Triumph of the telecom league

AGKSPEAK

Ad agencies of handset makers, service providers deserve a standing ovation

What I've Liked
This fortnight I have decided to break my routine. Rather than write about just one outstanding ad, I will consider an entire category whose work just has to be celebrated "" the telecom sector.

This is my standing ovation for the handset manufacturers, the service providers and their ad agencies for rising so commendably to an unchartered market's demands. It's been nearly a decade now since the mobile phone was launched in India and, as we all know, it was an elitist product, until Reliance brought the price wall crashing down. Suddenly, the market opened up with more possibilities than the sector could have ever imagined.

There were new targets to talk to, new affordable plans to offer, new handsets to provide, even new rules to write. Suddenly, there was that expectant buzz when the market realises that it is at the threshold of limitless opportunity.

Consequently, ad agencies were busy experimenting, and succeeding in deploying various first-of-its kind creative routes. Orange's work has earned its place in advertising folklore; and Airtel, Reliance IndiaMobile and Tata Indicom have all created their own individual niches, both in terms of interesting work and products.

Not to be outdone, handset manufacturers, too, have produced an impressively wide range of products and some memorable work in the bargain. Nokia, Samsung, LG "" they all have given the advertising world a pretty good platform to flaunt their skills.

It is a brave new world out there and the best part is that it is one of those rare occasions when India is on par with the rest of the world. In this category, especially, we do not lag behind a decade or so. So the work we do gets a fair chance of being "the first of kind". And I must say we are doing a pretty good job of it too.

So, here's to telecom's "league of extraordinary men and women". May their work continue unabated!

What I've Learned
No grit. No guts. No glory.
Leadership these days, especially in India, has deteriorated into a popularity contest. Be it management, politics or on the sports field, the leader or coach who abstains from taking decisions has a greater chance of remaining in office than a leader who has the courage to do so.

The recent cricket imbroglio is a case in point. Rather than sorting out differences internally, the Cricket Board was dragged in and it, of course, advocated accommodating everyone's point of view "" which is not a decision at all.

"Don't rock the boat" is the new mantra, even if the boat is heading straight for an iceberg. The main aim is to ensure that nothing "upsets" the status quo.

Have we always been a nation of wimps? Our oldest example of a leader is Krishna, who managed to persuade Arjun to take a really tough call. At no point was Krishna defined as tough, was he? Because when it came to the greater good, Arjun recognised (when instructed) what he was supposed to do.

And when it came to talking tough, Krishna did not shy away either, but laid out the reality of life as it was. So when we have such a glorious benchmark, why is it that we shy away from calling a spade a spade?

The following is a trivial incident in comparison, but it was one of my life's key lessons. In the early days of Mudra's association with DDB, I called DDB's chairman Keith Reinhard at his home on some work-related matter. He took the call and very politely and genially asked me if he could call me in the office the next morning. The message was clear "" he didn't discuss work at home.

I was so impressed both by his gentlemanly handling of the situation and his adherence to discipline (even though they were 'his' rules) that I promptly adopted the same practice in my life. Keith could have avoided my call or created some excuse for not answering the phone. But he didn't. He had the moral fibre to be upfront. Which is what seems to be sadly missing from our leadership these days. The ability to call a spade a spade, and, the courage for the team to take it.

agkbrandconsult@yahoo.com