The Construct is Toast

As creatives in advertising we are tasked with a daunting yet expected ask, to think outside the box. What does that mean to most of us? Brainstorm the hell out of the brief, land on a couple of insights, arrive at every possible solve and angle you can come up with, once all avenues are explored, exhausted, discovered, uncovered, recovered, we take a step back, assess, analyze and move forward with what works "best" for the brief, the client, the audience, the sun, the moon, the fellowship of the ring, and of course, groot.

Nothing wrong here, nothing wrong here at all, no sirree none whatsoever. I would however argue, what is "best" for the brief? Sure we can come up with narratives that boggle the mind in boardrooms but when it finally comes out through CRTs and LEDs, they're mostly received as "maan na maan main tera photon", our ideas are watched subconsciously or unwantedly as they come with a big fat label that prominently reads "Watch me bruv, I is clearly an ad".

Not that I'm saying our ideas are doomed to fail, all I'm saying is, let's manifest them in way that they are welcomed or better yet, waited upon. What a world that would be, what a wonderful feeling we would feel waking up every morning knowing that our work is sought out by the audience, we actually have people waiting to hear from us.

How do we do that? Oh I don't know! let's be clear here, I DO NOT know. I've spent 14 years, 11 months and 3 days trying to figure it out. I'm still privileged to say that I've had certain crumbs of success here and there, but never have I ever felt at ease with where I am or what I'm doing. I can't allow myself to celebrate mediocrity, I owe it to myself and my own career choice not do so. So what do I do? is do what I can.

Let's do a quick brief shall we.

The Product: Veela Floor Cleaner

USP: Gets rid of 100% of the Germs on your floor

TG: 18-45 Males & Females, SEC A & B, House Wives, Bachelors, Students

Le Huddle Room

Come on, first thoughts, what have we got?

"Floor so clean, you can eat off of it"

Ok, that's...something...It's not wrong, but it doesn't feel right either.

"Stories of germs as families, entire colonies wiped, mass extin..."

Stop...please...

"Boss wo gana suna hai na, My name is sheela....so here's a jingle, something like, Clean floor with Veeeelaaa, Veela ki Safaaiii..."

Thank you, Methews...thank you...

"What if this product gives you the comfort of knowing you're floor will always be germ free, so even if food falls on the floor, you know it's good to eat"...

You mean floor so clean you can eat off of it?

"...."

....

"yes"

ok. Come on people, let's think beyond, weird, unexpected, forget the brief, let's think parallels, getting rid of 99% of germs, theirs gotta be something there.

"How about...a film about trying to get rid of all the toxic, conniving, backstabbing people in your life, which you can't but...Veela guarantees getting rid of all the germs on your floor"

Ok that's something, I would watch that, but something's feeling off here...

"Have you seen it somewhere?"

I don't know, maybe...not sure.

"I haven't"

Neither have I, but I know what it is, the way it flows, the maths of it, the formula seems... derivative.

"Deri...vative...formu..what?"

Ok let me spell it out...This can or can't happen here, but this can or can't Happen when you use our product...it's a formula, it's been done, over and over again...and again...and again.

"But it works..."

Of course it works, which is why it doesn't matter anymore...

"I don't follow"

Well wadya know, lunch break. Byeeee.

"..."

That is the very problem at hand, be it this construct or the next, we ARE following...following what's been already done in a formulaic mold. It's a viciously simple but easily approvable construct, like for this one; just find a parallel between the functional and the emotive and move on to boarding it. No one asked us to stick with it, no one asked us not to reinvent the wheel when the wheel is begging to fly. We are blessed to be working on inventing ideas and one could argue that what's the point of inventing something when it's never going to be approved, well luckily, I'm typing this down for the approvees as well as the approvers. Our job can be as fun and rewarding as we want it to be, as long as we actually see the task for what it truly is, compelling the audience, and one simply cannot compel without something compelling now can one?

Le Huddle Room again

Burp where were we...

"Differential equation or someth..."

Derivative construct, Chloe!

"What you said..."

Alright here me out...

"Not like we have a choice..."

...

"..."

Cut to film being aired for the first time

Film opens three boys talking to the janitor in a hall, they seem to be pestering the janitor and asking for answers, cut to the janitor saying "Nahi bataunga"...

The boys keep on insisting "aaaj to aap naam bata ke chorenge"...

Janitor: "Nahi bataunga..."

Boys: "Itni zabardast farsh ki safai konse cleaner se ki?"

Janitor: "No"

Boys: "What's the name?"..."What's the name?"..."What's the name"

Janitor takes out Veela from his closet and jumps up on a table, lights dim, everyone stops and looks towards him as he begins...

"I Clean floor with Veeeelaaa, Veela ki Safaaiii..."

That's right...that's how it usually rolls, we go back to what works, what has been working, and what will keep on working...it's high time we relook the way we seek to captivate, we know we're brilliant because we can appreciate what's brilliant, we even present brilliance that probably gets an applause and a few words of admiration only to be put aside with a subtle "But we can't possibly do that". But what if you did, and made a difference, and actually put us on a timeline that leads to us to Adhala (Advertising Valhala, laugh God damnit!).

It's not all bleak though, every now and then someone delivers a piece of that brilliance but sadly the momentum remains in the moment. I say, let's go to the next floor already, let's thrive for an era where quality actually matters, and our biggest competitor is our last best idea. Let's shock, intrigue, tickle or just simply amaze our audience for real, I know that time is just around the corner, all it'll take is that one campaign that actually manages to kick all of us in our overworked butts to actually put our efforts in right direction.

Who will be willing to work on that idea, and who will be willing to approve it. We'll know it when it happens, and I thank both parties in advance. Till then, I'll be right here, trying to make my "fetch" happen, one brief at a time.

P.s...At times I feel compelled to say something so I do but to myself, this is one of those times I am choosing to share my thoughts with you who bothered to read and actually finish. Thank you for reading, here's hoping you have some strong views about my thoughts that you too can choose to share with me, I only wish to nudge and budge, never offend.