closer to you. It also gives you an easy-to-come-up-with conversation starter. Try not to overuse it and kill the joke.
18End later meetings with a hug, or plans to meet some other time, if you can. Make sure to tell her that you enjoyed her company.
19Tell her that you "like her" frequently. Ask her out.20Touch her occasionally, like on the shoulder or hand. Be sure do not touch her private parts, however.21Opposites attract. Be a courageous gentleman, not coy like a lady might be. Stand up for her if something is wrong.22Show your funny side. A lot of women look for sense of humor in a partner. You should however be mindful of their reactions to your jokes and avoid offensive humor. Unless they like that. Find out if she likes comedy. If she watches Comedy Central, find out her favorite comedian or favorite impression and try it out for her.23Make her feel good. This is a really good thing that impresses girls. They love it when you let them know you care for them. If she's sad, just simply put your arm around her neck. Make her happy, at least as much as you can. Flirt with her, hold her hand it will make her feel special.24Don't ever make fun of your friends around her If you do, it might make her think that you're a jerk. When someone makes fun of other people, it makes a woman wonder what they might be saying about HER when she's not around!!!25Be honest. Do something creative, something extraordinary or something that others never do. That creates a question mark for the girl about you, and it also makes you interesting.26Be open. Don't share too many secrets with her. Sprinkle a little and don't irritate her asking repeated questions. Always keep your face glowing and charming.
2Have a great attitude. Be fun to hang around with, easy to laugh with, and be outgoing. Just don't be full of yourself. A girl may like an overly cocky guy at first, but eventually, she will find it selfish. Don't try to impress everyone - girls like humble guys. At the same time, a sense of humor is always good. Girls love it when guys can make them laugh.
3Show respect. If you respect everyone and give them their space, they'll all respect you. With girls, it works even better. If they see you respecting everyone, and not getting pushed around while you're at it, they will be reassured that you will treat them right. Be kind to all.
4Have good conversations. Try to aim for you both to be speaking half of the time, but make sure that you are saying something worthwhile; it's not attractive when only one person talks endlessly or when they say bad words. Another thing to watch for is her attention. If she isn't paying complete attention, do not repeat yourself several times. This makes girls feel you are desperate, and usually annoying.
5Show interest in her - let her talk. The #1 mistake when talking to a girl is focusing on yourself. Girls are way more comfortable when they talk about common interests. Ask about their interests, hobbies, favorite books, music, etc. If she asks you a question, answer it in a few, short sentences and then redirect the question back at her. This engages her in the conversation. When in doubt, compliment her like your hair looks nice today. Even if a girl does not like you yet, complimenting her will make her feel good about herself and think positively about you.
6Try flirting! Don't be obsessive! If you both make eye contact, do not be the one to look away, but do not stare for too long. When you both make eye contact, just give a slight smile. Touch her arm or shoulder for a few seconds. Physical contact is a great way to show you're interested. If she seems uncomfortable, do not do it again.
7She may look away and she might blush a little. Be careful though; you don't want to stare her down. A good move is to look away, and if she likes you she will shoot you glances. Watch for that. And be courteous. Open doors. Do kind things, girls love that. BEWARE!! this doesnt work almost all time in ireland.
8Respect her friends and their ideas and opinions. Always speak highly of her and never talk trash about her. It will damage her reputation and yours. Hopefully then it will work both ways - she will be tolerant of your friends. Be careful not to compliment her friends too much, however. Example: You may say "Your friends seem cool. We should hang out with them and my friends some time, I think they'd get along". You may not say "Sally is so hot. She has the nicest eyes". You may think getting her jealous is a good idea, but it just makes them angry.
9Have your friends be nice to her It's a fantastic thing when your friends don't make a total fool of you. Warn them ahead of time and avoid topics pertaining to embarrassing moments of your past or awkward jokes that make very little sense. Don't introduce her to your friends right away though. You want her to like you, not start dating one of your buddies. If your friends like to embarass you, try to avoid them altogether
.10Be polite to her parents. Be kind to everyone, especially them. Don't be too over-the-top charming with the parents, however, or they'll think that you have something to hide.Be willing make sure that you and her father get along as he will be looking out for his daughter
.11Don't criticize her. Unless she asks for constructive criticism. And even then she probably wants you to compliment her.
12Be romantic, but not over the top. If you've been dating for a while you may attempt a grand romantic gesture, otherwise, you'll look like a stalker. It's also okay to be a little cheesy, like giving her a bouquet of roses and a loving poem. It may sound like a bad idea, but girls will find it thoughtful if it came from your heart. A better idea than being cheesy is to really LISTEN to her & remember things she likes. Then take her somewhere she's mentioned wanting to go, or buy her the books she's been wanting & hide a little note inside. Flowers & candy are really cliche & don't really mean much since anyone can just buy someone flowers. Showing you've been listening to her wants & needs goes a LOT farther than roses!!
13Start talking to her casually. If you don't know her, make friendly conversation. Ask for the time, and/or compliment her watch. Avoid throwing too many compliments about clothes or shoes around, that might make women think that you are homosexual as many gay men are fashion-forward.
14Do not play "hard to get". Sure, you'll get their attention for a day or two then after a while, the girl will end up frustrated, and she'll think you don't find interest in her anymore.
15Be careful with what you say. Do not discuss bodily functions in her presence, or make jokes of a sexual nature unless she starts doing so. Also, don't discuss anything gross or inappropriate. She'll get grossed out.
16Hum in her presence She might think of you whenever she hears that song. And she'll probably be impressed by your good taste in music. Some girls have actually dumped guys or stopped liking guys when they insulted the music they like. So, it's OK not to like her music, but don't be insulting her favorite singer(s)/band(s)! Try to figure out what music you BOTH like.
17Start an inside joke with her! She will feel included and become closer to you. It also gives you an easy-to-come-up-with conversation starter. Try not to overuse it and kill the joke.
18End later meetings with a hug, or plans to meet some other time, if you can. Make sure to tell her that you enjoyed her company.
19Tell her that you "like her" frequently. Ask her out.20Touch her occasionally, like on the shoulder or hand. Be sure do not touch her private parts, however.21Opposites attract. Be a courageous gentleman, not coy like a lady might be. Stand up for her if something is wrong.22Show your funny side. A lot of women look for sense of humor in a partner. You should however be mindful of their reactions to your jokes and avoid offensive humor. Unless they like that. Find out if she likes comedy. If she watches Comedy Central, find out her favorite comedian or favorite impression and try it out for her.23Make her feel good. This is a really good thing that impresses girls. They love it when you let them know you care for them. If she's sad, just simply put your arm around her neck. Make her happy, at least as much as you can. Flirt with her, hold her hand it will make her feel special.24Don't ever make fun of your friends around her If you do, it might make her think that you're a jerk. When someone makes fun of other people, it makes a woman wonder what they might be saying about HER when she's not around!!!25Be honest. Do something creative, something extraordinary or something that others never do. That creates a question mark for the girl about you, and it also makes you interesting.26Be open. Don't share too many secrets with her. Sprinkle a little and don't irritate her asking repeated questions. Always keep your face glowing and charming.
How to impress her...and have a conversation...
Conversation has very little to do with “talking”. Conversation is more about listing. Actually, it is not only about listening. It’s about understanding what your partner is trying to say and how he/she is saying it! Once you understand this, you can understand what your partner likes to talk about. If you understand this, you will be able to have a “beautiful conversation”.
Now, let us try to explain a few techniques that you can use. First one is called “cherry-picking”!
What is “cherry picking”?
You see, when people talk, they choose words and phrases, even in normal conversation, that tell you what they are interested in. You basically have to listen very closely to what people say, the phrases and words they use. If you listen carefully, you will be able to pick on the clues that people give when talking.
You then have to act on these clues and have to make the conversation interesting by talking to the person about what they are interested in…
Here is how it works. Let us assume that you have come into talking range of your partner. How did you get here? Well, you will have to use all the information provided on the previous pages to get here.
Now, here is an example:
Imagine that you get into a hotel and it is raining heavily outside. You say something like, “My God, it’s raining heavily outside!”
Your partner says, “Hmm, at least that’s good for the plants!”
You have to immediately pick your cherry here. Why would some one say, “good for the plants” if they have nothing to do with plants? You get a clue from this statement that your partner is interested in plants or has something to do with plants. So, your next question should be about “plants” because that is obviously a subject that interests him/her!
So, you might ask something like, “Oh, do you have a garden?" If he/she does have a garden, you hit gold! You have to then listen to the answer he/she gives and you have to respond to that! This way, you keep the conversation going!
Now, the problem is that your partner might not always give you a cherry easily. For example, consider this conversation:
You: “My God, it’s raining heavily outside?”
Partner: “Hmm..ya!”
(Now, what you going to do? No cherry! So, you will have to try something else. For example…)
You: So, do you come here often?
Partner: No! Just got in so that I don’t get wet in the rain!
(Still no cherry! Well, you will just have to keep poking with something else!)
You: It’s poring really badly now!
Partner: Well, at least it’s good for the plants!
Wohoo! You got your cherry. So use it. Make the next question about “plants” and get your partner interested. The initial conversation will be a little boring but once you find your cherry you can make things interesting.
Few tips to help finding topics your partner will be interested in:
First: When your partner is talking, DO NOT interrupt! Let your partner talk. He/she is giving you useful information about what he/she is interested in. The more he/she talks the more he/she will tell you about what he/she is interested in. So, let your partner talk. You must listen! You must listen very carefully!
Besides that, if you do not interrupt your partner while he/she is talking and you do all the eye-contact tricks, this tells you partner that you are interested in what he/she has to say! This is a very good compliment that you can give your partner without saying anything. This will make your partner instantly like you. So, do not interrupt your partner, LISTEN and listen carefully!
Besides that, when talking, it is always better to ask “open ended questions”. These will get your partner to talk more. What are “open ended questions”? Open ended questions are basically questions whose answer cannot be given in a just one or two words.
Suppose you ask someone, “Do you live in Delhi?” the person will probably respond saying “Yes” or “No”!
But, if you ask a question like, “Where exactly do you live?” the person is forced to say more than a few words. For example, the person might say, “Well, I live in…..” (Basically, a longer answer with more scope for cherry picking!)
So, you should try to ask open ended questions that have a long answer so that your partner will give you an elaborate answer and you can find out what is interesting to him/her. Never ask a “yes” or “no” type question. It will never give you any information about what the interests of the person are! You need to ask “open ended questions” and then listen intently for “cherries”!
So, that is what “conversation” is all about. Using the tricks we have mentioned above, you can keep a conversation going for hours! If you have a long interesting conversation the very first time you meet your partner, there is a good chance you can make your partner fall in love with you! However, when you are doing this very first conversation, make sure to maintain eye contact and use all the other eye-contact tricks from the previous sections.
Now, let us assume that you have had a very good first conversation with your partner. Now the question is, “How do you get your first date?”…
Now, let us try to explain a few techniques that you can use. First one is called “cherry-picking”!
What is “cherry picking”?
You see, when people talk, they choose words and phrases, even in normal conversation, that tell you what they are interested in. You basically have to listen very closely to what people say, the phrases and words they use. If you listen carefully, you will be able to pick on the clues that people give when talking.
You then have to act on these clues and have to make the conversation interesting by talking to the person about what they are interested in…
Here is how it works. Let us assume that you have come into talking range of your partner. How did you get here? Well, you will have to use all the information provided on the previous pages to get here.
Now, here is an example:
Imagine that you get into a hotel and it is raining heavily outside. You say something like, “My God, it’s raining heavily outside!”
Your partner says, “Hmm, at least that’s good for the plants!”
You have to immediately pick your cherry here. Why would some one say, “good for the plants” if they have nothing to do with plants? You get a clue from this statement that your partner is interested in plants or has something to do with plants. So, your next question should be about “plants” because that is obviously a subject that interests him/her!
So, you might ask something like, “Oh, do you have a garden?" If he/she does have a garden, you hit gold! You have to then listen to the answer he/she gives and you have to respond to that! This way, you keep the conversation going!
Now, the problem is that your partner might not always give you a cherry easily. For example, consider this conversation:
You: “My God, it’s raining heavily outside?”
Partner: “Hmm..ya!”
(Now, what you going to do? No cherry! So, you will have to try something else. For example…)
You: So, do you come here often?
Partner: No! Just got in so that I don’t get wet in the rain!
(Still no cherry! Well, you will just have to keep poking with something else!)
You: It’s poring really badly now!
Partner: Well, at least it’s good for the plants!
Wohoo! You got your cherry. So use it. Make the next question about “plants” and get your partner interested. The initial conversation will be a little boring but once you find your cherry you can make things interesting.
Few tips to help finding topics your partner will be interested in:
First: When your partner is talking, DO NOT interrupt! Let your partner talk. He/she is giving you useful information about what he/she is interested in. The more he/she talks the more he/she will tell you about what he/she is interested in. So, let your partner talk. You must listen! You must listen very carefully!
Besides that, if you do not interrupt your partner while he/she is talking and you do all the eye-contact tricks, this tells you partner that you are interested in what he/she has to say! This is a very good compliment that you can give your partner without saying anything. This will make your partner instantly like you. So, do not interrupt your partner, LISTEN and listen carefully!
Besides that, when talking, it is always better to ask “open ended questions”. These will get your partner to talk more. What are “open ended questions”? Open ended questions are basically questions whose answer cannot be given in a just one or two words.
Suppose you ask someone, “Do you live in Delhi?” the person will probably respond saying “Yes” or “No”!
But, if you ask a question like, “Where exactly do you live?” the person is forced to say more than a few words. For example, the person might say, “Well, I live in…..” (Basically, a longer answer with more scope for cherry picking!)
So, you should try to ask open ended questions that have a long answer so that your partner will give you an elaborate answer and you can find out what is interesting to him/her. Never ask a “yes” or “no” type question. It will never give you any information about what the interests of the person are! You need to ask “open ended questions” and then listen intently for “cherries”!
So, that is what “conversation” is all about. Using the tricks we have mentioned above, you can keep a conversation going for hours! If you have a long interesting conversation the very first time you meet your partner, there is a good chance you can make your partner fall in love with you! However, when you are doing this very first conversation, make sure to maintain eye contact and use all the other eye-contact tricks from the previous sections.
Now, let us assume that you have had a very good first conversation with your partner. Now the question is, “How do you get your first date?”…
How to approach her? (For Men)
Without going into all the details of science, here are the generally excepted “best strategies” that men can use to approach their partner.
Assume that, you are a little distance away from her, across the room/hotel etc.
Make eye contact: Maintain steady eye contact with her and hold it just a little bit too long.
Smile at her: Make sure your smile is friendly and respectful, not a dirty grin or a smirk.
Give her a nod: If she returns your gaze “within 45 seconds”, give her a nod. The nod reads, "I like you. May I talk to you?"
Move within her range: The final step is to move close enough to her to talk. Do this last step fast. If you do not, you will look very un-confident to her.
You might be wondering what that whole 45 seconds thing was about. You see, when you look at her and hold your eye contact for a few extra seconds, be prepared for her to look away. A woman has been trained to lower her eyes when a man looks at her. Remember: This does not mean she is not interested.
Research and analysis tells us, after looking away, if the woman looks up again within 45 seconds, she welcomes your attention. So, if she pretends to look at something else and looks back at you within 45 seconds, she likes you. Go to the next step. Give her a nod and move within her talking range.
Now the question is, what do you say when you approach her? Do you use a “pickup line” Something like, “Is your father a terrorist? Because you a bomb!”
NO! NO! NO! Do not do this. Pick up lines are just jokes. They are not supposed to be used actually. They will never work!
Your opening words should relate to the woman or the current situation. Ask her what time it is. Compliment her watch or her outfit. Ask her for directions. Inquire how she knows the host or hostess of the party. Whatever you say, she knows it's just an excuse for you to talk to her. If she likes you, that's fine with her.
So be confident and just say something simple. We will come to the art of conversation a little later…
Assume that, you are a little distance away from her, across the room/hotel etc.
Make eye contact: Maintain steady eye contact with her and hold it just a little bit too long.
Smile at her: Make sure your smile is friendly and respectful, not a dirty grin or a smirk.
Give her a nod: If she returns your gaze “within 45 seconds”, give her a nod. The nod reads, "I like you. May I talk to you?"
Move within her range: The final step is to move close enough to her to talk. Do this last step fast. If you do not, you will look very un-confident to her.
You might be wondering what that whole 45 seconds thing was about. You see, when you look at her and hold your eye contact for a few extra seconds, be prepared for her to look away. A woman has been trained to lower her eyes when a man looks at her. Remember: This does not mean she is not interested.
Research and analysis tells us, after looking away, if the woman looks up again within 45 seconds, she welcomes your attention. So, if she pretends to look at something else and looks back at you within 45 seconds, she likes you. Go to the next step. Give her a nod and move within her talking range.
Now the question is, what do you say when you approach her? Do you use a “pickup line” Something like, “Is your father a terrorist? Because you a bomb!”
NO! NO! NO! Do not do this. Pick up lines are just jokes. They are not supposed to be used actually. They will never work!
Your opening words should relate to the woman or the current situation. Ask her what time it is. Compliment her watch or her outfit. Ask her for directions. Inquire how she knows the host or hostess of the party. Whatever you say, she knows it's just an excuse for you to talk to her. If she likes you, that's fine with her.
So be confident and just say something simple. We will come to the art of conversation a little later…
Thursday, June 10, 2010
R Balakrishnan, aka R. Balki
R Balakrishnan, aka R. Balki is a noted ad professional as the chairperson and chief creative officer, Lowe Lintas.
He started his career with Mudra at the age of 23. And it all happened by fluke, according to him. His main passion has always been film making and after college, he even applied to the Madras film institute to do a course in direction. However, he did not like the panel that interviewed him as according to him, they asked really stupid questions. So he walked out. After this, he got into the Masters in Computer Application (MCA) course in a college, which was right opposite the film institute. He always liked computers, so he thought, that he could do well in this course. After studying there for three years, he was thrown out in the last year because of lack of attendance. According to him, this was mainly due to the fact, that he played a lot of cricket and watched a lot of movies.
Also, the fact that he did his summer project at Wipro, but didn’t want to programme machines for the rest of his life...he did not go back to finish his course. He saw an ad in the papers for Mudra and he remembered seeing it after Buniyaad. The ad asked people to send in 100 words describing who you are. His idol was Ramesh Sippy, when he started his career and he wished to emulate him in advertising and got to meet Mr. Sippy only much later.
Balki has some no-nonsense ideas like Daag Achche Hain for Surf Excel. His Jaago re ads for Tata Tea and walk when you talk Idea Cellular campaign have brought in a much needed fresh social voice to advertising. He has written and directed Cheeni Kum, which starred Amitabh Bachchan. Paa is his second venture.
Another dream of Balki is to do cricket commentary, even if its for one match. Illayaraja, the noted composer from South is Balki's favourite and he thinks, there is no parallel to him.
He started his career with Mudra at the age of 23. And it all happened by fluke, according to him. His main passion has always been film making and after college, he even applied to the Madras film institute to do a course in direction. However, he did not like the panel that interviewed him as according to him, they asked really stupid questions. So he walked out. After this, he got into the Masters in Computer Application (MCA) course in a college, which was right opposite the film institute. He always liked computers, so he thought, that he could do well in this course. After studying there for three years, he was thrown out in the last year because of lack of attendance. According to him, this was mainly due to the fact, that he played a lot of cricket and watched a lot of movies.
Also, the fact that he did his summer project at Wipro, but didn’t want to programme machines for the rest of his life...he did not go back to finish his course. He saw an ad in the papers for Mudra and he remembered seeing it after Buniyaad. The ad asked people to send in 100 words describing who you are. His idol was Ramesh Sippy, when he started his career and he wished to emulate him in advertising and got to meet Mr. Sippy only much later.
Balki has some no-nonsense ideas like Daag Achche Hain for Surf Excel. His Jaago re ads for Tata Tea and walk when you talk Idea Cellular campaign have brought in a much needed fresh social voice to advertising. He has written and directed Cheeni Kum, which starred Amitabh Bachchan. Paa is his second venture.
Another dream of Balki is to do cricket commentary, even if its for one match. Illayaraja, the noted composer from South is Balki's favourite and he thinks, there is no parallel to him.
Kiran Khalap
“Creativity is the category benefit. It’s not unique to any advertising or brand consultancy firm. As Arthur Kossler puts it, creativity is about combining two frames of reference to create a third. We ascribe to the same theory. We also feel that all branding occurs behind the scenes. We don’t aspire to draw attention to ourselves.”
Kiran Khalap, Co-Founder, Chlorophyll
In a conversation with Anushree Madan Mohan of exchange4media, Kiran Khalap (Co- Founder, Chlorophyll) discusses his journey as a brand consultant, the aspects that differentiate his start-up from an ad agency, and the problems inherent in the advertising fraternity.
Q. How was Chlorophyll born?
A.
There’s Mr X working in a particular agency, who forms rapport with a client; then he decides to start his own set-up and takes the existing client with him. Advertising start-ups generally begin this way. But when we began with Chlorophyll, we didn’t feel the need to snatch existing business from any particular agency. Madan Behl, who initiated Chlorophyll along with me, stood by me and offered encouragement for the kind of unit that I had envisioned. Since we were starting off as brand consultants, there was a need to imprint the image of our brand at the very beginning. With Chlorophyll, we didn’t have any case studies to refer to; there was only self-referential development.
We identified three specific attributes for Chlorophyll. First was efficiency, creativity was the second, and keeping ourselves in the backdrop was the third. The first aspect is critical since there is a certain amount of competitive edge in the market, and everything has to be managed on time. Again, time to market is becoming less and less, and clients need to act fast on account of competition.
Creativity is the category benefit. It’s not unique to any advertising or brand consultancy firm. As Arthur Kossler puts it, creativity is about combining two frames of reference to create a third. We ascribe to the same theory. We also feel that all branding occurs behind the scenes. We don’t aspire to draw attention to ourselves.
Q. Why Chlorophyll?
A.
If you examine the three attributes that I just mentioned, you would find that there is a certain fit between what we stand for and the name. The Chlorophyll molecule is extremely efficient; it uses light in addition to water to create something new and yet, it fades into the background. Chlorophyll is so intrinsic to life yet it doesn’t stand out.
When we started out, it was never with an aim to act as a substitute for an ad agency. To be frank, in the cases where we have tried to do the same, it has not quite worked out for us. It was in the first year of our existence that we realised that we mustn’t get into relationships where we could be seen as a substitute for an ad agency. We can compliment the efforts of an ad agency but that just about sums it up. As a unit, we started off with five members and we have not allowed ourselves to grow perennially. We also take on clients who respect our views and we don’t come up with solutions just to please the client.
Q. What, according to you, are the problems inherent in advertising today?
A.
In bigger outfits, it is seen that people at the top do less and less of ideation and strategy, and are more involved with management and day-to-day affairs. CEOs of agencies are unclear about basic fundamentals such as the difference between the brand personality and the personality of the consumer. As a brand consultant, I have had the misfortune of sitting on agency presentations (as a member from the client’s side) and observing that all too often there is almost no differentiation between these presentations. The agency tells the client that you must build differentiation for the brand. Yet, differentiation amongst agencies is all too superficial.
Q. At the Business Today Cross Fire session, you mentioned something about larger outfits losing their conscience in the long run. What did you mean by that?
A.
What is the ultimate agency dream. They want to sit with the top management from the client’s side and be seen as partners in communication. In the creative camp, there is this unbelievable thirst for awards and peer approval. How many creative guys are there who actually measure the effectiveness of their advertising and compare it to a brand’s success in the market? What really goes on is that I come and pat your back; you come and pat mine. And everyone’s happy.
The fact remains that somebody’s shelling out crores of rupees, obviously to get something in return. You are supposed to address consumers in the bargain and generate genuine value. If as an agency person, I don’t really sit and reflect on where all that money went, would you call me a person with a conscience? But what most creative guys are really worried about are things like ‘Will I win at the Abby’s? Will I make it big at Cannes? What does X person say about my ad?’
I call it the ‘Look London, Talk Tokyo’ syndrome. All I do is to think about awards, and yet I am supposed to be building a brand in the market!
Q. According to you, what should be the credentials of a good advertising professional?
A.
Honestly, would you really call advertising a profession? What is the definition of a profession? A doctor, an engineer, a lawyer – they all need some kind of qualification to make it into the profession. If it is a profession, where is the great learning body? Perhaps this is one reason why the advertising industry is losing more and more ground to public relations. What you are really saying is that anybody and everybody can make it to the industry, with a self-proclaimed claim to talent!
Q. Is advertising more about individuals than about team effort?
A.
Let’s talk about team effort. How can you expect team effort to exist in advertising, when it doesn’t really exist in any other sphere of life? Indians can’t really operate in teams. In fact, until a year back, the Indian cricket team was quite devoid of the term ‘team spirit.’ The Kannadigas would sit in one corner, the Bombayiites would sit in another corner and the UPiites in a third corner. This business is about ideas, and ideas come from individuals. You can’t possibly have a collective idea.
Q. Does team effort play any kind of a role then?
A.
To a certain extent, yes. At Chlorophyll, we have a term called the ‘Principle of Motherhood’, which denotes that in the gamut of procreation, you need the necessary participation of a man and the unique responsibility of a woman. Similarly in advertising, the creative guy must seek the help of the account planner (as he is the person who directly comes in contact with the consumer) and share ideas with him. That’s team effort for you.
Until some years ago, the advertising scene in HTA would work in such a way that the copywriter would write the commercial, his secretary would put a sheet under the art director’s door and then the art director would create the end product. Advertising thus has gone way ahead in the current day. Yet media agencies are a separate entity altogether, a fact that needs to be addressed. Teamwork as a concept is still undergoing evolution. And individuals still manage the reins.
Q. How does Chlorophyll stand out from the rest?
A.
Well, we build a brand from scratch. Nearly 70 per cent of our revenue comes purely from creation of brands. The launch of Taj Group’s Indione is one such example. A newspaper report stated that Chlorophyll as an outfit is going to handle this brand from the Taj table.
But the fact is that we had been handling the brand for a year, before the report came out.
We were working with the client on segmentation, naming, design, etc. We don’t feel the need to announce the businesses that we have procured, simply because it’s irrelevant. Why should we? What would it prove?
We are not worried about whether a brand advertises itself or it doesn’t. I don’t have panic buttons going on all the time. We managed Hindustan Lever as a brand on campus for around four years. No mass media, but focused communication.
Q. Is there a lot more to branding than what meets the eye?
A.
There is so much more to branding that meets the eye. Mass media is just one aspect of it. A name like DHL may spend Rs 4 crore as its advertising budget, but for you and me, it is the guy who delivers the parcel at my door that creates the face for the brand. If the guy wears rubber chappals, or has body odour, that’s the image that I would carry of DHL.
Again, if I see an ad of Lyril Baniyan on a water pipe between Bandra to Matunga, the choice of the medium tells me it’s a cheap brand. The choice of the medium is extremely crucial; after all SMS messages have been known to bring down governments.
Q. In that case, what do you think about Internet as a medium?
A.
There are the three ‘I’s that make Internet special. It’s an instantaneous medium, besides being interactive and international in appeal. There is so much you can do on the Net, but unfortunately, the advertising industry has not woken up to the fact as yet. Partly, the fault lies with large FMCGs who devise a me-too TVC, run it a trillion times and get away with it. They haven’t yet learnt to capitalise on an opportunity called Internet.
Interestingly, this medium affects consumer behaviour in more ways than one, like consumers have been known to reject products that are animal tested just because they came across an incriminating report online. Here, they have not rejected a product because it lacks quality, but because their belief is at loggerheads with the philosophy of the company. Thanks to Internet, the consumer has access to every piece of information about your organisation.
Q. According to you, is mass mentality leading to crass ads? Are we really trying to address the least common denominator?
A.
If you are talking about a brand like Coke and the current ‘Wakao’ craze, you must understand that they have a clear stance and they are aiming at conversion on a mass scale. Their objective is to convert the water drinker into a Coke drinker. Plus, we Indians are loud people with a powerful oral tradition. Why do you think we still have ‘Horn Please’ inscribed behind every vehicle? We are a country of ears and not eyes. In India, we use television sets like radio sets. Most families when they get together have the television set blaring. Not many people are looking at the television set but they are absorbing a lot that’s being said through the audio. A word like ‘Wakao’ or a ‘Hoodibaba’ is a sure way to attract attention.
Q. How did ‘Halfway Up the Mountain’ come about? Is there any other book on the cards?
A.
I think I have always been a writer. Back in college days, I used to write short stories for magazines and newspapers. I once wrote a short story which I sent just for the heck of it, and it won an award. Which is why, I decided to pursue the interest. ‘Halfway Up the Mountain’ is an idea that germinated in my head, it’s a tale about mediocrity, and not just in the professional sphere. You could be doing very well professionally, and yet be a shallow, mediocre person. Perhaps someone like Pablo Picasso who was a brilliant artist yet an abysmal human being. When I showed the book to Jayapriya Vasudevan, she tried contacting various publishers and then requested me if she could publish it through her own set-up. I said, go ahead. And the rest is history.
Right now, I am working on another book; it should materialize in some months.
Kiran Khalap, Co-Founder, Chlorophyll
In a conversation with Anushree Madan Mohan of exchange4media, Kiran Khalap (Co- Founder, Chlorophyll) discusses his journey as a brand consultant, the aspects that differentiate his start-up from an ad agency, and the problems inherent in the advertising fraternity.
Q. How was Chlorophyll born?
A.
There’s Mr X working in a particular agency, who forms rapport with a client; then he decides to start his own set-up and takes the existing client with him. Advertising start-ups generally begin this way. But when we began with Chlorophyll, we didn’t feel the need to snatch existing business from any particular agency. Madan Behl, who initiated Chlorophyll along with me, stood by me and offered encouragement for the kind of unit that I had envisioned. Since we were starting off as brand consultants, there was a need to imprint the image of our brand at the very beginning. With Chlorophyll, we didn’t have any case studies to refer to; there was only self-referential development.
We identified three specific attributes for Chlorophyll. First was efficiency, creativity was the second, and keeping ourselves in the backdrop was the third. The first aspect is critical since there is a certain amount of competitive edge in the market, and everything has to be managed on time. Again, time to market is becoming less and less, and clients need to act fast on account of competition.
Creativity is the category benefit. It’s not unique to any advertising or brand consultancy firm. As Arthur Kossler puts it, creativity is about combining two frames of reference to create a third. We ascribe to the same theory. We also feel that all branding occurs behind the scenes. We don’t aspire to draw attention to ourselves.
Q. Why Chlorophyll?
A.
If you examine the three attributes that I just mentioned, you would find that there is a certain fit between what we stand for and the name. The Chlorophyll molecule is extremely efficient; it uses light in addition to water to create something new and yet, it fades into the background. Chlorophyll is so intrinsic to life yet it doesn’t stand out.
When we started out, it was never with an aim to act as a substitute for an ad agency. To be frank, in the cases where we have tried to do the same, it has not quite worked out for us. It was in the first year of our existence that we realised that we mustn’t get into relationships where we could be seen as a substitute for an ad agency. We can compliment the efforts of an ad agency but that just about sums it up. As a unit, we started off with five members and we have not allowed ourselves to grow perennially. We also take on clients who respect our views and we don’t come up with solutions just to please the client.
Q. What, according to you, are the problems inherent in advertising today?
A.
In bigger outfits, it is seen that people at the top do less and less of ideation and strategy, and are more involved with management and day-to-day affairs. CEOs of agencies are unclear about basic fundamentals such as the difference between the brand personality and the personality of the consumer. As a brand consultant, I have had the misfortune of sitting on agency presentations (as a member from the client’s side) and observing that all too often there is almost no differentiation between these presentations. The agency tells the client that you must build differentiation for the brand. Yet, differentiation amongst agencies is all too superficial.
Q. At the Business Today Cross Fire session, you mentioned something about larger outfits losing their conscience in the long run. What did you mean by that?
A.
What is the ultimate agency dream. They want to sit with the top management from the client’s side and be seen as partners in communication. In the creative camp, there is this unbelievable thirst for awards and peer approval. How many creative guys are there who actually measure the effectiveness of their advertising and compare it to a brand’s success in the market? What really goes on is that I come and pat your back; you come and pat mine. And everyone’s happy.
The fact remains that somebody’s shelling out crores of rupees, obviously to get something in return. You are supposed to address consumers in the bargain and generate genuine value. If as an agency person, I don’t really sit and reflect on where all that money went, would you call me a person with a conscience? But what most creative guys are really worried about are things like ‘Will I win at the Abby’s? Will I make it big at Cannes? What does X person say about my ad?’
I call it the ‘Look London, Talk Tokyo’ syndrome. All I do is to think about awards, and yet I am supposed to be building a brand in the market!
Q. According to you, what should be the credentials of a good advertising professional?
A.
Honestly, would you really call advertising a profession? What is the definition of a profession? A doctor, an engineer, a lawyer – they all need some kind of qualification to make it into the profession. If it is a profession, where is the great learning body? Perhaps this is one reason why the advertising industry is losing more and more ground to public relations. What you are really saying is that anybody and everybody can make it to the industry, with a self-proclaimed claim to talent!
Q. Is advertising more about individuals than about team effort?
A.
Let’s talk about team effort. How can you expect team effort to exist in advertising, when it doesn’t really exist in any other sphere of life? Indians can’t really operate in teams. In fact, until a year back, the Indian cricket team was quite devoid of the term ‘team spirit.’ The Kannadigas would sit in one corner, the Bombayiites would sit in another corner and the UPiites in a third corner. This business is about ideas, and ideas come from individuals. You can’t possibly have a collective idea.
Q. Does team effort play any kind of a role then?
A.
To a certain extent, yes. At Chlorophyll, we have a term called the ‘Principle of Motherhood’, which denotes that in the gamut of procreation, you need the necessary participation of a man and the unique responsibility of a woman. Similarly in advertising, the creative guy must seek the help of the account planner (as he is the person who directly comes in contact with the consumer) and share ideas with him. That’s team effort for you.
Until some years ago, the advertising scene in HTA would work in such a way that the copywriter would write the commercial, his secretary would put a sheet under the art director’s door and then the art director would create the end product. Advertising thus has gone way ahead in the current day. Yet media agencies are a separate entity altogether, a fact that needs to be addressed. Teamwork as a concept is still undergoing evolution. And individuals still manage the reins.
Q. How does Chlorophyll stand out from the rest?
A.
Well, we build a brand from scratch. Nearly 70 per cent of our revenue comes purely from creation of brands. The launch of Taj Group’s Indione is one such example. A newspaper report stated that Chlorophyll as an outfit is going to handle this brand from the Taj table.
But the fact is that we had been handling the brand for a year, before the report came out.
We were working with the client on segmentation, naming, design, etc. We don’t feel the need to announce the businesses that we have procured, simply because it’s irrelevant. Why should we? What would it prove?
We are not worried about whether a brand advertises itself or it doesn’t. I don’t have panic buttons going on all the time. We managed Hindustan Lever as a brand on campus for around four years. No mass media, but focused communication.
Q. Is there a lot more to branding than what meets the eye?
A.
There is so much more to branding that meets the eye. Mass media is just one aspect of it. A name like DHL may spend Rs 4 crore as its advertising budget, but for you and me, it is the guy who delivers the parcel at my door that creates the face for the brand. If the guy wears rubber chappals, or has body odour, that’s the image that I would carry of DHL.
Again, if I see an ad of Lyril Baniyan on a water pipe between Bandra to Matunga, the choice of the medium tells me it’s a cheap brand. The choice of the medium is extremely crucial; after all SMS messages have been known to bring down governments.
Q. In that case, what do you think about Internet as a medium?
A.
There are the three ‘I’s that make Internet special. It’s an instantaneous medium, besides being interactive and international in appeal. There is so much you can do on the Net, but unfortunately, the advertising industry has not woken up to the fact as yet. Partly, the fault lies with large FMCGs who devise a me-too TVC, run it a trillion times and get away with it. They haven’t yet learnt to capitalise on an opportunity called Internet.
Interestingly, this medium affects consumer behaviour in more ways than one, like consumers have been known to reject products that are animal tested just because they came across an incriminating report online. Here, they have not rejected a product because it lacks quality, but because their belief is at loggerheads with the philosophy of the company. Thanks to Internet, the consumer has access to every piece of information about your organisation.
Q. According to you, is mass mentality leading to crass ads? Are we really trying to address the least common denominator?
A.
If you are talking about a brand like Coke and the current ‘Wakao’ craze, you must understand that they have a clear stance and they are aiming at conversion on a mass scale. Their objective is to convert the water drinker into a Coke drinker. Plus, we Indians are loud people with a powerful oral tradition. Why do you think we still have ‘Horn Please’ inscribed behind every vehicle? We are a country of ears and not eyes. In India, we use television sets like radio sets. Most families when they get together have the television set blaring. Not many people are looking at the television set but they are absorbing a lot that’s being said through the audio. A word like ‘Wakao’ or a ‘Hoodibaba’ is a sure way to attract attention.
Q. How did ‘Halfway Up the Mountain’ come about? Is there any other book on the cards?
A.
I think I have always been a writer. Back in college days, I used to write short stories for magazines and newspapers. I once wrote a short story which I sent just for the heck of it, and it won an award. Which is why, I decided to pursue the interest. ‘Halfway Up the Mountain’ is an idea that germinated in my head, it’s a tale about mediocrity, and not just in the professional sphere. You could be doing very well professionally, and yet be a shallow, mediocre person. Perhaps someone like Pablo Picasso who was a brilliant artist yet an abysmal human being. When I showed the book to Jayapriya Vasudevan, she tried contacting various publishers and then requested me if she could publish it through her own set-up. I said, go ahead. And the rest is history.
Right now, I am working on another book; it should materialize in some months.
Ads and Admakers
Piyush Pandey is executive chairman and creative director for Ogilvy and Mather, South Asia. He worked as a tea taster before joining Ogilvy in 1982. He is passionate about cricket and has played in the Ranji Trophy.
Santosh Desai is managing director and chief executive for Future Brands. Desai is interested in studying the relationship between culture and brands. His first book on contemporary India is due to be published early next year.
Kiran Khalap is the co-founder of Chlorophyll Brand and Communications Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. Starting out as a schoolteacher, Khalap moved to advertising in 1983, working with agencies before setting up India’s first brand consultancy.
Lloyd Mathias is president and chief marketing officer of Tata Teleservices Ltd. Prior to this, he was a senior director for Motorola’s South-West Asia region and was executive vice-president of marketing at PepsiCo South Asia.
The list
Orange–Hutch–Vodafone campaign
Right from their network advertisements about the little boy and his pug to the hugely popular Zoozoos, the campaign transformed the category with its simplicity and consistency. “I don’t know any other brand in advertising which has managed to maintain its brand voice through four name changes and people haven’t abandoned the brand,” says Kiran Khalap.
Ads up: (clockwise from centre) Vodafone’s Zoozoos; Aamir Khan in Coca-Cola’s Paanch! campaign; ads for Happydent; M-Seal; Bingo and Center Shock.
HappyDent—palace
Shot by film-maker Ram Madhvani, the advertisement shows a smile can literally light up a room. The panel felt the ad demonstrated that the idea-execution divide was a tenuous one. “The number of layers seamlessly stitched together to produce a spectacle of a scale that is truly of a different league... I would say it’s a triumph of the craft,” says Santosh Desai.
Fevicol
In a category of fantastically made demo advertisements with images of, among others, two trucks stuck together and a man stuck to the ceiling, the Fevicol advertisements built the concept of adhesives to represent strong human bonds and relationships.
Center Shock chewing gum—barber
A man enters a local barber’s shop and asks for an Afro hairdo, only to have a Center Shock chewing gum stuffed into his mouth. “It brings that whole brand experience alive,” says Lloyd Mathias. “That burst of flavour…it’s a great visual depiction.”
Times of India—pushing files
A comment on corruption in society, the advertisement traces the path of a file in a government office. Set against the commentary of a hockey match, the file reaches its destination, and the bribe is in the official’s pocket even as a goal is scored in the match. “At a subliminal level, you don’t associate India winning with hockey, therefore this file passing is not about winning, but about eventually losing to corruption,” says Khalap.
Coca-Cola—Thanda Matlab… and Paanch!
The advertisements show actor Aamir Khan in various roles, including one as a safari-suited, paan-chewing official who pulls up a village storekeeper for charging more than Rs5 for a small bottle of Coke. The campaign marked a huge change in Coke’s fortunes in India. For the first time, the brand had shed its foreign tone and was speaking to the masses.
M-Seal—dying man
In the original script Piyush Pandey wrote for the brand of putty, the drop of water falls on the old man’s signature. But he changed it after his nephew Abhijit Awasthi, executive creative director, O&M, South Asia said, “He’s adding the zeros to that number, drop it on the one.” Khalap says the ad is memorable as “it’s an incredibly original thought, beautifully executed along with brilliant delivery of the punch line”.
Bingo
The launch campaign was extremely funny and has seemingly idiotic advertisements such as the Glad Bangles one, in which a Russian model exalts the benefits of crystal bangles, which have nothing to do with the product, Mad Angles. “The sense of humour is such that it’s not universal, and yet it strikes an absurd chord. Everyone will have their own favourite Bingo ad,” says Mathias.
Asian Paints—Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai
The commercial influenced not just advertising within the paints category, but other categories as well. The most recent advertisement for Tata Walky phones has the same imagery. “Unlike most ads which had a structure—a beginning, middle and end—this had none. Yet, you couldn’t keep your eyes off it,” says Khalap.
Balbir Pasha Ko AIDS Hoga Kya?
The advertisements showed people talking about a fictional character, Balbir Pasha, and his chances of contracting AIDS. The advertisements were meant to correct misconceptions about the disease and get people talking about it more openly, which it did. “It was an advertising solution, rather than an execution,” said Desai. “In terms of the depth, newness and scale of problem it was trying to address, I think it had a strong impact.”
The process
Could you show us to our stable, please?” asked Piyush Pandey as the rest of the party broke into raucous laughter. It was a reunion of sorts as our panel shook hands and spoke animatedly at Tote on the Turf, near the stables of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai. Our hopes of a spirited afternoon, punctuated with heavy betting and edible missiles being thrown, melted away as our panel of advertising and marketing professionals cordially exchanged notes on their 10 best advertisement films of the decade.
Warming up over an assortment of cappuccinos, green tea and vodka tonic, we had the first tally: five out of 10 on each list matched. They unanimously voted for the Orange-Hutch-Vodafone campaign. Not only was the brand applauded for changing a category known to be fraught with “technical gobbledygook” but also for maintaining a consistent tone across changes in identity. Fevicol came a close second, and the award-winning palace advertisement for Happydent chewing gum was next. “While people argue that the concept of teeth emitting light has been used before, this commercial goes way beyond that. So much so, that you forget the past. That to me is the magic of execution,” said Pandey.
They also picked Center Shock chewing gum’s “barber” advertisement for its absurdity. The discussion progressed smoothly till they came up against two Times of India campaigns—the “Pakya” commercial, where an old man celebrates the triumph of his grandson, and the “pushing files” commercial, which was a comment on corruption. While Lloyd Mathias voted in favour of “Pakya”, claiming it touched an emotional chord, Santosh Desai though it was too contrived.
The group didn’t consider the latest award-winning Naka Muka commercial, as they thought the concept had been done before. Pandey thought it had done beautifully at award shows because it had the whole “Slumdog Millionaire” appeal.
Coca-Cola’s Thanda matlab... and Paanch! advertisements were picked together as they marked a turning point for Coke. “Nothing got us scampering at Pepsi like that campaign,” said Mathias, then executive vice-president of marketing at PepsiCo, South Asia. Kiran Khalap said, “Till then, Coke’s entire language was too foreign. With this campaign, they were speaking ‘Indianese’ for the first time.”
The group agreed on the launch campaign for Bingo, for its sheer absurdity and recall; the “dying man” commercial for M-Seal’s repair putty, for its brilliant comic timing; and Asian Paints’ Har ghar kuch kehta hai, for spawning a number of clones in the category.
For the last spot on the list, Desai and Khalap picked the Balbir Pasha ko AIDS hoga kya? campaign, Mathias selected Maruti 800’s Petrol khatam hi nahin hota, while Pandey chose the SBI Life campaign. The jury, finally agreeing on the “Balbir Pasha” campaign, signed off on a high note, but with a disclaimer: “E&OE” (Errors & Omissions Expected).
Santosh Desai is managing director and chief executive for Future Brands. Desai is interested in studying the relationship between culture and brands. His first book on contemporary India is due to be published early next year.
Kiran Khalap is the co-founder of Chlorophyll Brand and Communications Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. Starting out as a schoolteacher, Khalap moved to advertising in 1983, working with agencies before setting up India’s first brand consultancy.
Lloyd Mathias is president and chief marketing officer of Tata Teleservices Ltd. Prior to this, he was a senior director for Motorola’s South-West Asia region and was executive vice-president of marketing at PepsiCo South Asia.
The list
Orange–Hutch–Vodafone campaign
Right from their network advertisements about the little boy and his pug to the hugely popular Zoozoos, the campaign transformed the category with its simplicity and consistency. “I don’t know any other brand in advertising which has managed to maintain its brand voice through four name changes and people haven’t abandoned the brand,” says Kiran Khalap.
Ads up: (clockwise from centre) Vodafone’s Zoozoos; Aamir Khan in Coca-Cola’s Paanch! campaign; ads for Happydent; M-Seal; Bingo and Center Shock.
HappyDent—palace
Shot by film-maker Ram Madhvani, the advertisement shows a smile can literally light up a room. The panel felt the ad demonstrated that the idea-execution divide was a tenuous one. “The number of layers seamlessly stitched together to produce a spectacle of a scale that is truly of a different league... I would say it’s a triumph of the craft,” says Santosh Desai.
Fevicol
In a category of fantastically made demo advertisements with images of, among others, two trucks stuck together and a man stuck to the ceiling, the Fevicol advertisements built the concept of adhesives to represent strong human bonds and relationships.
Center Shock chewing gum—barber
A man enters a local barber’s shop and asks for an Afro hairdo, only to have a Center Shock chewing gum stuffed into his mouth. “It brings that whole brand experience alive,” says Lloyd Mathias. “That burst of flavour…it’s a great visual depiction.”
Times of India—pushing files
A comment on corruption in society, the advertisement traces the path of a file in a government office. Set against the commentary of a hockey match, the file reaches its destination, and the bribe is in the official’s pocket even as a goal is scored in the match. “At a subliminal level, you don’t associate India winning with hockey, therefore this file passing is not about winning, but about eventually losing to corruption,” says Khalap.
Coca-Cola—Thanda Matlab… and Paanch!
The advertisements show actor Aamir Khan in various roles, including one as a safari-suited, paan-chewing official who pulls up a village storekeeper for charging more than Rs5 for a small bottle of Coke. The campaign marked a huge change in Coke’s fortunes in India. For the first time, the brand had shed its foreign tone and was speaking to the masses.
M-Seal—dying man
In the original script Piyush Pandey wrote for the brand of putty, the drop of water falls on the old man’s signature. But he changed it after his nephew Abhijit Awasthi, executive creative director, O&M, South Asia said, “He’s adding the zeros to that number, drop it on the one.” Khalap says the ad is memorable as “it’s an incredibly original thought, beautifully executed along with brilliant delivery of the punch line”.
Bingo
The launch campaign was extremely funny and has seemingly idiotic advertisements such as the Glad Bangles one, in which a Russian model exalts the benefits of crystal bangles, which have nothing to do with the product, Mad Angles. “The sense of humour is such that it’s not universal, and yet it strikes an absurd chord. Everyone will have their own favourite Bingo ad,” says Mathias.
Asian Paints—Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai
The commercial influenced not just advertising within the paints category, but other categories as well. The most recent advertisement for Tata Walky phones has the same imagery. “Unlike most ads which had a structure—a beginning, middle and end—this had none. Yet, you couldn’t keep your eyes off it,” says Khalap.
Balbir Pasha Ko AIDS Hoga Kya?
The advertisements showed people talking about a fictional character, Balbir Pasha, and his chances of contracting AIDS. The advertisements were meant to correct misconceptions about the disease and get people talking about it more openly, which it did. “It was an advertising solution, rather than an execution,” said Desai. “In terms of the depth, newness and scale of problem it was trying to address, I think it had a strong impact.”
The process
Could you show us to our stable, please?” asked Piyush Pandey as the rest of the party broke into raucous laughter. It was a reunion of sorts as our panel shook hands and spoke animatedly at Tote on the Turf, near the stables of the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai. Our hopes of a spirited afternoon, punctuated with heavy betting and edible missiles being thrown, melted away as our panel of advertising and marketing professionals cordially exchanged notes on their 10 best advertisement films of the decade.
Warming up over an assortment of cappuccinos, green tea and vodka tonic, we had the first tally: five out of 10 on each list matched. They unanimously voted for the Orange-Hutch-Vodafone campaign. Not only was the brand applauded for changing a category known to be fraught with “technical gobbledygook” but also for maintaining a consistent tone across changes in identity. Fevicol came a close second, and the award-winning palace advertisement for Happydent chewing gum was next. “While people argue that the concept of teeth emitting light has been used before, this commercial goes way beyond that. So much so, that you forget the past. That to me is the magic of execution,” said Pandey.
They also picked Center Shock chewing gum’s “barber” advertisement for its absurdity. The discussion progressed smoothly till they came up against two Times of India campaigns—the “Pakya” commercial, where an old man celebrates the triumph of his grandson, and the “pushing files” commercial, which was a comment on corruption. While Lloyd Mathias voted in favour of “Pakya”, claiming it touched an emotional chord, Santosh Desai though it was too contrived.
The group didn’t consider the latest award-winning Naka Muka commercial, as they thought the concept had been done before. Pandey thought it had done beautifully at award shows because it had the whole “Slumdog Millionaire” appeal.
Coca-Cola’s Thanda matlab... and Paanch! advertisements were picked together as they marked a turning point for Coke. “Nothing got us scampering at Pepsi like that campaign,” said Mathias, then executive vice-president of marketing at PepsiCo, South Asia. Kiran Khalap said, “Till then, Coke’s entire language was too foreign. With this campaign, they were speaking ‘Indianese’ for the first time.”
The group agreed on the launch campaign for Bingo, for its sheer absurdity and recall; the “dying man” commercial for M-Seal’s repair putty, for its brilliant comic timing; and Asian Paints’ Har ghar kuch kehta hai, for spawning a number of clones in the category.
For the last spot on the list, Desai and Khalap picked the Balbir Pasha ko AIDS hoga kya? campaign, Mathias selected Maruti 800’s Petrol khatam hi nahin hota, while Pandey chose the SBI Life campaign. The jury, finally agreeing on the “Balbir Pasha” campaign, signed off on a high note, but with a disclaimer: “E&OE” (Errors & Omissions Expected).
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