Pops comes to Dhaka Adfest 2011, Bangladesh - K V Sridhar of Leo Burnett, India

Pops comes to Dhaka Adfest 2011

Faizul Khan Tanim spoke with K V Sridhar, fondly known as Pops when he was in Dhaka for the biggest advertising event in the country

From Bollywood a billboard to national creative director is a long way to come and Pops has done it all. He is now the national creative director at Leo Burnett India, globally one of the leading ad agencies. Under his leadership, Leo Burnett India won agency of the year from the agency’s global network, twice!

What did you tackle first when you rejoined Leo Burnett in 2003 after a few years away?

K V Sridhar (KVS): The first thing I did was change the hierarchy of Leo Burnett. I have made the young and competent ones creative directors and recovered a generation of young minds to take the agency forward. And this idea is paying off beautifully. We are now one of the top 20 most progressive agencies not in India but across the globe.

At what age did you begin to consider a career in advertising?

KVS: It was quite late. I studied fine arts and have a B.Sc so I had the option to become either a drawing teacher or work in the medical field. But I chose advertising as a profession, where I could use both these subjects...logic and the arts.

What has been the key to your success?

KVS: I have been very lucky to get great people around me, great brands and clients to work with, and young talents who were working with me. All these factors are equally responsible.

Who were your biggest inspirations?

KVS: I have been inspired by my seniors, my contemporary colleagues who helped me and lots of juniors who helped me to be younger and audacious like them. Actually they are the ones who have kept me young and relevant; otherwise, I would have retired a long time back.

What advice will you give anyone about working with ‘creativity’?

KVS: Creativity is nothing but to connect to unconnected things and to connect two things which are not connected, you must be a dreamer, a weaver. In a nutshell, being a creative person, you should love life, enjoy it and be a dreamer.

Please describe your ideal job candidate.

KVS: There are so many people coming in to advertising and from so many different backgrounds, but whoever is accepted in this profession should have two qualities – must enjoy and love life – because that person cannot talk to people if he/she hates life. Another point is enthusiasm, to learn, comprehend and communicate back, which is basically transferring enthusiasm from one person to the other. Life is all about transmitting positive energy; you must excite people when they look at your work and that is the key.

What are best ways to find a job in advertising?

KVS: It is not very difficult and at the same time not very easy to find work in this sector. Advertising tests your creativity and enthusiasm. You must show patience and commitment, volunteer, and if it takes a year of regular visiting that office without an appointment, so be it and do that with a smile. You must show your ability of enthusiasm and cultivate creative ways to draw my attention.

http://www.theindependentdigital.com/?opt=view&page=25&date=2011-02-20