Advertising as a career has various instances where on the spot humour is generated in all its seriousness. Some of it is evident at a later date and time. Remember the aftertaste is at times far better. So I have decided to collate these anecdotes and compile them. I welcome you all to share such incidents with me. Now as we know they could irritate many people who could be ay a senior position or may not be able to take the humour of these situations. So we would avoid taking name. Yet, people who have been in that agency or that account would know what is being written about.
IMPORTED ARTPAPER
It was somewhere in early 90’s and I am not sure was it Lintas or was it HTA of Rani Jhandewale fame. So there was this client in paging industry and a flamboyant young dude used to the marketing manager. It was an OK painful account as it did at times allowed you some width to attempt decent enough work- within constraints.
So we had developed and printed a two-fold product brochure. I think it was that. But that is not essentially. Suffice to say I and my junior were there to present the print job to him. In those days you would physically share and not just sent the copies.
We were made to wait for some 30 minutes in his 5th floor office in not a well known business district in Delhi. We did not mind as the reception was manned by a very charming young lady who would flutter her eyelids more than she would answer the phone.
So in we walked into Rakesh’s ( Dummy name ) pristine 9X6 cubicle and made ourselves comfortable in those small chairs. Presenting the printed copies we were fishing for some compliment. It was a decent job. But as our luck would have, he had that morning got some dose by his senior – so was not exactly in appreciating mode.
‘What shit you guys do, you can’t even print it properly’ He growled and placed before us the printed version of a similar job by their Singapore based joint venture partners.
‘Yeah- This is imported art paper ( I was showing my production knowledge) – and what you ask us to print in is Indian Art card… Rakesh- you know we would match or better this- if we were to print on imported art paper’ I who has this unsaid habit of first getting into offensive than to defend, replied.
‘I knew Sanjeev- that is what you would say… Damm it1 … this is F*^*ing INDIAN ART PAPER’
‘Oh yes, but Rakesh, when Indian Art Paper it reaches Singapore- Indian art paper is IMPORTED ART PAPER’ I replied without missing a beat.
And trust me – this saved us the day. The delivery of the last INSIGHT was so confidently delivered that poor Rakesh, I think he believed it or he decided these two were too much to handle and it was best to let it go.
Out in the lift my junior had all praises for my handling of the situation. I the expert gave him Guru Mantra. Sometime it does not matter how good or bad you are- we all have to think on our feet’
NOTE (1) No he did not said it like this. He did not say the word DAMM or the ‘F’ word, I have added it to dramatise (2) we did not share this with the rest of the office –other than maybe the closest in the team
● Thank You ● Rain Clause – I ● Lethal Combination ● APPETITE ● Puncture ● Adultery- the moment ● ASSET ● I am Sankar ● 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 ● Banyan Tree Agency
