The Hindu Business Line : `Scam ads don't build the brand'

Advertising is what Trevor Beattie does. It's his passion as well as profession. But the man behind several successful ad campaigns is still waiting for his biggest and most "exciting" break.

Fortunately, the wait will not be too long. As next year, Beattie is all set to fly into space aboard Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spaceship. A voyage he believes will change his life forever.

Says a visibly charged up Beattie, Founding Partner of London ad agency Beattie McGuinness Bungay: "It will change my life. I can't say any more than that. I don't think there is anyone who has gone to space and not come back changed. It will hopefully change for the better ... make me a better person."

Apart from flying, Beattie is also designing a marketing campaign around Virgin Galactic. Although he wouldn't disclose any details, Beattie teasingly adds: "I'm a walking ad for Virgin Galactic. A physical advert."

Beattie's body language is that of a man in a hurry. Gung-ho. Passionate about his work ... with an opinion on everything. With long curly locks and an enchanting smile, Beattie is all that you had expected from someone responsible for some cheeky ad campaigns for French Connection and Wonderbra.

Ask him about Indian advertising and his eyes light up. He can now talk about two of his favourites - cricket and advertisements! Beattie says in India advertisements seem to vie with cricketing shots and deliveries for viewer attention.

Says Beattie, who has been the Creative Director of TBWA\London, creating award-winning campaigns for PlayStation, adidas and Gossard: "I know we are not supposed to talk about cricket anymore but I am a big cricket fan. I was watching some cricket yesterday here in Goa and I saw lots of adverts as well. God knows, there are a lot of adverts. Even between the deliveries. Maybe even during the delivery. It's like the advertisers think the batsman hasn't quite hit the ball yet, so why not squeeze an ad in."

"Fortunately, it is not quite intense in London as it is here. We don't interrupt the cricket that much. But it will come there as well. In those terms, India is ahead of London. We only interrupt between each over. In India, it is literally between balls. Between controversial decisions. Someone out there is deciding that the discussion of the umpire decision isn't as important as the delivery. That is the moral code. Was that caught behind or LBW? Doesn't matter, it isn't live ball. Maybe I am seeing the future here."

Beattie cherishes each of his projects with such fondness and love that he is unable to decide which one of them is his favourite. Almost as if someone had asked him to pick a favourite from his children. Finally, he comes up with a non-characteristic diplomatic answer. "I always like what I am currently working on. It is always the current thing which is my favourite and I am most excited about." Beattie is currently working on McCain chips and pitching for Ikea.

Awards or sales. Which would he choose? "I am a businessman. So I think I would know which one to chose. I have always believed in effectiveness. The sales of McCain chips is currently up 82 per cent. Last two years, they were struggling. Right now, a lot of chips are being bought in England. And if I go to Mumbai, I see a lot of people wearing French connection T-shirts. Even 10 years after the campaign. That is how I gauge success."

Which is why the obsession with awards irks Beattie, a Labour Party supporter who spearheaded the ad campaigns for Labour in the 2001 and 2005 UK general elections.

He says: "There are so many scam ads going around; they don't build the brand. That is cheating. It might build some young ad man's career for six weeks but it doesn't do anything for the client. I am in business for the client, not for the awards. You might win an award for a scam ad, but that is the end of the story."

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