Hasta La Creative!

An alumnus of the College of Fine Arts, Trivandrum.
Then, had a fabulous year and a half as part of the Kerala Forest Department, where I fully indulged my passion for wildlife photography. And enjoyed living in the middle of a forest.?? Beginning my advertising career with JWT, Bangalore, I have had satisfying stints with Lintas, Leo Burnett and Ogilvy & Mather in Mumbai.
Currently, with DDB Mudra, Mumbai, and handling Volkswagen.?
Have been lucky to have worked on a wide selection of brands, like Cadbury, Bajaj Pulsar, Van Heusen, Kingfisher, McDowell’s, Complan, GluconD, Castrol, Red FM and Adidas
?Been awarded at places like Cannes, Adfest, New York Festivals, The Work, abbys, effies and emvies.
Photography, music, painting and traveling are my passions.

Why are you into Advertising?
I love adverting. That’s why I am in advertising: )
Coming from an art family background, I consider myself very lucky. Both my parents are enthusiastic about the arts. Father is a talented painter and musician, while my mother is a trained Kathakali dancer.  My initial plan was to join the Pune Film Institute (FTI) and study Direction. While I had some time for the entrance exam, someone told my dad about this Fine Arts college and he insisted I attended the entrance exam. And what do you know, I got in.
I found the campus and the people around interesting. Especially the library there. I was spell bound by their collection and loved browsing their advertising manuals.
Going through those books almost gave me a high. And before I knew it, I was totally hooked.

?Tell us about your recent ad campaigns?
When Volkswagen asked us to launch the new Jetta, we decided to make a bold statement – The new Jetta. You‘ll do anything to drive it.

Were there any particular role models for you when you grew up?
My Grandfather.

Who was the most influential personality on your career in Advertising?
As a beginner, I was lucky to be surrounded by some of the most inspiring minds, at JWT Bangalore. I was always around creative people, learning new things, evolving my own tastes.

?Where do you get your inspiration from?
Like people say, there are two kinds of men.  The ones that learn by reading. The others who learn by observation. Fortunately or unfortunately, I belong to the second.
Since I’m not much into books, I get my inspiration from life. From my experiences. I love to travel, meet new people, experience new things. I believe experience is the teacher of all things.

Tell us about your biggest challenge as the Creative Director of DDB Mudra…
If a few years ago, someone told me I’d be handling Volkswagen, I’d probably take it like a joke.
Today, handling one of the world’s most iconic brands definitely keeps me on my toes.
Great responsibility. High expectations. Challenging.
Pick and tell us about one of all your past campaigns, your personal favourite…

Proud to have played a key role in the launch of Cadbury Bournville in India.

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??
Print will never lose its charm. It’s a classic medium.

In terms of quality, in a multilingual and multicultural country like India, we don’t get to do visually evolved ads, especially on FMCG or any mass brands. After all, it’s not only about making it look attractive and eye-catching. It also has to work. At the end of the day, if it’s communicating to the right audience, you can’t say it’s “sad’. Then the challenge is, within the boundaries, with all the constraints, make it look good. Set a standard and never go below it.

Sometimes, when you try to say too many things in an ad, it will be crowded and you fail to convey the massage adequately. Then it’s bad. Or as you say, sad.

?Do you think brands whose advertising wins awards, do well in the market??
Of course. I believe advertising is all about ‘problem-solution’. Most of the award-winning ads are also the best solutions to the problems. And if it’s a brilliant solution, it should work in the market by default.

?What advice do you have for aspiring creative professionals?
I love this quote of Michael Jordan- “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Be passionate. Never give up.

?What’s on your iPod?
I love music. I feel Music. Music changes my mood instantly.
Generally, I like to listen to soft music. Classical, instrumental, Ghazal, Hindustani, folk, kathakali music.
Occasionally, on a party, love to do wild steps on loud beats

Mac or PC?
Mac.

Photography nd Art by Sreejith: