From doing the basics at art school, to my apprenticeship. exploring illustration, lettering, symbol and corporate design, packaging, photography, designing for press and print, audio-visuals, cinema and television commercials, fashion design and accessories and stage sets for fashion shows, even down to designing our house in the country, attempting to create and fabricate a stained glass door for the first time, besides the innumerable sketches and paintings done over these many years, was pleased when I realised, I could virtually illustrate this text with documentation of my own work. I explored this idea with friends and was surprised they endorsed my format, besides saying it would also show the wide expanse and gamut of my activities over all these years. I had never ever intended writing a book and it surprised me as it did others, what prompted me to collect this material over these many years.
I include some work too that was done under my direction and give credit where it is due.
It was then I thought it would be best to format this book in a sort of chronological order, starting with my decision to join art school and follow my growth into this profession, till the time of writing this document. I decided to lace this story, with all the other aspects of my life. to show how these also influenced the approach to my work. The changes brought about by others, also played an important role. Finally, I thought it would be good to use pictures of myself or family, where these also told a story, especially as I kept changing my external appearance from time to time, which also illustrate my belief that one has to change and keep abreast with the times, if one wants to get anywhere in this business.
These changes in no small measure, inspired the title of this book that reflects “Changing Faces”. It is not of the changes or fashion in advertising, but the attitudes of the various personalities and circumstances I came up against, that contributed to change. It could have been “My life in Advertising” because here is where most of it has been spent. But like any other decision I had to make, I thought my ‘changing faces’ would add a lighthearted touch to the publication and so chose it.
Contents –
1. The Early Years
2. My Art School Experiences
3. Apprenticeship Years
4. My First Breakthrough
5. A Tragedy Proves a Blessing…
6. Sailing Uncharted Waters
7. Trudging The Streets in Hope
8. An Unexpected Break
9. More to Advertising
10. A One Year Plan Turns to Five
11. Experience at Rapier Design
12. Fruitful Times
13. Seeking New Pastures
14. Expanding Horizons
15. Experience at Baron Moss
16. Learing The English Way of Life
17. Stepping Stones
18. Experience at Vernons
19. Evwning Classes at The IPA
20. Evwning Classes at The Central School of Design
21. A Marketing Experience at Beecham’s
22. Learning to Drive
23. An Opportunity from India
24. Homeward Bound
25. The Shocking Impact
26. Settling Down to A New Life
27. Getting to Know The Ropes
28. Leading A Hostile Team
29. Growing Creatively and Growing A Crative Agency
30. Teaching Old Hands New Tricks
31. First Indian Collabration With UK Gaint
32. From Churchgate to Colaba
33. Some Memorable Campaigns
34. Piloo, Kersey, Nari, Jean, Kamat, Maurice, Rane. And…
35. First Eucharistic Congress in India
36. Turbulent Years
37. Building The First Creative Groups
38. Creative Freedom
39. Signs of Dissent
40. The Final Bangup
41. A New Agency is Born
42. Why Chaitra?
43. Fourteen Shareholders With a Common Dream
44. The Early Years
45. Growing Proudly
46. Early Learning Pays Dividends
47. Advantages and Disadvantages
48. Attracting New Business-New Talent
49. Problems Raise their Heads
50. Putting My Foot Down
51. Promise Toothpaste
52. The Move to Kemps Corner
53. New Clients- New Problems
54. Pressures of Growth
55. It’s a Sweeters Life …
56. Keeping Creativity Alive
57. An Episode Changes Many Beliefs
58. Growth Pains- Enter Pollotics
59. Money Makes The Mare Go…
60. Chaitra- My Pride and Joy
61. The Split That Should Never Have Happened
62. Going Independent- Forming A Consultancy
63. Glima Creative Consultants Pvt. Ltd.
64. My Years With Clarion
65. Some Recollections
66. An Image for Gwalior Suitings
67. Family Planning
68. Consulting with Bayer’s
69. Jazz by The Bhavan
70. Wear A Colour
71. The Advertising Club, Bombay
72. President of CAG
73. In Fashion…
74. 25 Years of Independence
75. Symbols, Logos and Brand Identity
76. TV and Cinema…
77. A Retreat in The Hills
78. A New Vision
79. Opportunities Beckon
80. Left Holding The Baby
81. From Here Too…
82. ….., ….., ….., …..!
