Prahlad Kakkar to don mentor’s hat for Creativeland Asia

GURUGRAM: No matter that millennials may be the most wooed segment, nothing can beat years of experience. And this week, Creativeland Asia (CLA), one of the country’s most sought-after independent creative companies, brought on board legendary ad film director Prahlad Kakkar as creative mentor for the group.
Kakkar’s mandate will include putting together training modules for creative teams at all levels, and developing a more robust storytelling, script-writing and film-making culture internally. Kakkar will also be involved in strategic marketing communications projects, and, more importantly, will play an active role in CLA’s content division, Creativeland Pictures, now gearing up to create more original content for OTT video platforms, after its first docu-series, ‘The Legend of Jagannath’, debuted on Netflix in February.

“I haven’t just opened the doors of Creativeland to an iconic 70-year-old person, I have opened my doors to a significant chapter in the history of creativity in Indian advertising – Prahlad is an encyclopedia of creative anecdotes and tales of ingenuity,” shared Sajan Raj Kurup, founder and creative chairman, Creativeland Asia.”

Kurup added, “His wealth of experience and his notorious approach to ideas is of great value to Creativeland, where we are now straddling between long and short format storytelling. I hope the combination of his white Druid-like beard, childlike enthusiasm and taboo-free madness will rub off in the corridors of Creativeland as a reminder that ‘age is an illusion, creativity is real’.”

Kakkar, who turns 68 this month but shows little signs of slowing down, was looking forward to his role as elder statesman at the youthful agency. “I’m extremely delighted to work with Raj and his team of young creative mavericks. What sets Creativeland Asia apart is their hunger for taking the path least taken,” he said.

“In a world where the importance of film-making and creating original relevant content is taking precedence over traditional methods of ad making, I look at CLA as a breeding ground for great talent to groom and take on the world.

“I have spent the best part of my life teaching, training and guiding young talent and am looking forward to sharing my experience in this new innings,” added this passionate scuba-diver who, incidentally, runs a diving school in Lakshadweep.