Creative cloning or copycat advertising

Light Refractions Lucien Rajakarunanayake

Everyone was busy at GreenAds - Movers, Shakers & Twisters, preparing for the brainstorming session yesterday. They were to make a presentation to the advertising industry, on how best to fight the new threat facing the industry.

The brief was simple. Make a credible case to influence Government into rolling back its move to impose a tax on foreign made TV advertisements for local products or those with a sizeable foreign content in them. The sub-text was to persuade the public that Government was wrong to impose the new taxes, and pressure the Government to back out of an open fight with the industry.

Vakra Panivuda, the CEO who had taken the ad industry by storm within a few years of his returning here after studying Advertising in several western cities and Bombay too, asked his team to look outside the box to get the best results.

"Let's get the picture straight. Where are we?" he asked.

Nuvan Viskam, rising fast in the creative department was quick to answer: "Where we are taxed enough to have plenty of surpluses for our own profit and pleasure".

"Where do we want to be?" asked Vakra.

"It's simple" said Ganan Hilau, brought in from the Accounts Department to join this brainstorm. "It's where we won't have to pay anymore taxes than we do now, preferably even lesser".

"O. K. if we are all clear on that, how do we get there?" asked Vakra.

"Quite simple. Just make all our TV ads here with our own talent and we won't have to pay any new taxes", said Nirmaan Kalakurutu, lead copy writer in the agency, who enjoyed his blunt comments in these sessions where people attempt to pluck creativity from the air.

"Now let's be serious. I said we must think out of the box. The idea is to make as many ads abroad as we wish to, but not pay any extra taxes. Let's have more ideas, and better ones", said Vakra, hardly concealing his annoyance with Nirmaan.

"Well, why not go to the basics; advertising is all about new aspirations each day. Isn't that why we began making TV ads in India, apart from the loading of costs to the client", asked Motilal Varanasi, creative consultant from India who plays an increasing role in decision making at GreenAds.

"That's right," said Nuvan Viskam, full of creative excitement. "It's all about aspirations and how we mould them. How can we give new aspirations to Sri Lankans by showing them Ads made here, and with local talent? We must have foreigners. That is what the middle and upper classes looks up to, thanks to the efforts of the ad industry for so many years. We must feed them with more of the same diet".

"But how can we creatively justify making ads for local products in India, what is the key factor, what is the creative tool?" asked Vakra.

"It's just a case of unravelling what people get so excited about," said Nandana Vindana, from Audio Visual. "India is the high point of aspiration for most Sri Lankans today, from MBAs to IT. If you put a name or face to it, it's just like Sanath Jayasuriya, the ever green success story. That's why we must use India for our ads, and if necessary even go further".

"He's right" said Chanchala Vilaasitha, from account servicing. "You don't understand how it excites our clients seeing a story board that involves foreign props, stars, extras, and even creative writing. They are ready to sign on for any cost, especially when it comes to international branding, although made in Sri Lanka".

"Let's be honest, we have nurtured a whole generation, hooked on to foreign content in TV advertising. The government must understand this. We must even tell them we can get their political messages to the people better by using foreign talent. That will make them sit up and think," said Chitra Pintaaru, making waves as an art director, in the insular world of advertising.

"I don't think there's any need to look outside the box" said Motilal Varanasi. "It's best to get into the box. That's the key to our success. We need Indian women to sell anything of value to Sri Lankan TV audiences.

Who will buy double-door fridges, unless endorsed by Indian women, with an unmistakable Bharath accent?"

"We have brought society to the point where they believe that an air-conditioner really gives cool air in the home, only when people see Indian families enjoying the breeze.

Even Sinhala ads with Indian models have better mileage than those with locals.

That's the truth. I think if the Sinhala is spoken with an Indian accent, it will have even better impact. Just look at the popularity of Hindi teledramas dubbed in Sinhala," said Nuvan.

"How can we sell star-trek toilet soap to our women without foreign input?" asked Chanchala. "Even though the soap is made here, if the branding is foreign, then we must get all the creative thinking from abroad. It's the same for fizzy drinks too. The big creativity comes from abroad. We must go to India to copy it for our purposes, with some local models. That's what makes things sell".

"So let's give a big hurrah for cloning of advertising. We just might end up like that South Korean scientist who faked a cloning. But why worry, All we are bothered with is avoiding more taxes," said Nirmaan Kalakurutu.

They were settling down to a SWOT analysis. There were suggestions about getting focus groups, to help the cause. Vakra Panivuda assured his staff that green politics was all on their side, and would repeal these new taxes the moment they return to power.

"Making that possible will really need thinking out of the box," said Nirmaan.