The French demographer Alfred Sauvy coined the expression Tiers Monde in 1952 by analogy with the Third Estate – the commoners of France before and during the French revolution – as opposed to priests and nobles comprising the first and second, respectively. "Like the Third Estate," wrote Sauvy, "the Third World is nothing and it wants to be something." This term therefore implies that the Third World is exploited much as the Third Estate was exploited and marginalized, and its destiny lies in revolution.
This perspective was what Piyush Pandey – national creative director of Ogilvy & Mather-India – utilized as he tackled the big question: Can a third world country become a creative powerhouse?
"If we apply said definition to advertising and communications," Pandey said in the recently concluded 18th Philippine Advertising Congress held in Baguio City, "then the past and to a great extent the present, reveal a striking parallel."
One of the more impassioned and well-attended sessions in the congress, Pandey’s talk began by tracing the roots of the modern-day advertising practice. He opened by saying that advertising started, grew and flourished in the West, which is synonymous with First World. And when brand marketing went global, so did the first world application, skill, science and art of advertising.
"Successful marketing and advertising mixes from around the world came with clear mandates which forbade the local mind to exercise itself. All of which sought the best people from third world nations to faithfully adapt what was done 20 years ago," Pandey observed.
This led to the suppression of the development of what Pandey calls the local "grey cells." And wherever the locals were defiant they took the easy way out to change location to the West. Those who stayed behind toed the line and developed creative work based on global directions.
But this did not serve as a deterrent to Pandey who believed that local clients are rich sources for challenging work that can bring about the marriage of notable product and market performance, and world-class creativity. They may not have any track record in successful advertising, but they can be convinced to run away from mediocrity and shake the image of being just a poor imitator of international approaches. How to do great work in a third world country became the big question, the seemingly insurmountable dare.
In the definition of Third World there is a lot about economic poverty. But as Pandey underscored, "There is no mention of Mental Poverty." He believes there is no dearth of brainpower in Third World territories. In fact, he emphasized, "There is an abundance of mental strength that helps those nations live in adversity. And in adversity lies the opportunity for a revolution."
Pandey generously shared the Indian advertising experience, but punctuated that he was in no way suggesting that he and his group have already successfully carried out the revolution in India. "We have had some early successes which are changing things for the better, and we are on the road to being something in the global advertising world," he maintained.
To Pandey, the foremost learning gathered from his own personal experience is that for ad agencies "to find a local client and partner him in starting the revolution." We must look for a client with a dream, a vision, with loads of ambition and tons of national pride. "Give him all you can. Help him succeed with radical work. Success is important because nothing succeeds like success," he underscored.
Hearing this summon, we can see a lot of possibilities here for local clients like Jollibee, Splash, Pascual Laboratories, Julie’s Bakeshop, Goldilocks and the like. Together with their respective agencies, they can potentially start a creative revolution that can showcase our intrinsic Filipino values, rich culture and traditions.
Pandey went on to deliver advertising for Fevicol that absolutely cut through the clutter. It succeeded dramatically in delivering sales in the market place and it gave his agency the courage to do more lateral work. "Encouraged and inspired by this triumph, and by this local client who had the glue to back us to the hilt, we stuck to the formula," he reported.
The Fevicol series of ads helped open minds and indeed started a mini revolution. It also brought the brand and its creative handlers more international recognition than any other brand from India – silver in the 2002 Cannes Awards, bronze in the Asia Pacific Advertising Festival, and a gold at the ABBY Awards. To date, Fevicol continues to grow at a rate which most clients have not seen, in the last three years.
Pandey cited his works with one other local client, The Times of India, which ran parallel to Fevicol in making Indian creativity cheered in India and recognized abroad. India’s largest newspaper was projected showing in its own unique way that "nobody knows India better than us." Pandey’s two sterling examples demonstrated how local champions are more likely to take the forefront in making a difference in a Third World country. "They have no baggage, nobody to report to in the region, and nobody’s ego to be satisfied at the worldwide level. They have courage of conviction and largely they spend their own money and not that of the shareholder. Probably that is why they spend it better," he spelled out.
However, Pandey’s story does not stop with local clients. He unraveled his experiences with some individuals who work for multinational companies but have so much local knowledge and pride that they can be world class. He told the story of the marketing head of Perfectti Van Mille, a leading manufacturer of confectionery products from Italy, who was successful in convincing his partners in Europe that India needs its own advertising. He launched a brand in 2002, which became a market leader in 10 months.
Pandey’s thesis was very clear – local flavor has a magic of its own, guts have power of their own, and adversity has an opportunity of its own – a dissertation readily embraced by Filipino practitioners intently listening in the jam-packed hall.
Third World doesn’t mean a third-class mind. He ended his presentation with this thought: "The historical definition of the First World is the West, and the Second World is the USSR or the communist block. However, after the breakup of the Soviet Union there is no Second World anymore. So we can safely assume that we are the Second World. The distance between the second and first, he noted, is smaller than between the Third and First."
He concluded, "Let’s believe in ourselves and get prepared for a creative revolution that can change our destiny."
This will make your day. Last night as I lay sleeping I died or so it seemed. Then I went to heaven but only in my dream. Up there St. Peter met me standing at the pearly gates. He said, "I must check your record. Please stand here and wait." He turned and said, "Your record is covered with terrible flaws. On earth I see you rallied for every losing cause. I see that you drunk alcohol and smoked and used drugs too. Fact is, you’ve done everything a good person should never do. We can’t have people like you up here. Your life was full of sin." Then he read the last of my records, took my hand and said, "Come in." He led me up to the big boss and said, "Take him in and treat him well. He used to work in advertising. He’s done his time in hell."