Madhura Chakravarty: Creative Director

Why are you into Advertising?

Honestly, I enjoy the format of advertising which is largely story-telling for me first and then of course followed by brand building. Who doesn’t remember good stories? We remember our exchanges with co-riders, churan-wallahs and our grandmothers in greater detail than our lectures. An engaging narrative is certainly more memorable than a brand’s product window. It helps humanize a brand’s voice while building personality.

Advertising has the allowance of people from diverse backgrounds to arrive at a single platform and work towards a big idea – guitarists, CA professionals, professors, theatre artists – thus empowering the birth of a compelling story together.

I was very clear about being a copywriter after a group project in communication school demanded each of us to write a script on selling dark chocolate. The innumerable ways of selling chocolate to a teenager from 90 odd minds was a fascinating experience that went on to prove the collective power of many minds!

Did you attend school for fine art or design or Communications?

I graduated with English Honours (B.A) from Loreto College in Kolkata and then moved on to Commits, Bangalore to attain a Masters Degree in Marketing & Communication.

How did you get your first job in advertising?

That’s an interesting story. I think most of my peers had already settled in with their first pay cheque and I was still being choosy about internship opportunities. I got in touch with the very wonderful Bodhisatwa Dasgupta at Ogilvy & Mather in Delhi, who was the first to offer my first break if I may add dramatically. My initial task was to prepare a portfolio for him where I had to collect a bunch of bad ads and rewrite them in two days. He was a fantastic mentor who not only hired me in my dream agency but also taught me not to get too serious about everything. I think I need that reminder once in a while and working in advertising invites that reminder from people hailing from different cultures, bearing unique personalities and quirks who offer this incredible balance between fun & discipline in a team.

How do awards impact your career in advertising?

I’ve not been much of an awards-oriented person. While yes, metals do define bigger designations, fancier offices and a fatter pay cheque, I’ve chosen work-life balance to be my award for life.

Do you think brands whose advertising wins awards, do well in the market?

Not necessarily. In today’s times what wins is honesty. I feel that is supreme and should definitely be on every marketing routine. Being honest and brave is a mark of a brand that’s listening, sustaining, growing and certainly isn’t afraid of being socially transparent. A stance like that influences and inspires the market to believe in the brand. And in times like Covid-19, thinking brands will surely identify the importance of truthfulness. As Albert Einstein says, “If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

Were there any particular role models for you when you grew up?

Well, The Copy Book was my daily bible. The inimitable Neil French and David Ogilvy were my invisible mentors. I used to imitate their writing style a lot. Especially the usage of the word ‘poppycock’ so articulately used by Neil French in his writings.