Presenting, for the first time ever, the whole truth about Indian advertising and nothing but the truth (with just a pinch of salt).
For centuries, Indians have been asking all kinds of questions – about the meaning of life, our place in the cosmos, why we have so many gods, and other such vital things. In the last hundred-odd years, marketing and advertising has given us none of those answers. What it has given us, nonetheless, is life-altering stuff.
It has attempted to make men Fair and Handsome. It has battled to make women 18 Again. And to both men and women it has given Tinder loving care.
It has made us realize that we like pizza as much as the next Italian – as long as Dominos puts keema dopyaaza on it and tempts us with, ‘Hungry kya?’
It has made us re-evaluate our life choices and ask thought-provoking questions like ‘Kitna deti hai?’ of our cars and ‘Kya aap Close-Up karte hain?’ of our toothpaste. In short, it has enriched our lives with quirky quips and clever (and, at times, outrageous) turns of phrase, unforgettable mascots, all-out Battles of the Brands, eye-popping insights and lump-in-the-throat moments, while feeding our addiction to controversies and virtual worlds.
In this must-read book, you’ll find unbusiness-like stories from Indian advertising through the ages – and everything you didn’t want to know about the hits, the misses, the also-rans and the banned.
About the Author
Ritu Singh is an ad-crafter who lives in Gurgaon. During her years in advertising, she came to believe that clients were a villainous lot who lived to reject her perfect, efficient ads for their products. So, when she switched to their side and became part of a marketing team, she was surprised to find that clients were regular human beings with deep concerns – like how best to sell their products.
Having been on both sides of the table has not only given her double the perspective, it has given her the dubiously thrilling feeling of being a double agent of sorts.
