Keeping it simple

AGKSPEAK

Airtel's new TVC is a perfect example of complicated message told simply.

What I've liked
Romancing the rains

They don't make ads like this anymore. I am referring to Airtel's latest TVC "" the one about the little boy who uses his mobile phone to make his father (who is sweltering in a desert far away) listen to the rain.

There are several reasons why I am particularly fond of this ad. For one, it is a simple, uncomplicated story "" I just described the entire ad in one sentence. Then, it is about the spontaneous sharing of something dear to you, a benefit that most telecom brands have used, since the product evokes such an act.

This ad shows most others how connectivity as a theme can be treated with sophistication. The ad stays away from special effects to convey a very strong message. Not that I have anything particular against technology, but the recent rampant use of it does get a bit tiring, not to mention laziness at trying to work at an idea.

It is also the reason for my very first observation. Pre computer-graphics advertising needed their creators to toil at refining ideas, which is probably why they were so luminescent.

This ad also lets us know very subtly about the product's connectivity in far-flung areas, a creditable continuation of the attempt begun in the earlier two grandfather-grandson ads.

The most charming aspects of the ad are the wonderful shots of the rain capturing its romance in all its beauty. Yes, it has been a long wait for an ad like this, but it was definitely well worth it.

What I've learned
The necessity to have a method in your madness

A good, talented person who incorporates efficient processes in his or her working methods is, by and large, as close to the ideal employee that most large and mid-size corporations need.

A member who possesses only either of these traits is almost impossible to incorporate into a team that hopes to be successful. A close look at our performance at this year's World Cup will illuminate the point.

Without any knowledge of ground realities, we thought we could bring the Cup home. A fitting illustration that blind belief in either trait-talent or method "" will not win the day.

Since most of my career has been spent in advertising, this issue has always been a sore point with a few members of the team who wished for 'superstar' status. So much so, that we made it mandatory to make sure that the organisation I was leading was a process-led organisation with a strong belief in creative discipline.

These two words 'creative' and 'discipline' might seem contradictory to the layman because the word 'creative' bears strong connotations of unfettered liberation, but the two facets are the foundation stones of any classical tradition. Any field that moulds talent for performance, adopts it "" be it sport, dance, music, art, even medicine... 'Riyaz' or incessant practice is that which instills discipline into talent and moulds a God-given gift into timeless craft.

Discipline is the slow burning fire that makes legends. Discipline, most importantly, teaches the art of patience and of knowing why you are good at what you do. The lack of this is why so many talented people burn out mid-career.

However, people familiar with early classical tutoring can slip into process-led systems with ease. They display buoyancy that helps them withstand the stress that brings down most others.

Put simply, the madness that invariably characterises creativity, needs to have a purpose, and at the end of the day, a discipline that can work with processes. If not, you might end up being just another dramatic flash in the pan.