The Hindu Business Line : Ad Review

Old timers at the AdClub Bombay speak nostalgically about the AdReviews of the past. It seems the Review was essentially a creative review for many, many years. Veterans like Alyque Padamsee and Sylvester DaCunha infused it with theatrical razzmatazz, replete with high kicking girls, we are told. Even a not-quite creative type like Ishan Raina, it seems, had himself wheeled onto stage dramatically in a wheelchair. No, he was not unwell, but he wanted to say the industry was. If one was to extend what he did, this year Santosh Desai should have driven on stage in an ambulance. Just joking, of course.

We are told that Mohammed Khan once "did" the review and had some hefty digs at what he called the "invisible" A. G. Krishnamurty. The Mudra brigade took major umbrage and rustled up some friendly journos to take the battle into the newspaper columns. Net result ... those who had not heard the jibes, now did. King Khan wasn't going to let something like this ruffle a hair on his French beard.

Then came Pradeep Guha's term as President and he decided to make two changes. Firstly, he called in a client to make the Review. Secondly, he transformed the evening into an elegant wine-and-cheese event at a five-star venue. The crowd loved the latter, and they suffered the former.

Desai & the Review

SANTOSH DESAI: Print's not in, but insightful

So much for the old-timers and their elephantine memories!

This year the AdClub Bombay pulled out the artillery in the form of Santosh Desai and returned to the old favoured venue, Nehru Centre. To soften the blow, they followed up the presentation with a cocktail and dinner. Anyway, one felt that those who were present came to listen to what the erstwhile ad man, now brand guru, had to say about his last year in advertising (for this innings, at least). Of course, those who were present were the elite, the people who did not care for the razzmatazz, the gimmicks, the wine or the cheese. The people who wanted a straight-from-the-elbow, strategy- and insight-filled evening. Small wonder, they filled up barely one third of the auditorium.

The ad industry is obviously filled with plebians who fill up the hall when there is drama and dance.

Anyway, Santosh did his usual best. He spoke with insights and tried to explain, with the help of the old faithful TVCs, what the year really meant. Obviously, print advertising does not count for much in the Desai book, or it isn't easy to project onto a big screen (and it doesn't have music), and counts on literacy as a prerequisite, so he side-stepped the medium entirely.

Apart from that, a very interesting and insightful 90 minutes.

Goafest

The bookings for the GoaFest are open, guys, and you better hurry if you want to take in two days of advertising, sun, sea and surf (all equally delightful). This time the venue has been moved a little from the earlier beach where it was held last time, onto another Portugese-sounding beach in South Goa. Forget the names, the event seems to be growing every day and the Advertising Agencies' Association of India (AAAI) seems determined to make it a huge success. Trevor Beattie is landing up (remember his Hello Boys for Wonderbra and his FCUK advertising?) and will be the big star at the festivities. Every big Indian event needs one big white star (so what if the West is in awe of Indians) and Trevor will be there, gold locks and all. We are told that the last time he was in India, Cyrus Broacha made an MTV "bakra" out of him at the Taj Hotel in Mumbai in full view of the guests who had turned up for a dinner in his honor. This time, Trevor will be on his guard.

SOAP OPERA

Martin Sorrell: Spooky state of affairs

The most exciting soap opera playing out this month is the court case involving Martin Sorrell (yes, he who owns half the advertising industry in India) and the erstwhile head of his Italian operations. The allegations being traded and the cloak-and-dagger stuff being reported are pretty spooky. We thought the advertising industry was a warm, friendly place where people simply pitched, bitched, discounted and made merry. Now, we feel we are watching Godfather Part Six. With Martin Sorrell playing the ghost of Don Corleone. Thank God, we work for an industry like publishing which, despite our sting operations, is pretty tame by comparison. We are sure Colvyn Harris, Piyush Pandey and the dozen satraps Martin has here in India must be wondering what the crafty old chieftain had recorded when they last met him and spoke to him. Next time Martin is in India, all meetings will resemble Daikin advertisements. Complete silence.

Victoria invites comments at brandline@thehindu.co.in

Victoria

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