MAM
Ad Review ’04: Balki’s onslaught on judging creativity
MUMBAI: The Ad Club’s annual Ad Review 2004, this time round saw a speaker back from the advertising fraternity after three years of witnessing speakers from the marketing community.
The speaker nominated for Ad Review 2004 was none other than the executive creative director Lowe R Balakrishnan- popularly known as Balki.
The issue that Balki raked up was the current judging format and whether one was judging mere creativity or does one actually analyse the thought and the idea behind an ad. Defining creative advertising as interesting advertising, he stated that any advertising forum today judges awards only bases it on the creativity and the simple impact, execution and the basic thought is overlooked. “You could be wiping out a huge problem for a brand by a very simple idea and not receive an award for it,” pointed out Balki.
Balki further added, ” The only way ads will be judged right is if the panel judges it right.”
Putting together a list of commercials that he felt were brilliant advertising for 2004 across categories, Balki said that these were the compilation of ads that he had rated as the best of 2004 across agencies.
The list is as follows:
FOODS
1) Air action centre fresh ( Girl on the swing)
2) Alpenlibe lollypop ( Lage Raho)
3) Choco-tella ( Iske ander chocolate hain)
4) Saffola Gold ( Kal se)
BEVERAGES & TOBACCO
1)UB Export Soda ( Yakee Cool drink)
TOILETRIES & HOUSEHOLD CARE
1) Parachute Sampoora Tel
2) Silk n Shine ( Frog ad)
3) Tortoise mosquito coil ( Ear flapping)
HEALTH & COSMETIC CARE
1) Kohinoor Xtra time
HOME DECOR & LEISURE
1) Asian Paints ( Har Ghar Kuch Kehta hain)
AUTOMOTIVE & ACCESSORIES
1) Sumo Victa (Aap ki pehchaan)
SERVICES FOR HOUSEHOLD SECTOR
1) SBI Life Insurance ( Old couple)
2) TATA AIG Life
3) Manhattan credit cards ( Dinku)
BUSINESS PRODUCTS & SERVICES
1) Hutch ( Dog)
2) Indian Steel Alliance ( Boy girl)
3) Windows XP
4) N Gage
5) Nokia 3105 BDMA ( Tilted neck)
TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY
1) Indian Airlines
2) Air Deccan
Explained Balki, “We dont need to necessarily follow the Canne judging process. Canne passes a creative judgement.”
Balki stated that the ‘Campaign of the year’ was most definitely UB Export Soda, which was a regional campaign in Karnataka.
In his concluding thoughts Balki remarked that most advertising forums force agencies to make a campaign extending into multimedia to qualify as a candidate for the campaign of the year. This he said only encouraged agencies to do false work and waste clients’ money.
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
