R Balki is Group Chairman, Mullen Lowe Lintas Group.
What does effectiveness mean to a creative person like you?
Advertising is supposed to be effective. And you need to be creative so that you can be more effective. And Arun and team have done a remarkable job -- not just this year, but for many, many years. I think they fully deserve it.
It was Lowe Lintas as Agency of the Year in 2014. Last year it was Ogilvy. Close competition between them and Lowe?
It’s been like that for many years. But we’ve been great friends as well, and I think healthy competition only improves the advertising there is
What do effectiveness awards mean for an agency that doesn’t participate in creative awards…. After all you won 75 awards in the effectiveness category last year?
I will say this again. I believe award shows are not supposed to be taken seriously. It is a night of partying, and I don’t think you should take awards more seriously than that. It is good to celebrate and even if you don’t win, you will move on. I just think it is about not reading too much into it -- you know things like being judged by the work that you produce. I have always believed that.
Does it help in getting more clients?
No, it doesn’t at all, because I think clients are sensible. They know the solutions provided to them, and that is what works for them and really matters. Not what wins or does not win.
Evidently effectiveness does mean something to you, because participating in these awards means a lot of money going in for entry fees etc…
It is not really that much. I think the agency has, for many, many years, said that there is a division between creative awards and effectiveness awards just to make the point that advertising is all about effectiveness. You have to be creative to be effective, in the first place. So that’s why we had kind of taken a stance to just enter the Effies many years ago. I think this tradition has continued, that’s all. So it’s not a question of hefty fees. I don’t think the Effies are that expensive. And I think they are more holistic than most other advertising awards
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 "R Balki")
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