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A bookworm, a foodie and driven by the passion for advertising he went extra miles trying his hands at possibly everything related to advertising. By profession a clinical nutritionist, he always knew he was meant for advertising. Suman works with Wex Inc, Kolkata.
“There are so many problems – disease, hunger, poverty, racial and religious intolerance, crime, personal distress and failure – but each of these problems provides opportunities to make a true difference. It works the other way as well. Bringing fun, laughter, success and happiness are equally important. I apply my expertise, skills and talent to be a force for good in the world.”
Why are you into Advertising?
I had an unconscious brush with advertising the first time. It was an audio-visual advertisement. I was a baby, hungry and crying for food while my mother was my TG. That is how it all started! It’s a part of life. Nobody can live without it.
Did you attend school for fine art or design or Communications?
Although I am a Landmark Graduate and a certified Clinical Nutritionist, I believe in self-teaching, I am a student of ‘school of life’. Got any better place to learn anything?
How has winning awards impacted your career?
Award is not metal for me. Never was it. The results that the brands, I work for, reap off are my awards.
Were there any particular role models for you when you grew up?
Swami Vivekananda, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar.
Who was the most influential personality on your career in Advertising?
Satyajit Ray, Alyque Padamsee.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
I have always derived inspiration from people who have discouraged me.
Tell us something about the work environment at your agency…
We work hard to understand and build a brand. We take time off. We crack jokes. Read something good, something absolutely shit. Write some nice lines, some swear words, some for us and some for clients. We get inspired and get back to work again!
Do you have any kind of a program to nurture and train young talent?
Workshops help nurture young talent a lot. I conduct creative workshops for the young guns from time to time.
What about new and young film makers/photographers? Do you consciously keep looking for newer talent and try someone completely new?
Yes sure. I think it doesn’t matter from whom the idea is coming as long as it is a great idea. Film makers, photographers, artists all are prone to create something, if I ever find their creation worthy enough then why not.
What do you think of the state of Print advertising right now? At least here in India, the released work is most often too sad? Why do you think it has lost the shine? Why are the younger lot more interested in TV?
Not really. I would not say print advertising has lost all its charm. It definitely can be better, shine more but it has not lost yet.
It is natural for the younger generation to be more interested in TV and digital because of the digital revolution. It has now become a habit, they live a digital life.
More and more young people are web savvy and want to work on the internet or on more entrepreneurial ventures. Has that affected the quality of people advertising has been getting?
Yes, may be a little has affected but not much yet.
Do you think brands whose advertising wins awards, do well in the market?
To a certain extent, yes.
What advice do you have for aspiring creative professionals?
To be creative means to be as much open minded as possible. If you don’t go out of the box how will you create one? And learn to work with different kinds of people and in team. Enjoy that balance of work. Develop the habit of going extra miles. Go out; interact with the TG for whom you will be working for. Get involved more than ever.
What is your dream project?
One of my dream projects is to enhance Bengali advertising. The current scenario in it is sad. My dream is to do something for Bengali advertising by or with the people concerned, in a big way.
Mac or PC?
Both.
Who would you like to take out for dinner?
Deepika Padukone (If not Swati Bhattacharya – Principal Partner -MAMA Labs, Dentsu India)
What’s on your iPod?
“Leaving on a jet plane” (John Denver), Jaatishwar (Kabir Suman)
Whats your Twitter Handle?
@hellosudas
The post Suman Das : In A Chat With A Senior Creative Director appeared first on desicreative.
