MAM
Creativity is connecting the dots in new ways: Tobaccowalla
VARCA, GOA: For Vivaki chief strategy and innovation officer Rishad Tobaccowalla, the ad world is all about creativity. Be it sound, be it picture, be it word or video. Mobility and connectivity have only added new dimensions. But everything evolves around storytelling, that great piece of art that communicates and inspires.
Speaking at the knowledge seminar at Goafest 2012, Tobaccowalla presented his views on where the future of creativity lies.
To begin with, he presented the three definitions of creativity. The first definition says that creativity is not copying (chef Ferran Adria from Portugal). This implies that originality becomes creativity and duplication has no place in it.
The second definition of creativity says that creativity is copying in new ways. In other words, you may use an inspiration, but not copy verbatim.
The third and final definition by the late Steve Jobs describes creativity as the connecting of dots. This means that the elements are all out there and only need to be seen as a cohesive unit to produce creativity.
“Borrowing from the three definitions, I have come up with one of my own. I believe creativity is connecting the dots in new ways that resonate,” said Tobaccowalla. To foster creativity, one needs to seek new ways of connecting the elements in a way that the final product is in sync with the TG.”
Ideas arevery important for creativity. What is also important is that the idea should be used in combination with the connecting dots to make creativity truly effective. It needs to resonate with people, the culture and the brand to make an impact. It is no longer the case of creativity for the sake of creativity.
Moving on to where the future of creativity lies, Tobaccowalla said that the three new dots would be added to the mix. The first of these is participation. A marketer may launch a print campaign but through the participation of the audience it may be blogged or tweeted about. In other words, everything targeted towards the audience can potentially be adjusted by people.
The second is mobility. Mobility does not specifically refer to mobile as a medium, but a mobile medium. “A consumer may see a print ad on the move, but the medium doesn’t decide where he/she is. When I say mobile medium, I mean a medium that moves according to the consumer and targets him/her specifically,” explained Tobaccowalla.
The third and last dot refers to getting connected. This means that every piece of the story can and will be connected to other pieces of stories to engage and reach out to the consumer. Giving example of this phenomenon, Tobaccowalla recounted an exercise carried out by Vicks in the United States. The brand had the license for a new kind of thermometer which has to be put in contact with the ear rather than the mouth. The product was targeted at mothers of infants who were scared that the child may bite into the thermometer.
Vicks monitored the Google searches about flu in the area after realising that there is a 100 per cent co-relation between search on flu and the outbreak of flu in that particular region. Once they had identified the TG, they sent messages to the mothers stating the availability of the thermometers in a five mile radius. Within two weeks, the outlets in the targeted area were sold out on the thermometers.
“In the future too, this sort of connectedness will define creativity. In my opinion, very soon creativity will involve connecting these seven dots on various combinations as per the brand’s requirement,” averred Tobaccowalla.
Brands
Anupam Sengupta joins L&T LTM in senior leadership role – strategy & global business development
AI and media tech veteran to steer global business push in CME vertical
MUMBAI: Larsen and Toubro has brought on board seasoned media and technology executive Anupam Sengupta in a senior leadership role within its LTM division, tasking him with shaping strategy and global business development for its communications, media and technology vertical.
In his new role at L&T LTM, Sengupta will focus on driving consulting-led growth, sharpening global go-to-market strategies, and building deep-tech partnerships, with a particular emphasis on AI-led transformation.
Sengupta joins from Camb.ai, where he served as business head for SAARC and Southeast Asia. There, he played a key role in establishing the company’s regional presence, accelerating adoption of voice AI solutions and securing high-profile enterprise partnerships.
His career spans more than two decades across AI infrastructure, SaaS, consumer technology and media, with leadership roles at companies such as immerso.ai and Eros Innovation, where he worked at the intersection of streaming, gaming and enterprise AI applications.
Earlier, Sengupta spent over a decade at Sony Group, leading digital sales and partnerships across South Asia and managing large P&L portfolios. His experience also includes stints at WPP Group, Zee Group and Standard Chartered Bank, giving him a cross-sector view of both media and non-media ecosystems.
Known for building high-value partnerships and scaling new business lines, Sengupta has worked across global markets, handling enterprise SaaS sales, strategic alliances and large deal cycles, often in emerging technology environments.
His appointment comes as Larsen and Toubro sharpens its focus on digital and media technology services, an area seeing strong demand as AI, streaming and content platforms converge.
With Sengupta at the helm of strategy and global growth initiatives, the company appears set to deepen its play in the fast-evolving media tech landscape, where scale, speed and smart partnerships increasingly define success.
