AN INTERNSHIP REPORT

ON

CREATIVITY ISSUE IN ADVERTISING

SUBMITTED BY:

UMESH GURUNG SHRESTHA

Shanker Dev Campus

TU Registration No.:XXX

SUBMITTED TO:

V-CHITRA

In the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA)

Kathmandu

July, 2014

ii

13 July, 2014

DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this internship report entitled ―Creativity Issue in Advertising‖,

submitted to V-Chitra and Shanker Dev Campus, Faculty of Management, Tribhuvan

University is my original work done in the form of partial fulfillment of the requirement

of Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) under the supervision of Mr. Achyut Raj

Bhattarai.

__________________________

Umesh Gurung Shrestha

BBA, 8th

Semester

Shanker Dev Campus

TU Regd. No.: XXX

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Though only my name appears on the cover of this internship report, a great many people

have contributed to its completion. I really appreciate all those people who have made

this study possible and because of whom my internship and undergraduate experience as

a whole has been one that I will cherish forever. Thank you Tribhuvan University, and

Shanker Dev Campus for integrating internships into the BBA program.

Foremost, my deepest gratitude is to Mr. Harshawardhan Shahani, Managing Director of

V-Chitra, for personally taking time to respond to my application for internship and Mr.

Sekhar Chhetri, Director, for providing me the opportunity to gain the experience of

working in various departments of the agency.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the internship report supervisor, Mr.

Achyut Raj Bhattarai (Program Director, BBA) and Assistant Director Mr. Dhruba

Subedi for their continuous support, patience, and motivation during the preparation of

this report.

My internship supervisors at V-Chitra, Mr. Sanjay Singh (Account Director) and Mr.

Srijan Nepal (Account Executive) have always been there to listen and give advice.

Special thanks to Anshu Singh, the former Business Development Manager at V-Chitra

for her special career guidance.

Umesh Gurung Shrestha

Shanker Dev Campus

TU Regd. No.: XXX

iv

ABSTRACT

We know it when we see it. We are exposed to it hundreds (or may be even thousands) of

times every day. It is advertising, of course, and many of us are so accustomed to tune it

out. But there are some ads which really grab our attention, and literally, we take a

moment to examine them, and may be act on them.

Advertising is a mix of science and art. Most companies approach market problems in the

same way – copy testing, quantitative and/or qualitative research techniques. That is the

science side of it. The art is in the ideas. It is in being able to see something that others

don’t see and to develop creative ideas around it. That's a lot of art to that. It is not just

something you can wake up one morning and do.

Both influential advertising professionals such as David Ogilvy and Bill Bernbach, and

industry awards such as the Clio and One Show support the notion that what makes

advertising effective is creative excellence. Regarding creative ideas, it is important to

keep in mind whether they really deliver on the marketing strategy. We need to set aside

our own tastes and put ourselves in the consumer shoes. The great ads are created when

art meets strategy.

This internship report reflects on the intern's two months of internship experience at V-

Chitra, plus the knowledge gained through the non-academic books related to advertising.

v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ABSTRACT

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

ABBREVIATIONS

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background 1

1.2 Objectives of the Study 2

1.3 Methodology 2

1.4 Activities Performed at V-Chitra 4

1.5 Limitations of the Study 6

CHAPTER TWO: INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING INDUSTRY 7

2.1 Advertising: An Introduction 7

2.2 Industry Snapshot 7

2.3 Advertising Agency 8

2.4 Advertising Legends 9

2.5 Creative Revolution in Advertising 10

2.6 Advertising Scenario in Nepal 12

CHAPTER THREE: INTRODUCTION OF THE ORGANIZATION 16

3.1 V-Chitra: Introduction and Background 16

3.2 Mission and Objective 16

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3.3 Organization Structure and Culture 17

3.4 Awards 18

3.5 Brand Portfolio 19

3.6 Landmark Events and Activation 19

CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS OF ACTIVITIES DONE AND PROBLEMS

SOLVED 21

4.1 Understanding Advertising Creativity 21

4.2 Client Servicing Department 24

4.3 Creative Department 27

4.4 Media Department 28

4.5 BTL and Event Management 30

4.6 Social Media 31

CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION AND LESSONS LEARNT 32

5.1 Conclusion 32

5.2 Lesson Learnt 33

ANNEX I 35

ANNEX II 36

ANNEX III 37

REFERENCES AND SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 38

vii

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Nepalese Advertising Market Revenue 14

Figure 3.1 Organization Structure of V-Chitra 17

Figure 4.1 People’s perception of Advertising Media Effectiveness 23

Figure 4.2 Appeals for Advertising Creativity 23

Figure 4.3 Ad awareness and Tagline Recall 27

Figure 5.1 Client’s view of perfect ad 34

Figure 5.2 The sweet spot 34

Annex III: Volkswagen Think Small Ad by DDB in the 1960s 37

Table 1.1 Tabular representation of Internship duration and placement 3

Table 2.1 Nepalese Advertising Market Revenue 14

Annex I: World’s 20 Largest Agency Networks 35

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ABBREVIATIONS

AAAA American Association of Advertising Agencies

AAN Advertising Association of Nepal

ATL Above the Line

BBA Bachelors of Business Administration

BTL Below the Line

CAAN Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal

CV Curriculum Vitae

DDB Doyle Dane Bernbach

DTH Direct to Home

ERP Emergency Resource Planning

FNCCI Federation of Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industries

GDP Gross Domestic Product

ICIMOD International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

ICT Information and Communication Technology

IMC Integrated Marketing Communication

MBA Masters of Business Administration

TEM Threat and Error Management

TU Tribhuvan University

TVC Television Commercial

USP Unique Selling Proposition

1

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND

The Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) run by Tribhuvan University (TU) is

an undergraduate level management program that aims at developing the students’

intellectual ability, executive personality, and managerial skills through an appropriate

blending of business and general education. TU's BBA is a four-year, 120 credit hour

academic program, which assists the students in understanding and developing the unique

leadership qualities required for successfully managing business functions, an

organizational unit or an enterprise. While this course provides an overview of business

management in a nutshell, it does not offer much scope by itself, unless you follow it up

with a good MBA.

In order to complement the education with relevant experience, TU has made it

mandatory for the BBA students to undergo at least 8-weeks of internship in the

organization relating to their field of study.

Internship provides real world experience to those looking to explore or gain the relevant

knowledge and skills required to enter into a particular career field. Internship is

relatively short-term in nature with the primary focus on getting some on-the-job training

and taking what’s learned in the classroom and applying it to the real world. Internship is

an excellent way to begin building all those important connections that are invaluable in

developing and maintaining a strong professional network for the future.

The internship was carried out at V-Chitra, the organization which has been able to

prove itself as a major creative powerhouse in the Nepalese advertising landscape. In this

context, the report endeavors to decode the creativity issue that always prevails in

advertising business.

2

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The internship offers students a period of practical experience in the industry relating to

their field of study. This experience is valuable to students as a means of allowing them

to experience how their studies are applied in the ―real world‖, and as work experience

that can be highly attractive to potential employers on a candidate’s CV.

This internship report reflects on the intern’s experience at V-Chitra. The objectives of

the study are as follows:

To understand the current scenario of advertising industry in Nepal.

To gain insight into the operation of an advertising agency.

To know the concept, importance and effectiveness of creativity in advertising.

To realize the difference between idea, execution and strategy in advertising.

To appreciate the advertising legends of Mad Men era.

1.3 METHODOLOGY

The methodology signifies the methods used to collect useful knowledge and information

during internship. Internship is multidimensional in nature. Initiating with the careful

selection of suitable industry and the organization within, this report is prepared on the

ground of the intern’s placement in various departments of the organization, as well as

the primary and secondary data.

Primary Data:

The sources of primary data for this study comprise the intern’s personal

experience and observation within the organization, discussion with the

advertising professionals, supervisors, and other staffs.

Secondary Data:

The secondary data have been collected from the horizon of information readily

available in the internet and various published books on advertising and creativity.

3

1.3.1 ORGANIZATION SELECTION

Specializing in Marketing Management, the intern had to seek the best marketing firm in

the town. Rather than playing on ―law of averages‖ by sending off the Recommendation

Letters and Résumés in every direction, a more selective approach was taken by

narrowing down to the advertising industry and finally applying for the best creative

advertising agency in Nepal, viz. V-Chitra, founded by the Creative Advertising Genius,

Mr. Harshawardhan Shahani. In fact, the intern had invested almost year learning about

V-Chitra before applying for internship.

1.3.2 PLACEMENT

During the two months period of internship, the intern was guided through the activities

of various departments of V-Chitra under the special supervision of Account Director

Sanjay Singh and Account Executive Srijan Nepal. Additionally, the intern was guided

through Social Relations and Media Department by Business Development Manager,

Anshu Singh and Sr. Media Executive Kavita Mulmi respectively. The open

communication system largely helped the intern to quickly get absorbed into the

organizational culture and get along with most of the staffs within the first week of

internship.

Table 1.1 Tabular Representation of Internship Duration and Placement

Weeks

Departments 1

ST 2

ND 3

RD 4

TH 5

TH 6

TH 7

TH 8

TH

Client Service Department

Creative Department

Media Department

Social Media

BTL & Event Management

4

1.3.3 DURATION OF INTERNSHIP

The internship was carried out for two months, as prescribed by the Faculty of

Management, Tribhuvan University, equivalent to six academic credit hours. The

internship started on April 28, 2014 and was concluded on June 27, 2014.

Internship at V-Chitra proved to be the best two months of the intern’s academic life. As

an advertising enthusiast, being the part of the best creative ad agency in Nepal was like a

―dream come true.‖

1.4 ACTIVITIES PERFORMED AT V-CHITRA

As a liberal organization operating under team-concept, the intern was allowed to take

initiative to work in various departments. Starting from the Client Servicing Department,

the internship supervisor offered the intern the task of copywriting and TVC concept

development as well. Besides, event management, press meets were other significant

activities the intern was allowed to get involved in.

A brief account of the activities performed by the intern at V-Chitra is summarized in the

following postulates:

a. Client Servicing Department

b. Creative Department

c. Media Department

d. BTL and Event Management

e. Social Media

a. Client Servicing Department

Client Servicing Department coordinates and oversees everything related to a client’s

advertising account and acts as a primary liaison between the agency and the client. The

intern was primarily involved in Client Servicing Department during the internship.

Conducted an Online Survey on GoldStar brand position and proposed the report

as ―How can GoldStar make an Epic Comeback to Nepalese Market?‖

5

Assisted the internship supervisor in handling the account of Caribbean College

Proposed a list of brand names for a new food product category

Conducted a post testing of Nepal Ambuja Cement ad (both print and broadcast)

Branding for Featherlite® Special Launch Preview

b. Creative Department

V-Chitra is a place where everyone can tap into their own creativity. Copywriting was the

major task accomplished by the intern in Creative Department.

Concept Development for the 30-second TVC of Global Reach

Copywriting of the Academic Prospectus and Brochure for Caribbean College

Composed and proposed a music track for the corporate jingle of Brij Cement

Drafted a marketing letter to the dealers to announce the sales promotion program

of Nepal Amhuja Cement.

Conducted a survey on ―Creativity in Advertising‖

c. Media Department

Media department is responsible for placing advertisements that will reach targeted

customers and get the best response from the market for the least reasonable amount of

money.

Assisted the Media Senior Executive during Hisense, Yeti CSR, Nabil Bank, and

Featherlite Press Meets

Prepared and translated the Press Releases of Nabil Bank Ltd., Jasmine Safety

Hygiene Products, and Featherlite

Monitored and tracked the TVC slot of Nepal Ambuja Cement

d. BTL and Event Management

BTL communications gives the brand ability to tailor its messaging to the audience in a

more personal manner.

Assisted the Account Executive Rupam Shrestha and BTL Manager Binod Thapa

in the preliminary event planning of Yeti Airlines' "Aviation Safety Campaign

Nepal" and site surveying at Gokarna Forest Resort.

6

e. Social Media

V-Chitra organizes several social marketing campaigns with its sister organization, Omg!

This social media wing of V-Chitra was incorporated in January 2011 and was managed

by Parishkrit Shrestha and Anshu Singh. As a social media, Omg! uses social marketing

approach to develop activities aimed at changing or maintaining people's behavior for the

benefit of individuals and society as a whole.

1.5 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Advertising is a complex industry. It is virtually impossible to decode the entire

advertising firm in merely a couple of months. In spite of cordial supervisors and greater

mobility and freedom provided by V-Chitra to the intern to learn and gain the experience

of working in almost every department throughout the agency, this report would have

been far more better had it not been subjected to the following limitations:

A more rigorous study couldn’t be taken as the internship period was limited to

just two months.

Limited availability of information regarding the advertising industry in Nepal.

Lack of previous works by Nepalese scholars in this area of advertising.

Reluctant respondents to the survey conducted on advertising and creativity.

7

CHAPTER TWO

INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING INDUSTRY

2.1 ADVERTISING: AN INTRODUCTION

In general, advertising is the promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas, usually

performed by an identified sponsor. It is defined as any paid form of non-personal

communication about an organization, product, service, or idea by an identified sponsor.

The paid aspect of this definition reflects the fact that the space or time for an advertising

message generally must be bought. The non-personal component means that advertising

involves mass media. The non-personal component means that advertising involves mass

media (e.g. Radio, TV, Newspapers, and Magazines) that can transmit a message to large

group of individuals, often at the same time. The non-personal nature of advertising

means that there is generally no opportunity for immediate feedback from the message

recipient (except in direct-response advertising)

The first definition of advertising was given by the legendary copywriter John E.

Keneddy. He viewed advertising as ―salesmanship in print‖. Back then, print was the

only available medium for advertising. Later Claude Hopkins improvised on the

definition and redefined the term as ―Multiplied salesmanship‖. This is the most concise

and comprehensive definition on advertising till today. It must be a coincidence that both

of the legends worked for the father of modern advertising, Albert D. Lasker.

The concept of advertising has assumed a dynamic form with the use of the various

mediums of communication.

2.2 INDUSTRY SNAPSHOT

Advertising industry is a rapidly growing industry and determines to a considerable

extent the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any country. The advertising industry

8

besides functioning as an intermediate between the manufacturers (or advertisers) and the

customers plays an important role in the economy of the country.

Economics has driven the growth of advertising since its earliest beginnings and has

made it one of the hallmarks of the free enterprise system (See Annex I for World's 20

largest agency networks). Even Chinese government has listed advertising as

―encouraged industry‖ considering it an integral component of the modern service sector

and the cultural industry (Hong Kong Trade Development Council).

The advancement in information and communications technology (ICT) has largely

helped in the growth of advertising industry. The internet is the fastest-growing new ad

medium since TV, with over a billions users. Google's two-third revenue is derived

entirely from the online ads. A recent major breakthrough in online advertising is

Ca$honAd, a smartphone app made by four young Nepalese students.

Remarkably, Nepalese advertising industry has been able to keep intact its reputation

despite of the economic anomalies of the country. The growth of advertising and media

sector has a significant role in overall development of the nation. In this context, the

efforts of Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN), for instance, conceptualization and

execution of various programs like Annual Crity Awards in order to give new dimensions

to this sector are really appreciable. The 8th

Crity Awards was organized by AAN on

June 20, 2014.

2.3 ADVERTISING AGENCY

The advertising agency has evolved to provide the specialized knowledge, skills, and

experience needed to produce effective advertising campaigns. It provides a quality range

of service greater than any single advertiser could afford.

The American Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) defines advertising agency

as ―an independent business organization composed of creative and business people who

develop, prepare, and place advertising media for sellers seeking to find customer for

their goods and services.‖

9

An advertising agency specializes in the creation, design, and placement of

advertisements, and in the planning and execution of promotional campaigns for products

and services of their clients. Ad agencies are primarily responsible for a couple of

functions. The first is the production of advertising materials in the form of written copy,

art, graphics, audio, and video. The second is the strategic placement of the finished

creative product in various media outlets, such as periodicals, newspapers, radio, and

television.

2.4 ADVERTISING LEGENDS

The advertising history is built upon the contribution of several advertising legends. To

name a few: Albert Lasker, Claude C. Hopkins, Leo Burnett, David Ogilvy, Rosser

Reeves, Bill Bernbach, and living legend, Sir John Hegarty.

Albert Lasker (1880-1952): Albert Lasker with the help of marketing legends John E.

Kennedy and Claude Hopkins, established modern advertising as it is known today. He

started out as a newspaper reporter when still in his teens. But he soon got interested in

advertising. At the age of 18, Lasker began his job at Lord & Thomas as an office clerk.

Moving up from clerk to salesman and copywriter, Lasker became a partner in Lord &

Thomas and purchased the company in 1912 at the age of 32.

Rosser Reeves (1910-1984): Rosser Reeves was a hugely successful American

advertising executive and pioneer of Television advertising. He believed that the purpose

of advertising is to sell. He insisted that an advertising or commercial should show off

value or Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of a product, not the cleverness or humor of a

copywriter.

Rosser’s influence continues to thrive and can be found in AMC’s hit television show

Mad Men as he is the model for the professional accomplishments of the series’

protagonist, Don Draper. In his 1961 best-seller Reality in Advertising, Rosser introduced

the industry-changing concept of USP.

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Bill Bernbach (1911-1982): Bill Bernbach, the legendary founder of Doyle Dane

Bernbach (DDB), ignited the creative revolution and changed the world of

communications and business forever. He was a philosopher, a scientist, a humanitarian.

And his influence was felt well beyond the world of advertising.

As advertising industry faces a new creative revolution, Bernbach’s ideas and keen

insight into human nature may be more relevant than ever. His timeless words have

inspired thousands of creative men and women around the world. They have the power to

inspire many more.

As the single most influential creative force in advertising history, Bernbach served as an

inspiring father figure to some of advertising’s most brilliant talents. Contrary to most of

the advertising men, Bernbach didn’t rely on research. His famous line condemning

research: ―Research can trap you into the past‖ carries a good amount of weight.

David Ogilvy (1911-1999): A self-described ―advertising classicist‖ influenced by

Claude Hopkins, John Caples, and Raymond Rubicam, Ogilvy emphasized fact-based,

long copy to advance Albert Lasker’s ―salesmanship in print‖ philosophy. Ogilvy’s

agency opened in 1948, created clean, powerful ads marked by graceful, sensible copy

and a palpable respect for the consumer’s intelligence. His post-war creative bursts

memorably served Hathaway shirts, Shell Oil, Sears, KLM, American Express,

International Paper, IBM, Schweppes tonic, Rolls-Royce, and Pepperidge Farm. Ogilvy

pioneered a fee system, as opposed to commissions. During the ―Creative Revolution‖ in

1961, the Copywriters Hall of Fame selected him as one of its first inductees.

2.5 CREATIVE REVOLUTION IN ADVERTISING

The sixties were a turbulent time. A time of finding meaning through new forms of

expression; often when discussing the sixties people reference music, hippies, pop art,

and fashion. However, one aspect that is almost never included in this discussion of the

counterculture is the topic of 1960s advertising which in fact experienced its own

revolution similar to other revolutionary movements in art, music, fashion, and many

11

more. Also advertising wasn’t only seen in the corporate agencies on Madison Avenue, it

was widely expressed through popular counterculture mediums.

Many people viewed ad men and agencies as alleys to the large corporations that the

counter culture was striving to change and in some aspects that is true. However, sixties

advertising experienced its own creative revolution fueled by the mind of Bill Bernbach.

Bill Bernbach was the center-figure of the revolution, who became one of the most

charismatic and revered figures of 20th

century advertising. In retrospect, he may have

been the single most important figure in the 20th

century American Advertising. Bill

Bernbach’s name is synonymous with the revolution in advertising creativity that took

place in the 1960s. His genius lay in placing creativity before research. He abhorred rules

and turned away from programmatic approaches to advertising. He began developing a

new style of advertising focused on the consumer wants rather than the corporation wants.

But it is for Volkswagen ad campaign that Bernbach is best remembered for. He literally

transformed the German-made ―People’s car‖ into an American icon. VW “Think Small”

was ranked as the best advertising campaign of the 20th

Century by Advertising Age.

(See Annex IV)

Rather than trying to trick the consumer into buying a car, Bernbach took an honest

approach to the advertising. Auto advertising up until that time had distorted images of

cars that made them look bigger than they really were and portrayed images of lavish

lifestyles suggesting that if you buy this car your life will be better. The VW ads did the

opposite, and presented the consumer with an honest and truthful view of the product.

The blatant honesty almost came across as making fun of the car. Ads were no longer

coming from the corporations; they were designed with the people in mind. Bernbach’s

ads didn’t respond to the corporation, they were in fact a representation of his own

dissatisfaction with the status quo and the large corporations’ limits on the creativity of

advertising artists.

Maybe the VW ad doesn’t seem earth-shattering now; we have all seen our share of great

advertising since then. But DDB ran this campaign against the flow when all other car

12

companies were selling the ―American Dream‖ of new shiny big acquisitions. VW cars

looked small and funny. Commissioned by Adolf Hitler in the 1930s, it was a challenge

to sell this Nazi car to the post-war Americans.

Bernbach was not just another ad man reacting to the consumer society and the

counterculture movement of the 1960s. He was in fact a vital part of the counterculture

movement. He is still remembered and looked up to today for the impact he had on

creativity, in general, in the advertising industry. Even today his life in, and writings

about, advertising are still read and mulled over by many in the industry. Maybe Steve

Jobs was inspired from the ―Think Small‖ ad that he adopted the tagline ―Think

Different‖ for Apple.

2.6 ADVERTISING SCENARIO IN NEPAL

Advertising scenario in Nepal is still evolving. Around a decade ago, the whole concept

of advertising was placement in the media. However, in the last 10 years, remarkable

changes can be witnessed in the way the ads are made and perceived. Not only have

media outlets increased, the platform for advertising has also widened. Along with the

traditional platform, i.e. Above the Line (ATL) that consists of newspaper, television and

radio, Below the Line (BTL) platforms such as the web and activation are gaining

significant attention. The more platforms there are, the more it makes media planning

complicated and effective. So in order to ensure the advertising effectiveness, the concept

of Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is to be adopted in order to move by

integrating both the ATL and BTL.

Nepalese advertising is still in its neo-natal period. We seldom see ads that would awe us

or take us by surprise, a masterpiece that would knock our socks off with its divergent

thinking. Creativity, originality, and inventiveness are the seriously lacking in most of the

Nepalese ads. Nepal seems lagging behind in this creative field compared with many

Indian and Western advertisements. But many advertising professionals are not ready to

accept this. Instead they shift the accusation to the unrestricted airing of Indian ads in

Nepalese mediums. Ranjeet Acharya, CEO of Prisma Advertising, claims that the growth

13

of Nepalese advertising is sure-fire if the system of ―clean-feed‖ is adopted while

broadcasting foreign television channels (DTH). The enforcement of clean feed in DTH

will help the domestic advertising and media sector.

Though in last few years, with the advent of some internationally trained local creative

minds, it has been evident that Nepalese ad agencies have matured to a large extent.

There are a couple of very well-planned campaigns that have reflected better

understanding of the fundamental concepts of advertising. Many firms shedding their

orthodox roles to scoop up the tasks of devising marketing schemes, establishing brands,

designing campaigns and promoting products and have done a spectacular job. V-Chitra

has emerged as the creative powerhouse in Nepalese advertising scenario within a short

period of time by developing the milestone ad campaigns like ―Wai-Wai Gyan Udaya‖

and ―Hamro Manma Wai-Wai‖. The recently launched campaign ―Jagdamba Steels-

Deshko Merudanda (Nation’s Backbone)‖ excels in out-of-the-box thinking. But the

battle with innovative foreign minds will require us to promote our ideas and not replicate

theirs, which is the chronic problem with many ad agencies in Nepal.

There is a dire dearth of skilled human resources in advertising sector in Nepal. The

reason may be that advertising is an emerging industry in Nepalese context. Hence,

people are just beginning to realize the potential of this industry. There is a crisis of good

copywriters. The higher education in Nepal is mostly concentrated on banking and

finance. However, the universities are contributing to advertising sector by providing the

specialization courses in marketing management. As a part of their curriculum, the

students are required to undergo internship in the industry relevant to their field of

specialization. Advertising industry is exclusively a marketing industry. Thus, ad

agencies are the ideal place for the internship which also makes it easier for the firms to

recruit and select the young and energetic manpower.

Despite of the government imposing conservative regulations and its interventions, the

growth is evident in Nepalese advertising industry, as it is experiencing the upward

growth in revenue. The recent introduction of DTH broadcasting has opened the new

medium for the advertisers. The total revenue of the advertising market in Nepal sums up

14

to Rs. 4.32 billion for the fiscal year 2010/11. Of course, the figure is relatively small to

those of foreign markets, but the growth is to be appreciated. The following table and the

figure illustrate the growth of advertising sector in Nepal.

Table 2.1 Nepalese Advertising Market Revenue

(In Millions Rs.)

Years

Media 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009/10 2010/11

Print 520 600 850 950 1150 1280 2015

TV 360 480 600 500 900 700 865

Radio 200 250 300 450 650 720 750

Others 921 870 750 800 800 850 690*

Total 2000 2200 2500 3500 3500 3550 4320

Source: Advertising Association of Nepal *Rs 40 m. from DTA

Figure 2.1 Nepalese Advertising Market Revenue

15

The main issue in creativity in Nepalese advertising scenario lies within the fine line

between ideas and execution as well as between strategy and execution. Ad agencies use

their clients as a scapegoat when the campaign doesn’t stand up to their expectations.

They accuse the clients of their miniscule advertising budgets and unwillingness to run

―creative‖ ads. But this shifting of responsibility will do well to neither. Harshawardhan

Shahani, MD of V-Chitra, calls this an inability of agencies to distinguish between idea

and execution.

16

CHAPTER THREE

INTRODUCTION OF THE ORGANIZATION

3.1 V-CHITRA: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

V-Chitra is a creative shop that provides marketing and advertising services on

consultancy basis. It offers a wide range of multimedia activities which includes planning

and executing advertising campaigns across different mediums such as television, press,

outdoor, and events.

V-Chitra was founded by Mr. Harshawardhan Shahani on November 6, 2007. Currently

running on its seventh glorious year, V-Chitra has been successful in

establishing itself as a creative powerhouse in Nepalese Advertising

landscape.

V-Chitra has invested in state-of-art technologies and work environment. As a result of

their dedication, creativity, and originality, V-Chitra received the prestigious CRITY

Award for Best TVC: ―Hamro Man Ma Wai Wai‖ in 2011. Same year, V-Chitra received

an award for Best Even Management: Philips. Before that, V-Chitra bagged CRITY

Awards for Jingle, Lyrics, TVC editor, Commercial Campaign, and for being the Best

Creative Agency.

3.2 MISSION AND OBJECTIVE

Corporate Vision

To provide service at par with international agencies and help our clients share their

vision and achieve their sales and marketing objectives.

17

Mission

To provide complete marketing and advertising services through unique, original, and

creative ideas and present our clients companies to the right audience with the right

message at the right place.

Objective

Being different is the core objective of V-Chitra. It aims at the unique and original ideas

that give its clients the cutting edge in today’s dynamic, competitive markets.

3.3 ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE AND CULTURE

To quote Mr. Shahani, ―V-Chitra is practically a boundaryless organization‖. The

organization is very flexible. Open communication is practiced. V-Chitra operates as a

team in which every member is allowed to contribute his or her ideas. Mr. Shahani

himself renowed as the Creative Genius in adland has a philosophy that the good ideas

are not always in the domain of ―creative department‖, but the superb ideas can also

come from other conventionally stereotyped ―non-creative‖ departments.

Figure 3.1 Organization Structure of V-Chitra

18

Starting with a couple of small rooms for the office seven years back, V-Chitra now runs

with 33 full-time employees at an elegant new office, each one of them contributing to

the growth and success of the firm. There are four functional departments, viz. Client

Servicing, Media, Administration & Finance, and Creative. But the functional barrier is

next to non-existence.

V-Chitra has a relatively democratic organization culture, functioning as a team. It is a

flat organization where social networks and music are part of work culture. Creativity

blooms in this place. There are various magazines and books related to advertising and

creativity which are accessible to anyone in the organization. There are no hard and fast

rules to working, except for meeting the deadlines and exceeding the client’s expectation

while creating a campaign that interestingly reflects on the client’s strategy.

3.4 AWARDS

V-Chitra’s creativity and groundbreaking success in advertising industry has been

recognized by the AAN awarding the company with several major prestigious CRITY

Awards.

Awards 2014

Best Radio Jingle

Awards 2011/12

Best TVC Campaign

Best Event Management (Philips)

Awards 2010/11

Best Creative Agency

Best Lyrics

Best Jingle

Best TVC Editor

Best Commercial Campaign

19

3.5 BRAND PORTFOLIO

V-Chitra manages the advertising account of major brands, corporate houses and non-

profit organizations, and it has been successful in delivering the best campaigns to them,

harmonizing the strategy with execution that hits the sweet spot.

“I have learnt that you can’t have good advertising without a good client, that you can’t

keep a good client without a good advertising, and no client will ever buy better

advertising than he understands or has an appetite for.”

-Leo Burnett

V-Chitra is proud to be the part of success it brings to its clients and freedom of choice to

the consumer society. Not to forget, V-Chitra works closely with NGOs and INGOs to

bring about the change and awareness among the people.

Chaudhary Group: V-Chitra has been associated with CG’s flagship brand—Wai

Wai since 2001.

Pashupati Paints

Johnnie Walker

Jagdamba Steels

Nabil Bank

Yeti Airlines

Hisense

Brij Cement

Worldlink Communications

Balta

Kent Water Purifiers

3.6 LANDMARK EVENTS AND ACTIVATION

Event management is the rock and roll aspect of V-Chitra. It bagged the Best Event

Management award (for Philips) in 2011/12.

V-Chitra has a big hand behind the following landmark events and activation:

Khaitan

Balterio

FNCCI

UNICEF

WWF

ICIMOD

SNV

Jhpiego

And more!

20

2013/14

Climate+Change Exhibition (Dec 11, 2013 – April 13, 2014)

KUSOM – Jasmine Safety Hygience Products Menstrual Health Awareness

Campaign – 2014

The Himalayan Times: Ambition 2014

2012:

KIAF 2012 for venues and PR

Colors X-Factor Road Show for Kathmandu and Western Nepal

Honda Me & My Dio Campaign

Pashupati Paints Luxuria Miss Nepal 2012

Celebrating Colors Holi for Pashupati Paints

Asia News Network Annual Meeting for Kathmandu Post

2011:

UNICEF Handwash Event at Jawalakhel

Street Mural Art on Handwash at Trichandra College wall and in Pokhara

Launch of Syakar Safety School

Ambition-Educational exhibition for Annapurna Post

Launch of Philips Air Fryer

International Dealer for Philips

21

CHAPTER FOUR

ANALYSIS OF ACTIVITIES DONE AND PROBLEMS

SOLVED

The internship at V-Chitra proved to be the major turning point in the intern’s career. The

intern was able to learn and experience much more during the internship than what was

learnt in the academic sessions in four years. With the immense support of the V-Chitra

members, the internship became the best two months of the intern’s academic life.

Given the flexibility of the organization and mobility across the departments, the intern

was fortunate to gain the experience of working in almost all departments of the agency,

viz. Client Servicing, Creative, Media, BTL & Event Management, and Social Media.

4.1 UNDERSTANDING ADVERTISING CREATIVITY

The relationship between advertising and creativity is long, rich, and textured. Creativity

is considered to be an important determinant of advertising effectiveness. Major industry

awards (e.g. Clio’s, Cannes Lion, Crity) are given to creative advertisements. There is a

strong focus on creativity in advertising trade papers like Advertising Age, Ad Week, and

even Creativity (published by Ad Age). Despite the importance attributed to creativity,

there has been very little research on this issue in marketing and advertising.

In the New Oxford American Dictionary (2010), creativity is defined as ―the use of the

imagination or original ideas‖. A more elaborate definition is offered by Oldham and

Cummings, ―Products, ideas, or procedures that satisfy two criteria: (1) they are noble

and original, (2) they are potentially relevant for, or useful to an organization‖. It refers to

an original idea as something divergent, and highlights that creativity combines both

divergence and relevance.

22

Merely to let your imagination run riot, to dream unrelated dreams, to indulge in graphic

acrobatics and verbal gymnastics is not being creative. The creative person has

harnessed his imagination. He has disciplined it so that every thought, every idea, every

word he puts down, every line he draws, every light and shadow in every photograph he

takes make more vivid, more believable, more persuasive the original theme or product

advantage he has decided he must convey.

-Bill Bernbach

(Former Chairman and CEO, Doyle Dane Bernbach)

Bill Bernbach… the gentleman with brain!

A survey was conducted by the intern to understand the public’s opinion on what makes

ads creative and interesting. Besides, the attention value and sales effectiveness of

creative ads were also decoded.

Methodology:

The questionnaires were prepared and the responses were collected both via online and

papers among 47 respondents. The majority of respondents belonged to the age group 20-

30.

Findings:

Most of the respondents (about 51%) agreed on the humor as most powerful appeal for

the ads to be creative. After all, the axiom – Laughter is the best medicine – has some

truth in it. TV is still the most effective medium for advertising (34%). However, the

respondents seemed neutral when it came to buying the products advertised ―creatively‖,

even though the advertising was interestingly attention grabbing. And not so surprising,

most of them found it difficult to recall any Nepalese ad that struck the creative chord.

Wai-Wai's multilingual and multicultural ad "Hamro manma Wai Wai" was perceived to

be the most creative ad among the respondents. (See Annex II for the Survey

Questionnaires)

23

34%

21% 19%

17%

6%

2% 0%

TV Newspaper Internet Outdoor Radio Magazines Transport

Res

po

nse

s (i

n %

)

Advertising Media

People's perception of Advertising Media

Effectiveness

Humor

51%

Story

21%

Informational

17%

Interactive

11%

Appeals for Advertising Creativity

Figure 4.1 People's perception of Advertising Media Effectiveness

Figure 4.2 Appeals for advertising creativity

24

Creativity has the ability to enhance processing of an advertisement, which in turn can

result in a more elaborate cognitive response in the form of stronger brand recall and an

improved understanding of the advertising message. Through a unique combination of

divergent, relevant, well-crafted and humorous content, creative advertising can offer

value to the consumer, which translates into more favorable attitudes towards the

advertisement and the advertised brand. These attitudes have been shown to have an

impact on purchase intentions. Hence, creative advertisements have the potential to

impact sales both directly via enhanced persuasion and indirectly via enhanced brand

attitudes. Therefore, advertisers should pursue a creative strategy in cases where

enhanced brand attitude can be translated into increased sales.

4.2 CLIENT SERVICING DEPARTMENT

Client servicing is a crucial part of advertising industry, providing the mechanism to link

the agency with the client. Client servicing executives act as liaisons so that the client

doesn’t need to interact directly with several different service departments and specialists.

The account executives need to be sufficiently aware of the client’s needs and desires that

can be instructed to the agency’s personnel and should get approval from the clients on

the agency’s recommendation to the clients.

Creativity and marketing acumen are the needed area of the client service people. They

work closely with the specialists in each field. Traditionally, creativity was not in the

domain of Client Servicing Department. But things have changed. Creative strategies

have a special focus on the relationship between clients and agency creatives, because it

is only when these two work well together that truly stunning results are possible.

The client servicing department at V-Chitra is headed by Account Director, Sanjay Singh.

The intern worked under the supervision of Account Executive, Srijan Nepal.

25

A. Prepared a brief report on the GoldStar’s Comeback Strategy.

As GoldStar aims at making a comeback to Nepalese market, the major issue is to

reinforce and revitalize its brand image and penetrate the young consumer segment. But

the inevitable question is: ―How do they do it?‖

The brief report entitled ―How can GoldStar make an epic comeback to Nepalese market?‖

was prepared by the intern and submitted to the Director of V-Chitra, Sekhar Chhetri.

The report reflected on the similar circumstances faced by some foreign brands in the

shoe industry as well as takes into consideration the brands from other industries. The

major points of the report can be summarized into following points:

GoldStar’s marketing is currently down to Nil. GoldStar should make significant

increment in its marketing activities.

Retain the existing customers by creating and nurturing them as ―brand ambassadors‖

rather than attempting to attract the attention of those who are uninterested in the

current product.

The new market segment may represent potential growth for the brand. New market

means new marketing programs.

Revitalize the brand with a new distribution strategy. Push strategy should be used.

GoldStar shoes are rarely displayed on the shelves by the distributors. Trade

promotion is more essential than consumer sales promotion for GoldStar.

Style and design are the primary attributes consumers consider while buying shoes,

followed by product quality and price quality.

Make the advertisement itself valuable. Create a buzz with Guerrilla Marketing.

B. Branding for Featherlite Special Launch Preview

Parth International Pvt. Ltd., which already runs the franchise of several international

brands, has recently added to its wings the leading furniture manufacturer of India –

Featherlite. The franchise was inaugurated on June 14, 2014 by the Chairman of

Featherlite, Mr. Manohar Gopal. The intern assisted the Featherlite Account Executive,

Mr. Rupam Shrestha, for Featherlite Showroom Branding at Kamaladi Complex.

26

C. Post-testing the Advertising Effectiveness of “Ambuja Cement”

Post testing is common among both advertisers and agencies. It is designed to: (a)

Determine if the campaign is accomplishing the objectives sought, and (b) Serve as input

into the next period's situation analysis.

The post testing of Nepal Ambuja Cement advertisements (both print and broadcast) was

carried out to know the awareness level of the brand among the audience. Nepal Ambuja

is relatively a new brand of cement in Nepal. So it seems both reasonable and essential to

carry out the post testing of its advertising.

Methodology:

The post testing was conducted person-to-person, plus some responses were collected via

indirect personal contact. There were altogether 53 respondents. Majority of them were

above the age of 28.

Findings:

Only 38 percent were found aware of having seen the ad either in print or broadcast or in

both. When asked for the recall of the tagline, only 20 percent of those (i.e. 8 percent of

the total respondents) who had seen the ad could qualify (using aided and unaided

awareness in tandem). The following figure can help to visually summarize the findings.

27

The post testing report submitted by the intern was used to reinforce the earlier creative

campaign and was presented by Account Executive, Mr. Srijan Nepal during the Agency-

Client meeting at Bhairahawa on June 17, 2014.

4.3 CREATIVE DEPARTMENT

The creative department is responsible for creation and execution of advertisements. V-

Chitra has staffs of copywriters, graphic artists, and creative director who create

advertising copy and visualizations. The Managing Director himself looks after the

creative department as Creative Director.

A. Copywriting of the Academic Prospectus and Brochure

Copywriting is the basic task in creating any advertisement. The intern was granted an

opportunity to put his creativity and literary styles into some real and concrete form with

copywriting of the Academic prospectus and brochure for Caribbean College.

The intern worked closely with the Account Executive, Srijan Nepal, and Graphic

Designer, Raju Maharjan until the academic prospectus and brochure were finalized.

38%

8%

Ad Awareness Tagline Recall

Res

ponse

s (i

n %

)

Ad Awareness and

Tagline Recall

Figure 4.3 Ad Awareness and Tagline Recall

28

The intern was able to prove his caliber in advertising by writing the contents in a way

that the students will find it interesting to read. The intern combined the inspiration from

the advertising legends and philosophers to accomplish the task of copywriting.

B. Concept Development of the TVC Animation for Global Reach

The intern was assigned with the task of concept development for TVC. The client was

Global Reach and the TVC had to be animated. The intern discussed the concept with the

Client Servicing Executive, Srijan Nepal, and TVC Editor, Ved Prakash Thapa.

C. Composed a music track for the new corporate jingle of Brij Cement

Brij Cement is looking forward to launch a new ad campaign on the occasion of its 10th

Anniversary of its establishment and commitment to Nation Building. In this context, a

new jingle was composed by Jems Pradhan before the intern joined V-Chitra. However,

the client asked for another version of the jingle. The TVC Editor at V-Chitra, Bed

Prakash Thapa asked the intern to compose a new music for the jingle. The intern, as an

amateur musician, composed a music using the popular music producing software: Fruity

Loops Studio V11.0 Producer’s Edition.

D. Drafted a Sales Promotion Marketing Letter of Nepal Ambuja Cement

Nepal Ambuja Cement Pvt. Ltd. is a relatively new name in the list of prominent cement

manufacturers in Nepal. As a part of their marketing strategy, Nepal Ambuja has

commissioned V-Chitra to plan for their sales promotion program. In this course, the

intern had to write a marketing letter to announce the sales promotion program to the

dealers of Nepal Ambuja Cement. The Sales Promotion program was titled "Upahar Pal

Pal ma, Motorcycle Bumper ma".

4.4 MEDIA DEPARTMENT

The media department at V-Chitra analyses, selects, and contracts for space or time in

media that will be used to deliver the client’s advertising message. The intern worked in

Media department under the guidance of Sr. Media Executive, Kavita Mulmi.

29

A. Assisted Sr. Media Executive during Press Meets

Press meets are managed frequently by V-Chitra on behalf of its clients. The intern was

fortunate enough to be a part of three press-meets during the internship period: Hisense,

Yeti CSR, and Featherlite.

Hisense Press Meet was organized on the launch of its exclusive showroom at Sherpa

Mall, Durbarmarg on May 5, 2014. Yeti Airlines, as a part of its CSR, organized the

press meet as Cheque Handover Event at Hotel Indreni on May 21, 2014. Yeti handed

over a cheque of Rs 409,513 each to the four social organizations, viz. Save the Children,

the United Mission to Nepal, Care Nepal, and Habitat for Humanity. The total amount of

fund was Rs. 1,638,052. Yeti Airlines donates NRs. 4 per flight ticket for social welfare

purposes. Till date, the airline has handed over Rs. 10.06 million to various social

organizations such as Tewa, OCCED, Maiti Nepal, Nepal Leprosy Relief, and many

more. The final press meet that the intern participated in was Featherlite Special Launch

Preview at Kamaladi Complex on June 14, 2014.

During these press meets, the intern assisted the Sr. Media Executive, Kavita Mulmi in

preparing the Press Kits and helping her with the registration of the media representatives.

B. Prepared and Translated Media Press Releases

Press Release is a short, compelling news story written by public relations professional

and sent to targeted members of the media. The goal of a press release is to pique the

interest of a journalist or publication. Press releases are prepared and forwarded to

concerned media house by the Media Department of an agency.

The intern prepared and translated several press releases: for Nabil Bank, Jasmine Safety

Hygiene Products, Hisense, and Featherlite. First the press release has to be prepared in

English and then translated into Nepali after being approved by the client. Then the press

release is forwarded to the concerned media houses, and follow-up a day later on various

media.

30

C. Monitored and tracked the TVC slots for Ambuja Cement

An agency has to pay for the media space and time slots in which the ads are inserted.

Sometimes though, the placement of ad doesn’t go as per the schedule and media cross-

checking is done time and again to ensure that the client’s money is not wasted paying for

unused media space and time.

The intern was given a privilege to monitor and track the TVC slots for one of the major

clients, Ambuja Cement, in various Nepalese News Channels, viz. Avenues, News24,

NTV, Kantipur TV, Sagarmatha, Himalayan, and ABC. The TVC was not aired a few

times, which the intern had to report to the Account Director, Sanjay Singh.

4.5 BTL AND EVENT MANAGEMENT

While Above the Line (ATL) communications use media that are broadcast and

published to mass audiences, Below the Line (BTL) communications use media that are

more niche-focused. It gives the brands ability to tailor their messaging in a more

personal manner to the audience. With special guidance of the BTL Manager, Binod

Thapa, the intern experienced the outdoor aspects of advertising.

A. Yeti Airlines' "Aviation Safety Campaign Nepal – 2014" Event Management

Yeti Airlines is one of the major clients of V-Chitra. Yeti executed the Aviation Safety

Campaign Nepal-2014 at Gokarna Forest Resort. The workshop was organized from June

4, 2014 to June 8, 2014.

As a part of preliminary planning of the event and site surveying, the intern had an

opportunity to assist the Yeti Airlines' Account Executive, Rupam Shrestha, and BTL

Manager, Binod Thapa.

The campaign was sequel to "Aviation Safety Awareness Campaign – 2013". This 2014

version of the Aviation Safety Event was sponsored by International Finance Cooperation

(IFC), World Food Programme (WFP), UKAid, North American Aerospace Defense

Command (NORAD), Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), to name a few. The

event witnessed a remarkable participation from the foreign airlines companies like Qatar

31

Airlines, UTP, Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian and RUAG. Five workshops were

organized, viz. State Safety Program (SSP) Workshop, Threat and Error Management

(TEM) and Decision Making, Emergency Response Plan (ERP), Hazard Identification

and Risk Management, and Runway Safety. The workshops were headed by the foreign

experts: Capt. Peter Budd, Capt. Pete N. Stein, Ms. Sue Warner-Bean, Ms. Ghadier

Khattari.

4.6 SOCIAL MEDIA

V-Chitra manages the social marketing campaign for the non-profit organizations

working in Nepal. With its social media wing, Omg! established in January 2011, V-

Chitra seeks to develop and integrate ideas from commercial marketing and the social

sciences to influence behavior in a sustainable and cost-

effective way.

Omg! has several big names in social campaigning landscapes as its major clients.

Jhpiego, International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) Nepal,

Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM), Federation of Nepal

Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI), SNV, FHI360, United Nations

International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), Save the Children, National

Democratic Institute are some names in the Omg!'s current brand portfolio.

On May 28, 2014, KU organized a day long awareness campaign on Menstrual Health to

mark the World Menstrual Hygiene Day. The intern assisted the Business Development

Manager, Anshu Singh and Event Manager, Rasana Dangol in the event management and

activation. Afterwards, the press release was prepared.

32

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND LESSONS LEARNT

5.1 CONCLUSION

These days, there’s hardly a mission statement that doesn’t herald creativity. And yet

despite all of the attention that business creativity has won over the past few years,

annoyingly little is known about day-to-day innovation in workplace.

Advertising is a crazy and funny business because it is not only a business – it is half a

business, quarter a profession, and quarter an art. However, the artistic aspect is what that

is least exploited in advertising, both in Nepal, and all over the world as a whole.

Sometimes we see ads so absurd that we pity on the advertiser. Riddled with myths and

misunderstandings, advertising is simultaneously believed to be both immensely

powerful and immensely wasteful, to increase economic prosperity and to be morally

questionable. Advertising is a creative industry. But very few ad agencies are found

sustaining this creative spirit.

Great advertising is inspired by insights about brands, consumers, and how the two

interact. It starts with a problem from the client and ends with a solution for consumers.

Creative ads make a relevant connection between the brand and its target audience and

present a selling idea in an unexpected way.

Advertising today must be seen in the context of a world of immense variety and choice.

In economies where there is no choice, there is no need for advertising. American

Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAA) complements this concept referring to

advertising as ―another word for freedom of choice‖.

Good breakthrough advertising has a moment of pure magic to it. It finds a way to

engage the target consumer. One key to doing this is by generating some cleverness in the

ad, which calls for creativity. It can come in any number of ways – through drama,

33

humor, the use of music, offering a slice of life, or some sort of technological special

effects.

The client is a key part of this process. A campaign cannot be truly successful unless the

client understands the process and becomes a partner in it. The client needs to be willing

to take a few risks, to approach the market in fresh ways. If a client is very averse to risk,

they should expect the same results they have been taking is necessary.

5.2 LESSON LEARNT

Internship provides the platform to put classroom theory into practical use. Knowledge is

simply worthless unless it is applied in the real world. Experience is necessary to deal

with the problems. But we learn by trial and errors. One thing that the intern learnt during

the internship is to make mistakes. If we are not making mistakes, we aren’t learning

anything new.

Following points summarize the intern’s major learning about advertising and life as a

whole during the two months internship at V-Chitra.

Experience is knowing a lots of things you should not do. No mistakes… No

learning.

Creativity without strategy is called ―art‖. Creativity with strategy is called

―advertising‖.

In advertising, we don’t sell steak; we sell the sizzle.

Don’t think as a fisherman. Think as a fish instead.

Everyone can be creative. But it requires specialization for the execution of any

good idea.

Patience is the key.

Burning the midnight oil is the sign of inefficiency.

34

Every agency has a couple of problems to solve: the client’s and the agency’s itself. And

unless an agency solves its client’s problem, its own problem cannot be touched. Suppose

this circle (Figure 5.1) is the client’s bull’s-eye of what the brand stands for. Any ad that

lands inside this area is perfect. The client will love it. If it is outside the circle, they

won’t. Nor should they.

Now let’s imagine there are two circles overlapping (Figure 5.2). The one on the left is

the client’s bull’s-eye and on the right is the bull’s-eye for what the agency think is a

great ad. The trick is to hit that sweet spot where the two circles overlap. The client’s

problem can be solved by saying exactly the right thing, which is relatively easy; it’s the

strategy. But the agency isn’t done until both problems are solved. By nailing the sweet

spot where the creative ideas and execution matches what the client’s brand stands for.

Bill Bernbach, the kingpin of the Creative Revolution in advertising industry, once said,

―Dullness won’t sell your product, but neither will irrelevant brilliance.‖ Here, dullness is

represented on the far left side of the left circle, and

irrelevant brilliance on the far right side of the right.

Do both perfectly. Hit the overlap.

Lesson learnt!

Figure 5.1 Client’s View of perfect ad

Runs Doesn’t run

Strategy

Figure 5.2 The sweet spot

Strategy Execution

35

ANNEX I

World’s 20 Largest Agency Networks

S.No. Agency Networks Agency

Companies

Worldwide

Revenue

U.S.

Revenue

1 Young & Rubicam Group WPP $3.59 B $1.56 B

2 McCann Group Interpublic $3.01 B $1.61 B

3 Dentsu (Japan) Dentsu Inc. $2.98 B N/A

4 DDB Worldwide

Communications Group Omnicom $2.73 B $1.15 B

5 BBDO Worldwide Omnicom $2.46 B $791 M

6 Ogilvy & Mather WPP $2.30 B $781 M

7 TBWA Worldwide Omnicom $1.78 B $656 M

8 Publicis Worldwide Publicis $1.62 B $431 M

9 Dentsu Aegis Network Dentsu Inc. $1.47 B $601 M

10 J. Walter Thompson Co. WPP $1.40 B $530 M

11 Epsilon Alliance Data

System Corp. $1.38 B $1.32 B

12 Leo Burnett Worldwide Publicis $1.37 B $530 M

13 Havas Worldwide Havas $1.34 B $532 M

14 FCB Interpublic $1.27 B $807 M

15 IBM Interactive

Experience IBM Corp. $1.25 B $599 M

16 Hakuhodo Hakuhodo Dy

Holdings $1.16 B N/A

17 Experian Marketing

Services Experian $1.01 B $417 M

18 DigitasLBi Publicis $909 M $528 M

19 Saatchi & Saatchi Publicis $904 M $395 M

20 SapientNitro Sapient Corp. $875 M $575 M

Source: Advertising Age (April, 2014)

36

Name:……………………… Gender:……

Qualification:……………... Age:……..

ANNEX II

Market Survey on Creativity Issue in Advertising

1. In your opinion, which is the most effective medium for advertising?

Radio TV Newspaper Magazine

Internet Outdoor Transport Others ……….

2. Have you seen/heard/read any interesting and creative Nepalese ad recently?

Yes No I don’t care!

3. When you think of “Creative ads”, which appeal comes to your mind at first?

Fear Humor Sex Story

Informational Interactive Glamour Others ……….

4. How often do the creative ads make you try/buy the products being

advertised?

Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently

Very Frequently

5. How often do the creative ads grab your attention?

Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently

Very Frequently

6. Which is the most interesting and creative Nepalese Ad Campaign that you

can recall?

___________________________________________

7. Have you ever bought any product or service which was not advertised?

Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently

Very Frequently

8. Do you want to make a career in Advertising Industry?

Yes No

9. Demographics (Privacy Guaranteed):

37

Volkswagen "Think Small" ad by DDB in the 1960s

ANNEX III

38

REFERENCES AND SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Advertising Statistics in Nepal. Retrieved from http://adnepal.org.np/

Belch, George E., Belch, Michael A. (2003), Advertising and Promotion: An integrated

Marketing Communications Perspective, Sixth Edition, The McGraw-Hill Cos.

Bencivenga, Gary (2006). The Bencivenga 100 Seminar. Accountable Advertising, Inc.

Drewniany, Bonnie L. & Jewler, A. Jerome (2005). Creative Strategy in Advertising,

Ninth Edition. Thomas Wadsworth

Fletcher, Winston (2010). Advertising-A Very Short Introduction. OUP

Modig, Erik. (2012), Understanding Advertising Creativity, Stockholm School of

Economics

Ogilvy, David (1983). Ogilvy on Advertising. Prion

Marcantonia, Alfredo (2008), Remember Those Great Volkswagen Ads? Fourth Edition,

Harriman House

Pelsmacker, Patrick De, Geuens, Maggie and Van Den Bergh, Joeri (2013).Marketing

Communications: A European Perspective, Fifth Edition. Pearson Education

Pricken, Mario (2010). Creative Strategies. Thames & Hudson

Shahani, Harshawardhan (May, 2013). Ideas not Execution. Business 360°, p61.

Sullivan, Luke (2008). Hey Whipple, Squueze This: A Guide to Creating Creative Ads.

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

World's 20 Largest Agency Networks (April, 2014), Advertising Age.