The Felicitation before the big ‘un

By A Correspondent

“If you give me facts, I learn

If you give me truth, I believe

If you give me a story, I remember”

When you invite someone like a Piyush Pandey to conduct an advertising review and preview, you’d be ready for an entertaining session. And the IAA Retrospect and Prospects held in Mumbai on Wednesday, this came in the form of loads of plain speak. Pandey was candid when he rubbished (well, almost) most of the creative work done in the recent past.

Sample these:

Celebrities should not be reason for lack of creativity, he said. “We must respect the celebrity and work 10 times more on those creative’s. Find the nuances of the celebrity and use it.”

“Digital needs to get creative. As of now, it is just a medium. We need to learn how to make it happen. “

Or this one: “I can understand reduced budgets but can’t understand reduced creativity”

Pandey of course had a special mention of some of the social causes that advertising had been highlighting over the years.

Earlier, IAA India President Ramesh Narayan said in his opening remarks: “This is a unique event where an industry leader critiques the year that was, and does some crystal ball gazing into what the year ahead could hold out for the industry. Piyush and Prasoon Pandey are an inspiration for generations. They have made a huge contribution.”Pradeep Guha, MD, 9X Media and a former IAA India President recounted how the Cannes story was born for Indian agencies and how it was a collective mission to take Indian advertising global.

Later, after a medley of their top works were presented, Piyush and brother and celebrated adfilm-maker Prasoon Pandey were felicitated Indian advertising to a global level.  The Pandey brothers will be recognised with the highest honour at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity – the Lion of St Mark.Said Prasoon Pandey after being felicitated: “Our body of work is deeply rooted in Indian ethos and from slice of life. It is because we are passionate and love our country.”

The occasion was also used to present industry veteran industry person and a founding member of IAA India Roger Pereira with the IAA Global Honorary Membership which had been conferred on him recently.

IAA Global Senior Vice President Srinivasan Swamyand a host of other senior industrypersons were present at the event that was sponsored by ABP News.