It’s been two decades since Bipin Pandit has been at the Advertising Club. As Chief Operating Officer of the apex Ad Club in the country, Pandit has a 24×7 job managing the various affairs of the Club. But that doesn’t hold him back from what’s possibly his first (or second) love: music. On Saturday (Feb 10), he will hold the 12th edition of Khumaar, his ever-so-popular variety entertainment show. Excerpts from an interview with the one-and-only BipinPandit
These last twenty years helming The Advertising Club have also been the most eventful for Indian advertising… what would you say has been your most memorable moment?
There have been quite a few and in a journey spanning 20 years it has to be that way. The field is exciting. You may do an event for many a years but the person who chairs it changes every one or two years so the approach is different. The dynamics change.
I will surely single out the India Advertising festival in 2001 which had a Abby, Effie, Emvie, Exhibitions, Seminars, Lunches and Dinner Parties all to be accomplished in only three days. It really was tremendously stressful to say the least. The fact that we accomplished it in style was very satisfying. To top it all I had put in only three years at the Ad Club then. It was a colossal effort but still memorable.
How can I not mention Adasia Jaipur, 2003. The Mother of all events. Again being chosen by Pradeep Guha and Ramesh Narayan as Secretariat-In-Charge at that point of time showed the confidence they had in me and my team’s abilities. This event taught me many a things. There were so many varied activities happening at the same time in the course of four days further so many stalwarts and big names were involved. Delegates from different countries were to come. The event had an aggregate of 1200 delegates . Till today it is talked about as the best Adasia and I am happy I was an integral part of it and could contribute.
What has been extremely satisfying is to read the industry stalwarts expressing their opinion on my 20 years with the Ad Club and the contributions made thereof. They have spoken about the man they have known and his passions. It will feature in a special four-page supplement I am releasing on Saturday, February, 10, 2018 at my Khumaar show. All the 10 Presidents have written a piece not to forget the other Industry bigwigs and people from Abroad. It will always motivate me to do still better. I will be ever so grateful to Pradeep Diwedi that the supplement has seen the light of the day.
International commendation from Effies New York, Appies Singapore and Adasia Korea and Singapore is also very satisfying.
Many Presidents, many managing committee members and all with their own ways of working. How has the journey been for you?
As many an industry stalwart tells me you have a job to do no doubt but managing the high profile managing committee in itself is no less a job. The best part is you have got to be a good listener and you learn a lot by doing so. I do give suggestions and also speak out because that has been my nature but surely in the same vein I hasten to add that your views prevail.
The good part is they have appreciated most of my suggestions and implemented as well. Actually they all have been very nice and understanding. I have only positive things to say about my overall experience.
These 20 years has also seen the rise and rise of the awards, the emergence of the Effies, the lows with the creative Abby… (your comments)
As I have always said, in my 20 years be it any award that comes from the Ad Club stable the effort has been to evolve and look forward. Highs and Lows are a part of life and surely you will always be criticised if you work and put in efforts. We value the feedback and inputs of the industry and thus have the town hall concept before coming out with the entry form for every award. Ad Club is a 63-year-old association that is running Abby for 50 years , Effies for 17 years , Emvies for 17 years thus there is longevity which is a barometer of consistency which in turn is a hallmark of doing a good job. The Marquees launched recently also holds lot of promise and will be a property to watch. You will also hear shortly about the many a changes brought about at Abbys to be held at Goafest 2018.
I know it’s an unfair question to ask you: but what would you say have been the significant trends in advertising that you have found very noteworthy?
The movement of big creative stalwarts from very big agencies to start their own Independent outfits is on a tremendous rise. Gone are the days when you found a big name being a part of one agency for a long time. As a result of this happening you also see that the awardwinning work has started to flow from these new outfits besides of course the major agencies who continue to do well.
This year marks the 12th edition of Khumaar. With a hectic (and often stressful) dayjob at the Ad Club, how do you manage to find the time to practise and come up with new things in every show?
This is one question that is often asked to me and let me confess very honestly: yes, it is hectic and surely stressful. Imagine deciding upon the date of the show, booking the auditorium, lining up sponsors, selecting singers and musicians, putting a song list, getting creative in places, publicity, backdrops, promotional material, inviting celebrities, VIPs and not to forget selling of tickets it is a one-man-show at Khumaar. It truly gets tiring and what people forget is I am a performer who has to be the anchor, mimicry artist a shayar and a ready reckner of all the anecdotes and interesting nuggets. But I conclude it is labour of love, passion, madness. And to reveal the truth: I have two wives: One is Nandini and the Other is Khumaar