March 18, 2011
Gangadharan Menon was live on Facebook 2 Facebook initiative by Cag
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We as students and professionals are very sure that we definitely need an idea to make a campaign. But are consumers today in their fast paced life really bothered about the IDEA behind a campaign? And is there any way we can make them see the idea instead of just the visual or the headline?
@nupur: you cannot separate the idea from the visual or the headline. It is embedded in either of these. In a communication piece, the idea doesn't exist in limbo or a void.
In any case, if your communication doesn't have an idea, it will never get noticed! So you better have an idea!
:) true yes sir... i understand.. We basically have to sell rather than show our personal talents to the consumers...
@nupur: naturally all the personal talents you have will help in executing your idea well. So don't separate the idea from the personal talents' part of it. In another way, the same idea will be executed by 3 different people; in 3 different ways, and the difference will be personal talents!
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Sir that day you were talking about hard sell and soft sell, Sir could you explain the meaning?
@akshata: in other words, hard sell means direct, boring communication and soft sell is generally meant to be indirect and oblique. As I told earlier, don't get confused with these words. There are only 2 kinds of communication - good & bad, memorable & forgettable, non-persuasive and persuasive.
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But sir some ads that are very creative are not noticed or understood by the target audience
@mansi: there is no point in being creative if you are not noticed or understood. That is precisely what is meant by 'properly practised creativity'. Which means creativity not for the sake of creativity but for selling, which is the ultimate purpose of advertising. Remember, ads are not created for awards; awards are only byproducts.
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Sir, while executing my idea for this year's campaign, i learnt that after a month of designing and research i could come up with a better idea than the first one before, what should one do then?
@rini: it doesn't matter, when you get the idea, as long as you have enough time on your hand to execute it. You could junk a thought, which was with you for 3 months, and execute the one, which you thought of a week ago... As long as you have the time to execute it properly... I repeat!
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Sir at times we really do come across a good idea but we are unable to extend it...we get stuck and get carried away... is there any way or method or exercise to be done so that we actually can go on and find a way out?
@riddhi: the best way to get out of a mental block is to write out or draw out the same on a sheet of paper. And then crumple that sheet as a symbolic act of Rejection. Keep doing it till you can come across an idea that’s worth the paper on which it is written. This ritualistic action exorcises the ghost of the mental block.
There was a time when your teachers used to do it; now that they don't, you have to do it yourself :)
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Sir, what’s more important ...great execution and an average idea or great idea and an average execution
@mansi: A great idea and a great execution!
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Sir, at times the idea is very basic and common, but it is executed very well, do such ads work?
@akshata: the question is whether the communication ultimately turns out to be 'accepted', 'believed', 'persuasive' and 'urgent' (to use Bill Bernbach's words).
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totally :)
sir you had talked about guerrilla advertising in class. Could you tell us the key features of it. What could be some situations under which we may have to go for this sort of advertising??
@nupur: Imagine a situation where a product uses a particular model as its spokesperson, for a period of 5 years, which is the contracted period for that model. If the competition uses that model for itself after the contract expires, and says this person has now switched over to my brand.
All the money that was spent b y the first product for 5 years is utilised by the second one in one go.
This is one kind of guerilla advertising and it was successfully used for the first time by Anne French.
Essentially, Guerila is where you challenge the might of a giant with lateral thinking and innovative ideas!
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Hello Sir, some ideas are such that they seem to be more effective, if used in a couple of ads. If we try to extend it, just to cover different medias, it becomes repetitive or 'chepao' as you would put it. So, while thinking of an idea, should we always keep in mind, how flexible our idea can be, as far as medias are concerned?
@nikhil: absolutely... there are two kinds of ideas... campaignable and non campaignable. Incase you are looking at doing a campaign; make sure your idea is extendable or campaignable.
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"Be different" - Should that be my main focus while thinking of an idea?
@saloni: ofcourse if you are the 'same', who will remember you?
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Sir but if i can ask. Does knowledge adds up to creativity or becomes a mere excuse to explore more frontiers of an idea?
@nimesh: knowledge in the sense of knowledge has nothing to do with creativity; it is observation that matters. If you have a keen sense there, you can be a better creative person.
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Sir can you tell us if a TVC goes through scrutiny by the ministry? If yes then there are many such ad's for example the LMN ad where the Africans are shown ad dumb and in bad light. Which is against the rules set by the ministry? Also we have the ASCI who I have seen so far ensures that if any complaint done they review it and if anything against the rule they request the company to change or remove it ? So whose responsibility is it? The ministry or the ASCI?
@shashank: when there was only 1 channel - doordarshan.. the rules were strictly followed.
With channels opening up and mushrooming, you can put pressure on them, only by creating immense public opinion about such racist advertising. ASCI is quite toothless now.
More importantly self restrained would be the best form of censorship.
Sir but with so much double meaning\sex\violence has it made the ad world just money crazy? For instance the new Macdonald ad where two kids are talking about if the girl is her girlfriend and she just wants a mac which is for 25 rupees, I feel such ad will made children think more about having a girlfriend\boyfriend than the mac food.
Agreed Self regulation is the best censorship.
@shashank: this is the classical chicken and egg story. Advertising people believe that they are capturing what is going on in real life. Whereas it may also be true that in real life you imitate what you see in advertising. One doesn't know which one comes first!
Yes Sir, but as media people it is quite disturbing cause even we have children home and they too watch these same ads.
@shashank: i would simple call it the occupation hazard of living in this society.
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It is easier when a list of clients is given and we have to choose one for our college campaigns. But in the final year when we have such a vast option of brands and products how do we narrow down? It scares me to think that ages will go to decide what I want to make my campaign on. Is it possible that we get an idea before we narrow down on a product??
@nupur: the honest way to go about it... since you have the whole world to choose from, is to choose a category of products or services that excites you personally.
Once you have done that, choose a brand within that category that excites you
. And then work on it!
Retro-fitting an idea that you have to a product later is not exactly being honest!
Yes sir agreed.
With approvals being a total must at every stage at college level where we are evaluated based on what we do, how necessary is it to rely on your own gut than that of the respected class teacher???? Differences in opinion become more personal. I personally felt I killed a good idea in my campaign as I was expected to go a particular way. Any way you can still stand your ground and not offend the evaluator?
@nupur: The best way to handle this would be to use the skills of persuasion. If that doesn't work, work on the approved idea and your personal favourite simultaneously. Finish both and show it to the evaluator. After that God help you...
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Sir what is important working in O&M or working in a small ad agency and making it grow? Because today all of us wish to atleast kiss the footsteps of O&M, what if one lands up in a small time ad firm and then gets to exhibit his\her talent?
@shashank: The best way would be to start with a small agency which gives you enough creative freedom to do great campaigns and then go to O&M because if you start with O&M or any such large agency, in the handing down process you will end up doing leaflets atleast for an year or two! :)
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Riddhi Doshi Sir do internships in pre final year help in getting better in the final year?
@riddhi: yeah... internship definitely helps in familiarising you with the agency reality, but the reality is very few agencies take interns.
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Sir, TV Commercial are very effective and they have a long lasting effect on our minds. People remember them every evidently. Putting people into the commercial can help draw your target audience ... why not the case with print ads, hoardings etc even when they are made really well.... so what is the point in spending money on hoardings, print ads...
@rini: television is the most powerful medium of communication because TVCs use almost every conceivable artform in the making of it. It uses scripting, direction, photography, music, art direction, editing, etc. This very fact makes it the most engaging and powerful medium.
But you must remember it is prohibitively expensive which is why the media money is spent in other less expensive media too like hoardings and print.
However, when you need to communicate information interestingly, the print medium is the only effective option, because in a TVC you can't explain... you can only create an impression and not the detailed info.
So it all depends on what do you want your product to do... give an impression and give information...
And there are situations where TV becomes your primary medium and all other becomes your Reminder media including hoardings and print.
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Sir can radio advertisements (its rarely used), support the television advertisement?
@akshata: ofcourse radio can be used without support of the TV medium provided the idea is powerful and stand alone. With the advent of FM, there is a resurgence of this medium. Though I agree that currently TV ads are being adapted to radio spots.
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Today most ads around us are ads that have a high emotional connect/celebrities etc and they sell better. An ad that is 'too intelligent' does not sell as well as the former, esp within the masses. How do you work in a situation like this?
@pooja: i have always believed that the money used for buying a celebrity can be better utilised for a campaign with an idea.
And maybe believe in work with half that budget. Every piece of communication has to connect emotionally with or without celebrity.
I have said this before, according to me, the ultimate campaign is the one which will be equally appreciated by the layman and the connoisseur.
This judgement of what style will work best is something that doesn't come overnight. Its years of trial and error that will help you intuitively arrive at a decision. You have to keep observing and keep learning from the experience of self and others.
_________________________________________________________________Nupur Kulkarni
What are the things one needs to keep in mind while executing a NO COPY ad such that the idea still stands rock solid??
@nupur: even in a NO COPY ad situation, make sure the communication is complete. If need be, use bare minimum number of words to complete the loop of communication.
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I am leaving now due to some work. I would surely say that I always dream't of living in the days of Andy Warhol and Dali but god gave me a better chance of giving me birth in an era where I got to chat with the a living talking walking, having info more than wikipedia. Ganga Sir you are GOD and i can tell this to my grandchildren that I had a online chat with the greatest on 18th March 2011 :) .
I request you to have such a discussion quite often.
thanks alot for your help.
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thank you sir. It was wonderful talking to you,as much as it wonderful attending your class in college. I remember the first day of your class with us i was late and when i saw you i was absolutely worried about what you would say to me. You just asked me ,"Are you late for this lecture or early for the next."
I have never felt so relieved before on being late . :)
Thanx for everything sir.
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Thank you sir for your valuable time and guidance.. It is an absolute pleasure to attend your lecture...And as you say I CAN GO ON AND ON... I wish this discussion can be so...It will be grt to have such discussions in future... your words are SOUL-STIRRING!!
THANK YOU!
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This was the very first time I chatted with soo many friends at the same time.
It was an amazing experience. I 'LIKE IT'! :)
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i couldn't attend this discussion on the day. But next day i checked this out and obviously it is Amazing, helping and informing. Thanks a lot to every body who contributed to make this happen.
Thanks a lot!
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Sir Gangadharan Menon, you're a legend :)
ReplyDeleteWe had a short 2 day lecture with him & THAT was some inspiration! He showed us a couple of ADs & explained them in details. I can't get over the fabulous lecture ever.
Thank you,
Pranita. Kocharekar