MxMIndia

Tag: JWT

  • Ivan Arthur, former National Creative Director of Hindustan Thompson Associates (what's now called JWT), pays tribute to Sudhir Deokar, his soulmate and creative chief of HTA's hyperactive Mumbai office. Mr Deokar passed away last week.

    The 3-D Art Director. Ivan Arthur on Sudhir Deokar

    Ivan Arthur, former National Creative Director of Hindustan Thompson Associates (what’s now called JWT), pays tribute to Sudhir Deokar, his soulmate and creative chief of HTA’s hyperactive Mumbai office. Mr Deokar passed away last week.

     

    By Ivan Arthur

     

    The early 60s. I was a cub writer then, Sudhir a young tiger. Every day I watched him roar, bold and resonant on his easel. And I cowered behind my table wondering what I was doing in a place like this? Tentatively I handed him a line for an Esso advertisement, expecting a growl of disapproval. He looked at it for a moment and with the salivary articulation of well-chewed paan, he said: “Tomorrow.” The next morning I glanced at his easel and grew a hundred feet tall. There was my line on his layout, for sure, but barely recognizable even to me.  Sudhir had made it resonate beyond the thesaurus.

     

    He did this always. He took lines and gave them roundness, movement, dimension, resulting in halos for copywriters, account directors, clients and their brands. He freed the Air-India Maharaja from the croquill’s ruthless line and caressed him with that soft roundness. He poured sex appeal into Haryana Breweries’ beer barrels, played mid-wife to both DCM and Wipro Data Products and placed Hamdard on the medical pedestal it deserved. Name any Thompson brand from the early sixties to the Millenium year; Sudhir has gilded it with his brush. He retired as Creative Chief of the Mumbai office of HTA.

     

    He worked his magic with 6-B pencil, croquill, Rotring, Indian ink, water-colours and his sable hair wand; conjuring up caricatures, cartoons, stylized drawings and life-like water colours; his 20-minute layouts often used as artwork. Artwork became works of art, clients having them framed and put up in their offices. His visualisation of human situations or tabletop was photographically perfect. When the final picture was taken in the studio, you might not be able to tell the difference between the photographed picture and the 20-minute wash drawing. Mitter Bedi, Obi, Salian and so many others would marvel at the lens that was Sudhir’s eye.

     

    For close to three decades he gave my work the visual sanctification of his brush, and I feel blessed. I know that many who came before and after me will echo my feelings. He had the bigness and breadth to work with most anyone – from trainee to guru. Many of his trainees are gurus now. I look with awe today at a generation that thrives on the digital evacuation of ideas, but I still thrill to the memory of those visual insights shaped by hand and eye by artists like Sudhir. He was loved by all – from the most cussed of executives to the most difficult of clients.

     

    Besides being my creative soulmate, Sudhir became a friend of the family. His passing is a deep gash that my soul will have to bear for ever.

     

  • The year would best be remembered for the wrong reasons. In Part 1 of the 'Year of Shame' presenting

    2013: Year of Shame (Part 1)

     

    If the adspend numbers that have been published by leading media agencies are to believed, India didn’t do all that badly in the media and entertainment sector in 2013.

     

    Loads of milestones: 175 years of The Times of India, 90 years of Hindustan Times, 25 years of NDTV, 5 years of Colors… the list could go on.

     

    There were some other interesting, or shall we say heartening, developments. Various constituents of broadcast got to blows many times over but settled down eventually. Indians continued their march to adopt global or regional roles. Entertainment television saw a new superstar in Kapil Sharma, the fast-talking funnyman.

     

    However, Twenty-thirteen has been a year that would be best remembered for the wrong reasons. And that’s why we’ve called it the Year of Shame.

     

    In the first of our year-end reviews, we bring you our overall view of the year that’s going to down shutter soon. Presenting: The Year of Shame – Part 1

     

    All love lost:

    The three key industry components of the broadcast sector fought as if there’s no tomorrow. And there’s no doubting the fact that they need to co-exist in the often-adverse business conditions. Digitization and the adding on of LC1 markets for TV viewership measured led to mayhem. Numbers of some channels zoomed up and many others dropped. Then there was a debate on the way billings were done by ad agencies.

     

    Later, there was a standoff on TAM with the broadcasters’ body ending their subscriptions to the measurement company. In retaliation for taking what they termed was a unilateral decision, many advertisers and their agencies adopted a tough stand and pulled out their advertising from channels who ended their TAM subscription. All in all, an avoidable fight.

     

    The Shabby Abbies

    The Creative Abby organised by the Advertising Club saw crises that threatens its very existence. At first the issue was the non-participation by Ogilvy. NCD Abhijit Avasthi told us that the Abby didn’t energise his team.

     

    But even as the industry reconciled itself to an awards minus Ogilvy and Lowe (“the show must go on” was the refrain), a huge scam surfaced one of the biggest players in adland. A JWT creative for Ford was entered for the Abby with due clearance from Ford. The ad brought embarassment to Ford globally which could’ve cause problems for a billion-plus-dollar contract between the auto giant, and WPP, JWT’s holding company.

     

    JWT chief creative officer Bobby Pawar quit owning up for someone in his team who he didn’t know and so did a senior Ford marketing manager. The auto firm didn’t name the executive though some publications put out his name. We felt that Bobby Pawar and the Ford marketing manager shouldn’t have been the only ones to lose their jobs. JWT CEO Colvyn Harris should’ve stepped down too, but that didn’t happen.

     

    Later, the Abby got into crazier controversies. A Leo Burnett ad for Tata Chemicals was found to have been entered without client approvals. It required some activisty zeal for Tata Chemicals to be made aware of the issue and Leo Burnett pulling out its awardwinning entry. There was also a controversy over ads found to have striking similarities with international ads. A superjury was formed to look into plagiarism charges. The superjury in its wisdom chose to not change any of the winnings. While there is calm before the storm, a statement from Mr Avasthi last week that Ogilvy will participate only if the changes it demanded are effected left one wondering whether Abby 2014 will see the normally-in-black Ogilvy creatives in attendance. Also, other than Lowe and Ogilvy, could there be others who may want to opt out?

     

    On Thursday (Dec 26):

    Concluding Part of Year of Shame::

    Radio – waiting for Phase 3 and news:

    Journalism – Charu Deshpande, Hindu… and more

     

  • Tanishq advertisement breaks stereotypes as it shows a dusky bride and remarriage

    Tanishq’s new ad: Brave or Pseudo?

    Diwali is when Indian advertising celebrates its traditions. Deep fried jalebis, firecrackers and diyas, happy joint families with shimmering clothes and set relationships. Tanishq, however, has something else in store beyond an elaborate polki neckpiece – a dusky bride who already has a daughter.

     

    The Lowe Lintas advertisement, directed by Gauri Shinde, breaks two stereotypes in one go – and it’s triggered off a debate, generating critiques as well as tribute. Charmy Harikrishnan rounded up reactions from inside the industry and outside. Gauri Shinde, director says, “For me this is normal, this is what happens. But when you see remarriage in an advertisement, for the people it is a reassurance of what happens in real life.”

     

    Anuja Chauhan, writer and former executive creative director of JWT says, “It’s showing a very real, happening-all-around-us situation. It’s missing some of Tanishq sparkle though – feels a little stilted, almost Raymond-ish. Their ads are usually livelier. But the thought is nice, and definitely overdue in the category.”

     

    Nandita Das, actor and poster girl of ‘Dark is Beautiful campaign’ says, “I am pleasantly surprised. I am glad that Tanishq has made this brave ad and going by the response our campaign has got, I am sure they will see an amazingly encouraging response. And that might motivate others to follow suit.”

     

    Prathap Suthan

    Prathap Suthan, managing partner, Bang in the Middle says, “I like the casting, and the dusky bride, and the overall stepping out of tradition. I am also glad that Lowe for all the battering it gets for Fair & Lovely, sort of blunts that attack with this one commercial. Instead of the tried and tired route of focusing on a regular marriage scenario, this steps into taboo-land, the never-explored and deliberately ignored area of second marriages.”

     

    Urvashi Butalia, publisher and writer says, “The ad is certainly unusual and perhaps there’s hope yet. It also goes to show that it takes so little to do something different, and I wonder why advertisers are so scared of going beyond the given easy options.”

     

    Manish Bhatt

    Manish Bhatt, Founder Director at Scarecrow Communications says, “I saw it trending big time on all the social network sites but the kind of people commenting have nothing to do either with the brand or with the cause. The purpose of every piece of advertising is to close the loop with the product or the brand message. I see that missing in this spot – it appears to be a pseudo support for such a sensitive subject.”

     

     

     

    Piyush Pandey

    Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman & National Creative Director Ogilvy & Mather India says, “I think it’s a brave ad and a great concept. Any leader must take such little chances of taking the society forward. I don’t think we should be at all critical about this ad. Then we will stay in the past.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

     

  • The party gets the old JWT gang (and some new) to rework the 2009 magic and outwit the NaMo blitzkrieg

    It’s Dentsu, Taproot & JWT for Congress

     

    By Pritha Mitra Dasgupta

     

    The Congress party has opted for many of the same people who were behind its advertising campaign for the 2009 elections, picking Dentsu and Taproot to join JWT as the agencies that will handle the Rs 500 crore contract.

     

    The party made its choice last week, said more than five people aware of the decision. They didn’t want to be named. It was reported earlier that JWT had been chosen by the party to run its ad campaign.

     

    While the three agencies have been barred from speaking to the media by the party, the people familiar said Dentsu and its unit Taproot will handle the above-the-line (ATL) communications or those with a mass focus. Dentsu picked up a 51% stake in Taproot last year and both agencies made a joint pitch. JWT will handle the activation or on-ground events for Congress.

     

    The party is expected to spend nearly Rs 400 crore on ATL messaging that includes television, print, radio, outdoor and digital and around Rs 100 crore for the on-ground activities.

     

    The party will be looking to the ad agencies to burnish an image that’s been battered by corruption scandals and criticism over inaction on policy changes for much of its term. Experts said the Congress party will be looking to the food security legislation, the Right to Information Act, the direct transfer of benefits initiative and others as its main campaign planks for the election, besides indirect, subtle attacks on the opposition party over its secular credentials.

     

    “Rahul Gandhi wants to use ’empowering the common man’ as the primary theme of the election campaign and most likely it will drop the ‘aam aadmi’ tagline this time. The party is now exploring which will be the most effective medium to build this campaign,” said one of the people cited above.

     

    An email to Sanjeev Bhargava, managing partner and head of JWT Delhi, wasn’t answered. Agnello Dias, chairman and co- founder of Taproot India, and Rohit Ohri, executive chairman of Dentsu India Group, declined to comment. The Dentsu-Taproot team presented its media plan to Digvijay Singh and Jairam Ramesh last week, according to one of the people cited above.

     

    “Since Rahul Gandhi has been travelling extensively, they could not show the media plan to him. Gandhi is back this week and will go through the media plan following which the agencies will start working on the campaign,” this person said. Work will begin shortly on the nuts and bolts of the advertising campaign.

     

    “The agencies will appoint the production agency, song writers and so on, who will work on the campaign in November,” said the person cited above. “The ad campaigns will break in a phase-wise manner from January 2014.”

     

    The Congress party didn’t give a brief to start with but would provide feedback once it began whittling down the contending agencies, said a senior industry official on the condition of anonymity. “During the pitch process there were no briefs given to the agencies,” this person said. “There were nine rounds of presentations. Following every round, once the agencies were shortlisted, they were re-briefed by the party.”

     

    Both Messrs Gandhi and Singh played key roles in the special committee that oversaw the process, a party official said.

     

    “It was Rahul Gandhi who took the final decision to go ahead with Dentsu India and Taproot,” said this person.

     

    The choice of the agencies means that most of the people who worked on the 2009 campaign will also be working on this one. For instance, Messrs Dias and Ohri used to be with JWT, one of the agencies that handled the advertising campaign for the Congress party last time around. Also handling the Congress account in the 2009 election was Percept/H and Crayon.

     

    At JWT, the campaign was led by Mr Ohri, who was then senior vice president and managing partner of JWT’s Delhi branch along with Jitender Dabas, vice president and strategic planning director. While Dabas is now at McCann Worldgroup, Mr Ohri moved to Dentsu India and took with him the team that worked on the Congress campaign.

     

    This includes Soumitra Karnik, Suprotim Dey, Rajendra Singh and Chirantan Chandran. Mr Dias was with JWT until 2008 as chief creative officer but left soon after the election campaign started appearing.

     

    For the last election, JWT created a three-month campaign for Congress backed by the tagline “Aam aadmi ke badhte kadam”. The campaign took place in three phases with some 250 films and radio spots in 22 languages. Special films were also made to reach out first-time voters with the slogan “Yuva Bharat ke badhte kadam”, leveraging Rahul Gandhi’s leadership and the late Rajiv Gandhi’s contribution to the country’s development.

     

    They have a tough task ahead of them, given the current image of the party and the popularity of the BJP’s Narendra Modi.

     

    Source:The Economic Times

    Copyright © 2013, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. All Rights Reserved

    Licensed to republish

     

     

  • JWT India has released its second video for Portfolio Night 11, featuring its National Creative Director, Tista Sen

    JWT releases its second ‘Eye-Opener’ video for PN 11

    By A Correspondent

     

    JWT India has released its second video for Portfolio Night 11, featuring its National Creative Director, Tista Sen. JWT India is championing Portfolio Night 11, being held at its offices in Mumbai on May 22.

     

    The latest video is in continuation with JWT’s theme for Portfolio Night 11, ‘An Eye-Opener’. It busts yet another advertising myth about how women cannot make it big in creative! The latest video can be viewed on the JWT-Portfolio Night Facebook page www.facebook.com/portfolionightmumbai11.

     

    Advertising students were asked to tweet @pnmumbai11 on their thoughts on advertising; the wackiest of tweets are being selected to create posters and films and this was one such tweet. The 360 degree crowd-sourced campaign includes social media, posters, videos, hoardings and radio spots. JWT is partnering with Radio Mirchi, DNA Newspaper, Exchange4Media and CNBC Awaaz as its media and broadcast partners for JWT-Portfolio Night 11.

     

    Portfolio Night 11 promises an evening with the country’s top creative directors who, while interacting with young creatives, will also choose the ‘All Star’ of the evening. The ‘Portfolio Night All-Star’ is an event where the most talented young creative from each Portfolio Night event is selected and flown to New York to compete at Portfolio Night All-Stars competition in New York City in August 2013.

     

    Participants can register on their respective city’s page on the Portfolio Night website http://portfolionight.com/11/ and click on the “Buy Tickets” button for a registration. This will take them to that city’s online ticket purchasing system. An e-ticket will be issued to the participant as a permit to enter the event in Mumbai on May 22, 2013.

     

    Scheduled to take place simultaneously in over 20 cities on this date across the world, including Athens, Austin, Beijing, Boston, Costa Rica, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Paris, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Tokyo and Toronto amongst others, Portfolio Night is an annual property of ‘Ihaveanidea’, the creative founders and the world’s first and largest community of the international advertising industry.

     

    The full list of creative directors participating in JWT-Portfolio Night 11 is available at http://portfolionight.com/11/mumbai.

     

  • JWT India unveiled the theme and its first video for Portfolio Night 11, scheduled to be held here at the JWT India office on May 22

    JWT’s Portfolio Night 11 to be ‘An Eye-Opener’

    By A Correspondent

     

    JWT India has unveiled the theme and its first video for Portfolio Night 11, scheduled to be held at the JWT India office on May 22, 2013. Given that aspiring advertising students nurse a multitude of misconceptions about the industry and its people, JWT has chosen their theme for this year’s Portfolio Night as ‘An Eye-Opener’. The entire concept is built around the hashtag #WhatIThinkAboutAdvertising. Students were asked to use this hashtag and tweet @pnmumbai11 their thoughts on what they think advertising is all about.

     

    “Bust the myths and unveil the truth in the most realistic, simple fun way, that’s the endeavor on the “Eye Opener”. The truth may be a bitter pill to swallow but just like your work it’s time to come face to face with what advertising and you are really worth,” said Tista Sen, National Creative Director, JWT India.

     

    The 360-degree crowd-sourced campaign includes social media, posters, TVCs, hoardings and radio spots on Radio Mirchi. As part of the overall campaign, a few advertising students were asked what they thought about advertising and these videos were seeded on the Portfolio Night Facebook page, urging people to tweet about what they thought about advertising. The craziest of these tweets are being selected to create posters, films and radio spots for JWT-Portfolio Night 11 campaign, all of which can be viewed on http://www.facebook.com/portfolionightmumbai11 The people whose tweets are being picked will be given prizes.

     

    JWT- Portfolio Night 11 promises an evening with the country’s top creative directors which include Prasoon Joshi, Piyush Pandey, Ashish Khazanchi, Sonal Dabral, Amer Jaleel, Manish and Raghu Bhatt, Malvika Mehra, Santosh Paddy, Russel Barett, Carlton D’Silva, K S Chakravarthy (Chax), Ravi Deshpande, Josy Paul and Sagar Mahabaleshwar to name a few. (For the full list of participating creative directors, please log on http://portfolionight.com/11/mumbai)

     

    JWT is championing Portfolio Night 11, in its fourth innings in India, to help gifted young creatives to discover new opportunities in the ad world and take their voices to the advertising industry’s global stage. It is an ideal platform for advertising and creative freshers to meet with several renowned creative directors for advice, networking and recruitment.

     

    Scheduled to take place simultaneously in over 20 cities on this date across the world, including Athens, Austin, Beijing, Boston, Costa Rica, Johannesburg, Los Angeles, Montreal, New York, Paris, Sao Paulo, Stockholm, Tokyo and Toronto amongst others, Portfolio Night is an annual property of ‘Ihaveanidea’, the creative founders and the world’s first and largest community of the international advertising industry.

     

    For the record, Portfolio Night is an event where aspiring young advertising copywriters, art directors and designers meet several renowned advertising creative directors in a fast-paced evening of advice, networking and recruitment. In the eleven years since its inception, Portfolio Night has grown to be a global event.

     

  • He replaces Max Hegerman who is moving on to pursue other opportunities

    JWT appoints Mohit Hira as Head of Digital

    JWT India has appointed Mohit Hira as the head of its digital operations. In his new role, Mohit will be responsible for managing and growing JWT’s digital offering to clients across all markets in addition to his current responsibilities on Airtel. Max Hegerman, the current Digital Head, is moving on to pursue other opportunities.

     

    Mr Hira joined JWT India last year as SVP and Regional Business Director in Delhi. As the new head of JWT Digital, he brings in long-term brand-building with rich digital experience, both online and offline. This, along with the ability to tap a rich eco-system of partners, like Hungama Digital Services and a global network that will bring the best of class for a client’s digital ambitions gives JWT Digital a unique advantage.

     

    An advertising creative director-turned-‘netvangelist’, with a career spanning 26 years, Mr Hira brings in diverse experience in advertising, marketing, print and digital media. He joined JWT from NIIT, where he was the President of the B2C global online learning business, www.training.com that he started. He was also the Chief Marketing Officer for NIIT’s retail individual training businesses and the NIIT University.

     

    Earlier, he has also worked with The Times of India Group at very senior positions including that of Director of Times Internet Ltd, where he was the brand custodian for the publication group’s website, www.indiatimes.com and was responsible for incubation, marketing and usability of its portals.

     

  • Leo Burnett bagged 71 awards with 9 golds. McCann Worldgroup bagged 56 metals which included a Grand Prix and 7 golds while JWT India took home 48 awards with 5 golds

    Leo Burnett maxes metals at Creative Abby

    Team Leo Burnett celebrating its rich pickings at the Creative Abby

     

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Men in Black from Ogilvy may have opted out from participating at this year’s Creative Abby but that did not deter around 4300 entries from vying for the most coveted crowns in the fraternity. The Creative Abby, as the Advertising Club’s awards recognising creativity is known, traditionally marks the culmination of the two-day Goafest.

     

    Leo Burnett bagged 71 awards of which nine were golds. McCann Worldgroup got 56 metals which included a Grand Prix and seven golds. JWT India got 48 awards with five being golds.

     

    Other than McCann, Grey Worldwide and Interface Business Solution were awarded Grand Prix.

     

    The metals have four grades with Grand Prix right at the top and Bronze at the lowest. Typically, Goafest’s Awards Governing Council does not hand out rankings of agencies as per award metals received.

     

    Last year, at Goafest 2012, Ogilvy received maximum metals and Leo Burnett was among the Top 5 with 3 Golds, 11 Silver and 21 Bronze (Total 35). JWT India has improved its performance from last year. Taproot India has dipped since last year with just one gold, four silvers and 13 bronzes (Total 18) while it was flying high with 6 Golds, 13 Silvers and 15 Bronze (Total 34) last year.

     

     

    Top Awarded Agencies
    Agency Grand Prix Gold Silver Bronze Total
    McCann Worldgroup

    1

    7

    15

    33

    56
    Grey Worldwide India

    1

    0

    7

    6

    14
    Interface Business Solution

    1

    0

    0

    0

    1
    Leo Burnett

    0

    9

    34

    28

    71
    JWT India

    0

    5

    17

    26

    48

    Click here for Agency-wise Tally of the Creative Abby (as provided by the Goafest Awards Governing Council)

     

    Photograph by Shailesh Mule/Fotocorp

     

     

  • In the light of the recent controversies, we asked industry players what they feel about Goafest, what they are looking forward to, & who they think should win

    What does Goafest have in store?

     

    By Meghna Sharma

     

    In the world of media and advertising, awards go hand-in-hand with controversies. The upcoming Goafest is no exception – the annual festival to celebrate creativity in South Asia has been in the news for the wrong reasons. First, one of the biggies and main winners at the fest – Ogilvy and Mather – decided to stay away from the Creative Abby. Then, the entry of a controversial scam ad by JWT for their client Ford India led to heads rolling and shock waves across the industry.

     

    But turning to the positives, of which there are many, Goafest among other things offers many, especially youngsters in the industry, the opportunity to showcase their talent and learn from each other.

     

    In the light (and shade) of this, MxMIndia asked industry players what they feel about the festival, what they are looking forward to, and who they think should win.

     

    KS Chakravarthy, NCD, Draftfcb Ulka

    It’s an open field this year as there is no frontrunner or contender this year. All of the campaigns so far are good and deserve an equal chance of winning. There has been a good amount of work done by various agencies and it would be great to see it together. Also, to hear what the speakers have to share with others is always an interesting part of the event.

     

     

     

    Naresh Gupta, managing partner, Bang In The Middle

    I don’t have a favourite. This year hasn’t seen one landmark campaign that is the favourite. I would like to see a lot of challenger brands’ work to win. I would like to see more real work. Work that is mainstream. Work that the brands did to solve a marketing problem. I would also like to see greater integration of real and digital world.

     

     

     

    Anil Kakar, Founder/Chief Creative Officer, Gasoline

    As always, I am hoping to see the finest our industry has to offer. This year, in particular, I expect to see surprising work, especially in terms of craft. It’s good to see that we’ve been raising the bar in terms of execution, year after year and I am hoping this year will be no different. Among the few pieces that I can remember, I think the print campaign for Varuna D Jani is brilliant in terms of execution. The Morphy Richards commercial is another exceptional piece of work, worthy of a metal.

     

     

    Ashish Khazanchi, NCD, Publicis Ambience

    I’m sure the conversations, this year, are going to focus mainly on the controversies. However, apart from that, I’m going forward to the work and new talent. Also, with Ogilvy stepping out of it, it is difficult to say who’ll be a clear-cut winner unlike the previous years where some of the work done by the agency has won various awards. We expect to do well and of course there is Leo Burnett and McCann which have good work to their credit.

     

     

    Vivek Srivastava, Jt MD, Innocean Worldwide

    It’s a platform to interact and observe. There should be some interesting seminars. The Goafest committee has worked rather hard to get an interesting line up of speakers. And the Industry Conclave is being done in a manner which makes the business leaders deliberate and argue about issues that are affecting our businesses in the immediate term. I am surely looking forward to these. Our agency Innocean has had some shortlists. I would be happy to see those win for sure. In my view campaigns that genuinely impact consumer behaviour, make an impact on the brands’ future and ensure their relevance in this dynamic are the ones that deserve to win.

     

  • MxMIndia Editor-at-Large Anil Thakraney analyses the issues thrown up by the JWT-Ford scam ad controversy, and puts things in perspective

    #Scamadgate | Anil Thakraney: Let’s face the facts

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    For many creative people, it’s not been a long weekend to celebrate. I noticed there was high action on social media, as folks got busy venting over Bobby Pawar’s unfortunate sacking. While on one level I am delighted to witness this ‘standing up for a colleague’ campaign, must say that in all the furious excitement, people seem to have overlooked some key considerations. Also, I could not help but notice a similarity between the outcry and another campaign that’s underway simultaneously: And that’s ‘Pardon for Sanjay Dutt’. In one case, Bollywood has launched a massive PR drive to save their ‘hero’. And in the other one, ad land is seeking justice for their own fallen star. Both campaigns have one thing in common: Lost in emotion, we aren’t able to view the situations objectively.

     

    So allow me to deal with the main arguments put out by the creative people:

    It’s not a scam, the posters were approved by the client: This is technically correct. If a Ford executive endorsed the ads, they become official work. And the news is that Ford has sacked the concerned employee. This seems fair. However, that still doesn’t change the fact that these ads were created purely for winning awards, that they were never intended for media usage, and therefore they still fall in the ‘scams’ category. In my previous post, I have already discussed the issue of scam ads, and on what needs to be done thereof. Scam ads are rampant in the ad world, several guys and gals do it. But the JWT gang got caught with their hands in a very messy scam, and therefore there had to be retribution.

     

    Bobby Pawar is the convenient ‘fall guy’: Ermm, not really. When work produced by an ad agency brings global disrepute to a client (as has happened in this case), the buck must stop at the desk of the creative chief. The captain has to take full responsibility of his ship, that’s the right way to go about professional life. Sacking only the crazed, award-hungry youngsters is a cop-out, that would send the wrong signals. Also, now that it’s clear that Ford had indeed endorsed this work, it’s no longer a case of some stupid kids jerking off in the back office. JWT’s responsibility becomes total and absolute. And the leader of the pack becomes directly accountable.

     

    But shouldn’t Colvyn Harris have been punished too?: Supporters of this line of argument believe thus: Why must only creative people suffer when advertising is supposed to be team work. And that surely there were servicing people involved in this campaign. Also, as the big JWT India boss, Harris should have been the one to pay. Indeed there is merit in this argument, and am hoping that the client services director who approved this work has been sacked too. However, I am against the idea of penalizing the agency CEO. For the simple reason that Harris would (assumedly) leave the charge of all creative work to his NCD, that’s the professional thing to do. That’s why you hire a national creative director at a very high cost, so that he/she controls the agency’s output. Therefore, logically, that’s where the buck must stop. Let me give you a parallel: If a newspaper runs a false, misleading, illegal story, it’s the editor who will get axed, and not the publisher. Even though bringing out a newspaper is teamwork.

     

    The agency should have stood up for its creative people: I entirely agree with this point of view. If you are expecting your creatives to raise the bar, be prepared to back their edgy work. If you are reluctant to do so, stick to hiring only the safe players. So far, so good. However, in Ford Figo’s case, the creatives didn’t raise the bar, they lowered it to a new low (refer to the para below). And this resulted in a very angry large multinational client, a client that the agency had to assuage, or risk losing forever. Some senior blood had to spill, and Sir Martin Sorrell himself would have been left not very amused if it hadn’t. So before you trash Colvyn Harris (and I carry no candle for him), you must also view this issue from his angle; perhaps the CEO had no choice. I am quite certain if this work had happened for a local, small-time mosquito coils maker, Bobby Pawar would still be inside his cabin. These are harsh realities of the global world, and we have to accept them.

     

    These ads are tongue-in-cheek, we’ve lost the ability to laugh: I must tell you I am always first in queue to back work that challenges the acceptable boundaries. All along in my career, both in media and advertising, I have landed in trouble for believing and indulging in this principle. I am also always ready for a good laugh; safe and boring work pisses me off, my ad reviews will tell you that. But to create a campaign where women are projected as ‘mobile commodity’ is being totally insensitive to the gruesome rapes that keep happening every other day in India, often inside moving vehicles, AND THAT IS NOT FUNNY. If you find these ads hilarious, you need to get your head examined and your values sorted. This nation is deeply misogynistic, and women have been paying a heavy price on account of this sick mindset for a very long time. So please get this right: If you can’t be a part of the solution, for god’s sake don’t be a part of the problem.

     

    Anil Thakraney is a senior journalist and commentator. He is also Editor-at-Large, MxMIndia. The views expressed here are personal. Follow him at @anilthakraney.

     

  • JWT must consider itself fortunate if Ford decides to continue with the partnership, writes Anil Thakraney

    #Scamadgate: Anil Thakraney: Pawar had to go

    By Anil Thakraney

     

    Bobby Pawar must be sorely regretting he’s not a politician. Had he been one, JWT’s creative chief could have said the Ford scam ads are a conspiracy to malign his image, haha. Well, this isn’t Indian rajneeti, and therefore he got the boot. Must say Pawar’s conduct saddens me. As the big leader of the agency, he ought to have immediately taken direct responsibility for the offending ads, and resigned. Even if this crappy work was done by some young, desperate creatives, even if he wasn’t aware of the existence of these ads. Had he done so, Pawar might have walked away into the sunset with some degree of dignity still intact.

     

    Instead, the senior agency leaders’ first reaction was to wash their hands off the mess. Such leaders have to be sacked, no two ways on that. Especially so in the ad world, because scammy, unauthorized ads such as these directly affect the client’s image. It’s only within the global ad frat that the names of WPP and JWT crop up. To the rest of the world, Ford is the offender. Naturally therefore, some blood needed to spill.

     

    Speaking on a larger note, it’s shameful that after all these years of heated discussions on the subject, agency creatives continue to indulge in scam ads to win awards. Hopefully, Pawar’s sacking will result in some change. For one, national creative directors need to start worrying about the kind of culture and values they inculcate within their organizations. If the entire focus is on easy awards, scams will continue to happen, they are inevitable. If youngsters are evaluated mainly on the quantum of awards won, they will be tempted to cheat.

     

    Secondly, it’s high time systems and processes are initiated whereby juniors cannot upload any work that hasn’t been okayed by very senior creative directors. There was a time when young creatives would beg and plead with their media department to get a scam ad released in a lowly newspaper. Now, they just have to tweet it, and it’s out there for the world to see. All the more reason urgent attention needs to be paid to the operating processes, particularly so in large and medium sized ad agencies. One measure I can suggest right away is this: Every single employee needs to sign a declaration that he/she shall not publish anything official on the net without sanction from the national creative director. If they break this rule, they shall get instantly sacked, regardless of the material uploaded.

     

    Lastly, JWT must consider itself fortunate if Ford decides to continue with the partnership. Very fortunate, to be precise.

     

  • JWT's North Asia Area Director and Greater China CEO Tom Doctoroff and JWT India CEO Colvyn Harris will succeed Michael Maedel in the restructured region

    Colvyn Harris to be South Asia JWT CEO, to be incharge of all JWT cos in India including Contract

    By A Correspondent

     

    JWT Worldwide Chairman and CEO Bob Jeffrey has announced a leadership restructure to reflect Asia’s growing global importance, and underscore JWT’s commitment to the region’s diverse and vibrant markets.

     

    JWT’s North Asia Area Director and Greater China CEO Tom Doctoroff and JWT India CEO Colvyn Harris will succeed Michael Maedel in the restructured region.

     

    Mr Doctoroff will take on the role of CEO, JWT Asia Pacific (APAC), at the end of this year. In this role, he will oversee Northeast and Southeast Asia, as well as Pakistan, Australia and New Zealand.

     

    Mr Harris will become South Asia CEO (India, Sri Lanka and Nepal) and take on added responsibilities of JWT’s Indian companies, including Contract Advertising, Hungama Digital Services, JWT Mindset and Encompass. Messrs Doctoroff and Harris will report to Mr Jeffrey.

     

    Mr Maedel, who has spent 40 years in the industry and 22 years in leadership roles at JWT, including eight as President of Asia Pacific, will move into the role of Non-Executive Chairman for Asia.

     

    “Tom and Colvyn are both dynamic leaders with strong connections to the markets, the consumers and the clients,” said Mr Jeffrey.  “By leveraging the strengths and strategic insights of these two very talented people, JWT is uniquely positioned to maximize growth in this critical and dynamic region.”

     

    These changes come at a time when JWT APAC, which has an 83-year history in Asia, continues to gather greater momentum. JWT APAC has set multiple benchmarks, bringing home first-time Cannes Grand Prix Lions for Malaysia in 2004, India in 2008, Japan in 2009 and, most recently, China in 2011.  The company has also deepened the scope and scale of the services it offers in the market, from digital to shopper marketing, through organic growth and acquisitions.

     

    “I am very excited to build on JWT’s past accomplishments across Asia Pacific,” said Mr Doctoroff. “We are in the midst of a revolution of consumer empowerment. I look forward to working with client partners in this fast-changing region to find new synergies between classic brand building and next-stage consumer engagement in the digital era.”

     

    Mr Doctoroff, who has 20 years’ experience with JWT, continues to display his commitment to building the agency’s footprint in Asia and fostering its ethos of Worldmade ideas. Under his leadership, JWT North Asia has diversified into customer relationship marketing, field marketing, promotion network management and digital engagement. A Detroit native, <r Doctoroff joined JWT in 1992, moved to Hong Kong in 1994, and became the Managing Director of JWT Shanghai in 1998. In 2002, he was appointed Greater China CEO and Northeast Asia Area Director, a remit that included Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.  Japan came under his purview in 2008, when Doctoroff assumed the role of North Asia Area Director.  He speaks fluent Mandarin.

     

    Doctoroff is credited as being the industry’s preeminent thought leader on advertising and marketing in China. This past May he published his second best-selling book on Chinese consumers, titled “What Chinese Want.” Prior to JWT, Mr Doctoroff worked for Leo Burnett. He holds an MBA from the University of Chicago.

     

    The restructuring reflects a renewed focus on India by JWT Worldwide. JWT employs over 1,500  people in India, more than any other single market worldwide, and earns a significant amount of revenue from this critical, high-growth country.

     

    Mr Harris, who has 33 years at JWT, continues to lead India’s largest and most admired advertising agency as CEO South Asia. He has held various industry leadership roles, including President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India, and has addressed global audiences as a speaker at the World Economic Forum, London Business School and The Wharton School.  Under his leadership, JWT India has built a formidable reputation with a diverse spectrum of traditional, mainstream, activation, events and digital marketing services capabilities.

     

    “We will continue to build and acquire the most diversified platforms to deliver on the market ambitions of the clients we service, thereby further consolidating our leadership position. Brands are the center of our focus, and with our skills and capabilities we deliver marketing solutions across the most diverse of offerings to meet the challenges of the dynamic markets we operate in,” said Mr Harris. “This new development ensures that our clients continue to have greater access to the best of our services and talent, not only in the country, but across South Asia.”

     

    Mr Maedel, who will continue to stay in Singapore, will work with Messrs Doctoroff and Harris in an advisory role until he retires 2014.

     

    “Michael’s exceptional leadership skills have cemented JWT’s reputation as a leader in both strategy and creativity in every region he managed, from Europe to Asia,” said Mr Jeffrey.  “The creative and commercial success that JWT APAC has enjoyed is a testament to his leadership.”

     

    Mr Jeffrey continued, “Michael is deeply respected by staff and clients, and the entire company has benefited from his vision and guidance. He is an unparalleled resource, and we are thrilled that he will remain a core part of the management team until his retirement.”

     

    Mr Maedel, who holds a degree in Economics from the University of Vienna, started his career at Young & Rubicam, and in 1985 became Chairman of Ted Bates Werbagentur. Maedel joined JWT in 1990 as Chairman and CEO of JWT Germany, and in 1993 added the role of Area Director Central and Eastern Europe.  In 1997, Mr Maedel was named the President of Europe, Middle East and Africa, and in 2004, Asia was added to his portfolio.  He has served as a member of JWT’s board since 1992.

     

    “I’ve had the real pleasure of charting a course for our company in some of the world’s most dynamic regions through periods which have seen our industry go through some pretty seismic changes. I’ve also been privileged to work with some of the most talented people around the world,” said Mr Maedel.  “I look forward to working with Tom and Colvyn through this transition period.”