's take on Life, the Universe and Advertising There is a lot of talk about the effects of globalisation on the advertising business. Amongst detractors, there is a sense of uneasiness that globalisation will bring along a by-product "" standardisation.
There are apprehensions of a global village that will blanket the indigenous and sanitise it with international sensibilities. And that nuances of local cultures will be sacrificed and diluted for a larger audience connect.
From my vantage point this vista seems a trifle different. To observe a child is always an experience. Everything to them is new and fresh.
A shining spoon means a tool to make noisy music, the tail of a dog is a hand fan, the pattern of the floor tiles are as engaging as a fresco and even the act of her father lathering and conducting his morning shave is no less than a spectacle.
It is no secret that as adults, the world around us slips into auto-pilot mode. Get up in the morning, the same coffee machine, the same train or car, the same cubicles at work... there is a certain indistinctiveness to life. Landscapes blur, local sights and sounds become a background. The native customs and the local wisdom become mere acts and words.
Our glance on everyday life becomes sterile. It's not that they cease to matter. One still can't do without the familiarity "" the sense of comfort. But it ceases to amuse, engage, stimulate. The charm chips away.
My sense is that globalisation will rekindle the child in us. That child who once exclaimed to me, "the house shouted back to me" when she experienced an echo in an empty house for the first time.
The unfamiliar is an alchemist. It is turbulence that exudes the creative sap which results in creation "" a poem, a sketch, a composition, an idea, a character, a thought, a vision.
The chaos of everyday life in south Asia "" a BMW and a hand-pulled rickshaw cart on the same road is a disturbing yet intriguing sight for the non-locals.
The sideways nodding of heads in affirmation in many cultures would indicate disagreement, the grammatically debatable way in which the New Yorkers say "standing on line" instead of in, the two-hand gestures of Japan, both meaning "come here", one of which can easily convey go away to the uninitiated... the probability of an average Hispanic woman seeming exotic to many in the West and an equally average white woman beautiful to many in the other continents. These small and other intricate things surprise, amuse, engage and project everyday as distinct.
As cultures interact, they will not lose individuality but instead create opportunities for a new creative language "" hopefully languages "" to develop.
It is not about noticing or celebrating cultural differences, it s about being able to see a totally different take on life.
And I more than believe that globalisation will help create the "alien eye" that we so need for ourselves and for the commerce of our creation.
Sometimes the argument is "" without delving deep into the local culture and being well versed with the nuances "" one cannot represent it.
Let's brace ourselves for some bluntness. Advertising is different from academic documentaries. Seeing the "ordinary" in a different light altogether is incredible and inspiring.
The commercial done by Euro RSCG, Milan taking viewers through the mutilating journey of a locally made Ambassador car being banged in an innovative fashion to resemble a Peugeot, is 60 seconds of an entertaining, engaging and charming take on the Indian way of life.
A local may not have visualised it this way. The flavour, the essence changes when a new and different frame of reference seeps in.
For that matter, look at the Snail's race "Bet on Black" commercial by Guinness "" a largely limited sport, but to the alien eye a newer representation and refreshing take. Or even look at the "palace" commercial for Happydent.
The irony of the erstwhile feudalistic culture may or may not have been comprehended, but the idea of a town being lit with teeth and its visual interpretation was clear.
It's not just a fresh view or a surprising interpretation that globalisation facilitates. There is additionally what I term as the "juxtaposition art", which emerges. For, given a particular block of sensibilities and then being exposed to another, gives rise to new idiom.
When Kula Shaker belts out the Hindu religious chant, Govinda jaya jaya, the inimitable musical rendition is hair-raising stuff. Or when Paul Simon weaves Afro beats as part of the harmonic fabric, it gives birth to Graceland.
When a Thai pop star's parents notice a truck company's name in another country in Asia and found it rhythmic, they named their daughter "Tata".
When Quentin Tarantino interpreted Asian martial arts, Uma Thurman and Kill Bill exploded on the mind screen. When the Indian goddess, Kali is interpreted by renowned photographer Stephen Livick, it resulted in the avant-garde mural works.
In Hindu mythology, we are familiar with Lord Shiva and his third eye. One interpretation is that the third eye opens up for the destruction of evil. From a larger spiritual angle, though, the third eye also represents "awakening", of realisation from within, a new perspective and knowledge.
Similarly, increasing globalisation and the resultant opportunities will develop the penchant to see things from an alien eye.
Prasoon Joshi is executive chairman and regional creative director, Asia Pacific, McCann Erickson
