Sudhir Das is a copywriter in Publicis Capital. He likes to read, watch B-movies and play computer games. He spends too much time online. He feels weird about referring to himself in the third person.
Why are you into Advertising?
When I was in Delhi looking for a job, I had a couple of friends in advertising. They wore shorts to office and were always hungover. I guess I was jealous. So I joined. I stayed because I discovered advertising is fun.
Married. Deadly with a pen. Digital adman. Social networker. Speedreader. Blogger here and here.
Wannabe author. Cricket + F1 + Gadget fan. Sachin + Schumi worshipper. Bartender. Google/Android fan. Cracks bad jokes without warning.
Why are you into Advertising?
Well, I’ve always been a good writer, even while studying for my B.Sc. in Mathematics. Sometime during those three years, I realised I didn’t want to be a Software Engineer or a Marketing Manager. I wanted to turn my hobby – writing – into a career. I picked advertising because it was the only industry where you can get paid well to write jokes for millions of people to laugh at; and then show off to your friends about it as well!
Rishi JK Chanana (full name). Just a regular guy from Chandigarh, Punjab who left home to romance with advertising. Fortunately, that relationship has lasted and its been my most successful relationship till date. Have worked at Ogilvy Delhi, TBWA Dubai, Rediffusion Y&R and am now with TBWA India.
I’m a Punjabi at heart and a proud one too. Want to catch me in a crowd? Just look for the guy wearing all black (always).
Why are you into Advertising?
Because I can’t crack mathematical and scientific equations.
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Working as CD with Equus Red Cell. The ‘boing’ start-up sound of Mac is a must for my mornings. Hate to be detached from my scribble note pad for too long. Need to learn one new thing everyday. Last did a small jig inside the closed door of my cabin when my work earned a place in the Communication Arts Design Annual 2011.
Why are you into Advertising?
Always had an intuition that my carreer would be in an industry associated with art. So advertising it is.
“I am a professional copywriter by day and an amateur masked vigilante by night. In the time that I find between the two, I write sports articles for various publications and poetry for no one in particular. I live in Mumbai, just above the poverty line.”
Why are you into Advertising?
Low self esteem and a lower attention span. Joking. What brought me here? Don’t know actually. I wanted to be in advertising because it sounded cool, I guess. I didn’t know too much of what my plans were then, when I joined it. Heck, I was a servicing person for a little time before switching over to copy.
Pranav is an Art director and freelance illustrator based in Mumbai. He started his career at McCann Erickson as a trainee, worked at O&M for a year and currently working at Taproot India as an Art director.
A little about yourself:
If only walking years of my lifetime are measured, I’ve spent most of them from home to school, school to college, college to a job and then back home. Some years are spent walking hand in hand, some on a treadmill, some on trying moonwalking. Now I want to sleepwalk once.
Why are you into Advertising?
Though advertising pays less it gives me other perks like loads of freedom and fun while ‘working’. Maybe luck would side with us sometime and allow us ‘official’ access to all porn sites while we try to crack ideas for a condom brand. 😛
As an art director, I feel advertising is the only field that allows a creative person to work on different fronts like photography, typography, illustration, films, animation and what not.
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Why are you into Advertising?
It’s the closest I come to being an artist, without knowing how to draw. It’s the closest I come to being a writer, without the patience of writing a book. It’s the closest I get to being many people, without being a schizophrenic.
Did you attend school for fine art or design or Communications?
Advertising was nowhere on the radar while I was growing up, and writing even lesser so. I was a science student at school, who went on to pursue a bachelor’s in business studies. And after a series of career misfires I found myself holding a pen and scratching my head over a brief. So the only formal training I’ve had is on the job.
Why are you into Advertising?
Because I love ideas, and in advertising, art, writing, film and commerce all come together to create great ideas.
Did you attend school for fine art or design or Communications?
No. I have am MBA from IIM Kolkata. Which is if no use when it comes to understanding clients.
I’m one of the few people who knew their calling early on in life. My dad was a secretary at BBDO while I was growing up, and he used to tell me about shooting with Urmila Matondkar, and he used to return late from award shows, bringing home the coolest stuff (stress balls really caught my fancy). So I was always fascinated by advertising, and spent more time observing ads rather than regular TV programming. And here I am!
I’ve spent more than seven years in advertising, growing from trainee to group head while learning a lot on the way. I started my career at Ambience Publicis, spent a couple of years in Dubai, and have worked at Percept and Ogilvy. I’m currently working with M&C Saatchi as a Creative Group Head (Copy). I like listening to trashy hindi music, reading light material, watching standup and playing all kinds of sport.
I’ve handled clients like Mazda, Xerox, Giordano, Nokia, Rajasthan Tourism, Vodafone, Aditya Birla, Kotak, Marico, etc.
Why are you into Advertising?
Because it’s not 9 to 5, and because I generally have no sense of time – I feel tired in the mornings and alive at night. Because your mind can be constantly innovating and ideating and learning and adapting – even over weekends. Ideas can strike at any time. Even in your dreams. Each day you face a different challenge, and the solution you apply is never the same. There are just so many angles – you can lose yourself in discovering them. And there is no formula. And nobody is ever labeled a success, because you are only as good as your last campaign. And because the profession is a drug – you hate it as much as you love it, but you can’t leave it once you’ve been in it.
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Manu spent his childhood in a huge joint family with no one from advertising or art or music or any creative background and his parents worked hard as teachers in government schools, saving all they could to give their 2 young boys a good future in an English medium school, St. Mary’s. He always wanted to be a doctor. But never took his studies seriously after class 8th. He had been a DU student for 5 years without a degree in B.Sc. Mathematical Sciences. Manu, in spite of his father telling him that he will never get through IIT Entrance exam, prepared for it, but never got through it. He used to do sketches and banner designs in school, but it never occurred to him or his folks that he could have a good career in something he enjoyed … art. He kept discovering. From working in an internet cafe to get free access to internet and downloading fonts for Rs.1000 a month, to an event management agency to a web development company, to a DM firm to a media house at KG Marg and then to advertising…it’s been a road of discovery for him. He loves well written long copy advertisements, typography, photography, home cooked food and has a very high level of tolerance.
Why are you into Advertising?
Going with the flow. Wherever life takes me. I never wanted to do anything particular in life or be somebody great. I am just following where it takes me and wants me to be. If life wants me to be in advertising then I am enjoying the ride it takes you on to. A ride of a lifetime.
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