‘Change your deadline, studio is packed’….That’s the reply I get as submit a requisition form….And if I try saying that, I have a deadline, really urgent, comes a readymade reply ‘Then you should have put the requisition in earlier, I know you guys, don’t act cunning (‘chalu’, in his language) with me’….And at that time, I will have no way to tell him that I got the final approval on the layout just 15 minutes back, and that too after a series of non-stop follow ups with the client (well, can’t blame them too, they too have a protocol to approve a layout)…..
Well, that is how, every weekday of mine starts, for last one year…And, if anybody dares to think that this is the only tantrum I face at my work place, you are highly mistaken dude…This is not even .001 % of the actual pain that you suffer in an ad agency….And yeah, one who said that you should keep your personal and professional life far apart from each other, he has probably never known about how it is to work in a place like an ad agency, where it is very very very difficult to realize the hairline difference between the two…
As I started this career, I was at the top of my excitement, about working in a place where every single sqmm of space talks about creativity…The steaming coffee spreads aroma of creativity, the air conditioner produces chilled air of creativity, the walls speak out loud about creativity and even the roof reminds you about the fact that you are under a sky of creative clouds.…And, with these you are sure to fly in the sky of creative world, and you start believing that you are ‘something different’….
Well, the moment you step inside 'the ad agency’, your perception changes…Reasons??? The numerous minor and major struggles that you face while proving your ‘creative’ point to a league of people, who also possess the same mindset (in terms of perceiving creativity at its most effective manner), and by the way, they deserve to do so cuz, they have really dedicated their blood and sweat to the field, and to be honest they are really not less that heroes.… And, suddenly you get to know a fact, an advertisement that gets published (and that looks highly glamorous), is a result of pure hardwork of a team of highly dedicated (who donot bother about leaving work at late night, or should I say, early morning to come back at the exact office time next, or rather that very morning, AGAIN) and responsible people…
Well, that is about working in ad agency, a short summary of perception and reality (not that I have to say exactly the same)…And that was what I was told, as I started my career too…What more, looking at the ‘petite and cry baby looks’ of mine, even I was convinced with everybody else that I will have to stop continuing in a very short time….(Here, I have my points, like witnessing those nerve breaking fights between and within teams, and...well….lets not speak beyond)
But then….It’s a year….I amaze myself, how I survived....But actually I did complete a year…In an ad agency and that too in Client Servicing…And as I praise myself at my surprising achievement of completing a year, I would prefer to put it as ‘at IBD’, rather than anywhere else, cuz, I’m highly sure of one thing, I could not have done it if it was not IBD….
Well, like every newcomer, it was not easy…In fact, considering the fact that, I lose myself at the minutest abuse, my tears start flowing at the smallest mishap and my patience goes for a toss at every small occasion (including with myself), it was in fact beyond bravery that I decided to stick to ‘advertising’...Running from desk to desk to collect job status, to taking out papers to print my own sheets, well, that is bit too much I expected from myself…But then, I’m happy that I did all that…At least, today I feel proud of choosing to be here..Today, when I look at myself and realize, I’ve turned into a much stronger person that I would have otherwise been, I just have to say one thing...It’s all because of the place I work at this place…at IBD…
Everybody has their own reasons of working, career, money, satisfaction…And for me, I would say, it is an emotional bonding with this place that I can never get over…Every time, I decided to cry, there was an arm around saying that, I’m much more than just a ‘cry baby’…Every time I was down, there was some or the other person saying that, things are worse in other place than ours, so it’s not justified if I broke down at just this..Well, those might seem mere words, but those encouraged me enough to carry on…And, today, as I realize, I can really do much more than what I’m doing, I completely agree with one thing, this is all because of you guys..
Well, it might seem as over pour of emotions to talk about my workplace this way, but as I say, in a place like IBD, it is justified (especially when it’s me, for whom that really matters), cuz we spend more time here than at our respective places…As against everybody saying, it is highly impossible to stay unaffected in your personal life, if you not right at your workplace..And, so this note goes as a ‘Thank you’ to all you guys at IBD…
To name a few, Priya, for encouraging always (and reading my FB status and saying that I should put my emotions in writing briefs), Mandy for the last minute layouts that save us (and if you remember, you have saved me many and many a times, also for patiently listening to me even when i come up with strange deadlines), Swapi for the layouts that always end up fetching a highly appreciative mail in our inbox (by the way, you are one creative guy, who briefed Servicing, well you know what I mean), Abhi,for consoling me all the time, when I sat outside and cried like a kid (but not for calling me Nepali), Ritesh, for saying you will not give us layouts exaclty when we demand for and then saving us at the last minutes (not for the beers we owe you)..Sami, for being a sweet friend always and helping with the layouts even when you are in a hurry to go shopping…Manish, for the nice and always appreciated copy (not for the headlines that you ordered us to frame)…Amish, for the brief formats and of course the copy…Prashant, for working till late (almost alway) and completing ‘our’ work (not for the always open 7-8 chat windows and the pretence that you dont hear me, when i come up with sudden briefs)…Shivani, for coming to help me on Saturdays (and for the Chutkule book, though I cant get the jokes, cuz nobody to decode)..Anil, Hildeg and Purvi, for crdeiting my salary (although, that is not a very happy amount and it is time you increased it)...The studio (including Rameshji) for helping us meet all the deadlines…
And, and...and....most importantly Hina, for being the one who always stands by me…and for the motivation that I need to carry on in this place...I won’t say much, but you know if it was not for you, I could never have survived in this place…Just want to say one more thing, you are a rock star, I think you have saved me more times than anybody else have ever done in my life (by the way, everybody knows it, you remember someone saying, that ‘Maata Kali’ wala phrase)..But, on a serious note, you really inspire me to do good always…And it is a fact…
Hmmm, it is enough…I think I should stop now, or else you guys will think I’m hitting on each of you…But, last thing..I’m happy and proud to have you guys as my colleagues…Cuz, end of the day, you guys make my life so much easy and enjoyable…And, for that I just love you all…
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