26th EPISODE — ‘I AM SANKAR’
This belongs to an era when advertising was much fun. People used to be creative in their interactions and induction of new team members. Here I share an incident from HTA ( JWT- 35, Jandewalan, Rani Jhansi Road-Delhi) time. Sankar was heading PEPSI account at JWT. And a new young trainee Copywriter was to join the creative team on Pepsi. Her appointment letter instructed her to report to Sankar. The team decided to celebrate her induction in a different way.
When she walked in the first day, she informed reception that she needed to report to Sankar. Now the reception was in the first floor and Shankar Cabin on the second floor. Reception asked an office boy to escort her to Sankar’s cabin.
Shanks cabin was empty. Office boy asked the young copy trainee to wait for Sankar. While she was admiring the scantly decorated wall, in walked a team member and introduced himself as Sankar Rajan. He started talking to her. The discussion was totally professionally and was what a trainee would expect on day one.
Another person came in and before she could react he introduced himself. ‘Hi, I am Sankar Rajan’. The first person that she was talking to promptly did a disappearing act.
The smart girl was unable to react to this new change, but she carried on with the discussion as if this was the most natural thing to happen. Definitely there were questions in her mind, but like a true advertising person she would have post rationalized blaming herself for not properly catching the first person name.
While this person now engaged her and was quizzing her in her interpretation of Pepsi Brand ethos, walked in third guy. He very authoritatively questioned the person in the room as to what was he doing in his room. No comments came his way. He cribbed under his breath ‘don’t know why these characters start playing up whenever there is a new girl in office’, he sat comfortably on the seat and calmly asked her to share her learning from this episode.
The act was not yet over.
As expected before a fourth guy could play Sankar Rajan and harass the girl any more, the real Sankar walked in his room. Placing his blazer on the chair he introduced himself “Hi, I am shanks, Sankar Rajan and sorry I am late’. Now this was too much for the trainee. You can’t fault her for flatly refusing to believe Shank’s that he was Sankar Rajan.
The earlier actors soon walked into the cabin. It took them time to finally convince her who the real Sankar Rajan was. Later on this young copywriter was instrumental in not only scripting few memorable creative but also instrumental in creating office pranks on fresh joiners’.
( I am told by Anuradha Jain that SANKAR was very particular about how his name was spelled. It is SANKAR nor Shankar)
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OTHER EPISODES IN ADVERTISING AND MARKETING
● Thank You ● Rain Clause – I ● Lethal Combination ● APPETITE ● Puncture ● Adultery- the moment ● ASSET ● The Count ● Introduction ● Time Bomb ● Small Tile ● Shoot Report ● Sardar Khush Hoga ● Shoot At Mud Island ● Kaali Peeli Picture ● Upgrade ● Juhi Effect ● Power Of Punjab ● Out ● Two More ● Eleven Minutes ● The Cherry Win ● The Presentation ● Black Gold ● Buffered ● Continue With Client ● Not Fired ● One Less Decision ● The Ghost Of 35 Rani Jhansi Road Jhandewalaon ● The Problem ● Imported Art Card ● Banyan Tree Agency
