IT'S YOUR FIRST DAY AT WORK. WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE LIKE?

As Commits students from the Class of 2014 take their first steps in the media industry, a look back at how their super-seniors coped with "First-Day Nerves" (an excerpt from The Commits Chronicle blog post of January 15, 2011):

Your first day as a full-time employee can be fraught with anxiety. The questions whirling in your mind can range from "Am I dressed appropriately?" to "Will I be able to cope?" Day One can also be supremely memorable, with everything going your way thanks to an understanding boss and cheerful colleagues who make it easy for you to fit in right away.

Some Commitscions from the Class of 2011 have begun working already, though they graduate only in June and, technically, they are still students. Most were lucky enough to have enjoyed their first day at work. So what was the day really like? Did they have butterflies in their stomach? Were they confident? Who was the first person they met in their department? Did their colleagues make them feel welcome? What can their juniors learn from them about how to behave on their Day One?

IF YOU DO NOT KNOW SOMETHING,
SHOW YOUR ENTHUSIASM TO LEARN

By Sindhu Pawar

Junior PR Executive for Lifestyle and Entertainment,
Nucleus, Bangalore

SINDHU PAWAR

My first day at work was good. I was not at all nervous; in fact, I was confident and this confidence is definitely thanks to Commits. :-)

The first person I met in office was the business head. She introduced me to everyone around, and then, like in every PR agency, my day started with "tracking" newspapers, and that meant reading all the newspapers, which I love. And, yes, my colleagues made me feel comfortable and they are very helpful and sweet people.

From my “Day One Experience”, what I would say to my juniors is that there is no need to panic or feel nervous; just be confident, and if you do not know something, show your enthusiasm to learn. It is not rocket science, and so what if it is? Nobody will scold you for not knowing something; instead they will be happy to teach you. If I were to pick three words that count on Day One, they would be CONFIDENCE, PASSION, and ENTHUSIASM. You should feel — and show — all three. But never be over-confident, always be humble. :)

In my first week itself I was associated with an event for a cause where actor Akshay Kumar was invited, and many more events followed. But the first big project which I got to handle independently was to oversee the PR for a photography exhibition for one of our clients, a professional photographer. It was an amazing experience and I got to learn a lot. You feel happier when your work is recognised and appreciated by your boss, which actually increases your responsibilities.

Right now I am the only Commitscion here at Nucleus but my boss, who has a decade's experience in PR and is one of the partners of the agency, is impressed and wants more Commitscions. She asks me every day to set up interviews with students from Commits as there is another vacancy. I have informed all my classmates but the ones who are interested in PR have already been placed.

I was not interested initially in PR but I grabbed this opportunity because my work is related to the lifestyle and entertainment industries and I have always wanted to do something related to entertainment, though I do want to explore other fields in the future.

I came to Commits to study marketing, but I also got a chance to study a lot of things like photography, cinema, etc., so I not only learnt other media subjects but also developed new passions. Our second semester news bulletin project was the most memorable for me. I still remember the full-of-effort four-day shoot — it was most enjoyable and something I am always going to remember. :)

I thank you and every faculty member at Commits for giving me an opportunity to learn and for helping me to chase and realise my dreams. And thank you for letting me describe my experience: I am glad I got an opportunity to share my thoughts. MISSING COMMITS :(

I WALKED IN WITH A LOT OF CONFIDENCE

By Satish Perumal

Account Executive, Percept/H, Bangalore

SATISH PERUMAL

My first day at work was absolutely superb. I walked in with a lot of confidence because I realised I had finally accomplished something in life.

I was never a great student at the PU and undergrad levels and had got a lot of stick for it, but when I sat in my chair here at Percept/H and looked back I felt content and satisfied. One thought that popped into my head: "I have made my critics eat humble pie." I know for sure now that no one should question people's abilities; all are capable of doing great things if they set their minds to do them.

My first job may not have been very significant — I was asked to prepare a presentation and generate an idea for a client. My boss liked what I did, though, and he congratulated me. He has now asked me to present the idea in Hyderabad early next month to the board of directors.

CNN-IBN ALWAYS MAKES EVERYONE FEEL AT HOME

By Padmini Nandy Mazumder
News Trainee, CNN-IBN, New Delhi

PADMINI NANDY MAZUMDER

I did not have butterflies in my stomach (by the way, how cliched is that?). I was kind of confident because I have worked on the ticker desk before, during my internship last year.

Astha Rawat, whom I met during my internship, was the first person in. So I met her and I was really happy to see her because she's become a good friend and she 'fought' to get me here :)

CNN-IBN always makes everyone feel at home and welcome. Attitude towards work here is casual but not laid back. The first official thing? Made the scroller for the rest of the day — and everything I typed went on air without having to be checked by anyone. :)

POOJA MENON AT HER DESK AT SAATCHI & SAATCHI FOCUS.

THE KEY IS TO OBSERVE EVERYTHING AROUND YOU

By Pooja Menon

Client Servicing Trainee, Saatchi & Saatchi Focus, Bangalore

On my first day at work I was a little nervous because I did not  know what to expect. When I entered the office Mallika Harsha (my senior from Commits) handed me a bouquet and said that Malavika Ma'am [Malavika Harita, the CEO of Saatchi & Saatchi Focus] had sent it as a welcome gesture. That made my day! Then later on in the day I was introduced to everyone; they were all really nice to me.

For my first assignment, I was given Saatchi's white book and black book to go through. These books contain all the work the agency has done over the years and each has 200 pages, so that occupied me for most of the day.

By the end of the day all my anxiety and nervousness had vanished, and I had begun to get a feel of how the agency works.

The key to making your first day a success is to observe everything that is happening around you. Ask questions if need be, this will help later on. And, also, talk to all your colleagues; be friendly but not over-friendly.

ARCHITA NADGOUDA

'LOVE YOUR JOB,
YOUR JOB WILL
LOVE YOU BACK'

By Archita Nadgouda

PR Trainee,
Edelman, Bangalore

I had been dreading the thought of my first day at work for months, so on Day One I was a bit nervous and worried about making the oh-so-important "first impression".

I even practised introducing myself to everybody in the office.

But the friendly atmosphere at Edelman on that first day immediately relaxed me and my nervousness was soon forgotten.

Though it's been just a month and I have miles to go (in terms of learning the "tricks of the trade"), I’m pretty happy with my performance at work and the way it’s shaping up and for this I give the entire credit to my extremely helpful colleagues and my boss. I was put on the job right from Day One and my first official assignment was to issue a press release to the media and make follow-up calls, which I did perfectly because I already had some experience from my previous internship.

My advice to my juniors is actually to follow your advice, Sir: "Love your job, and your job will love you back." Enjoy what you do thoroughly and don't look at your job only as the means to make money to buy your favourite stuff. Also, you should have a learning attitude at all times... you never know which information will come in handy at what time! :)

A CONTEMPLATIVE APAR DHAM AT THE EXPLOCITY OFFICE.

YOUR APPEARANCE IS IMPORTANT AND DISTINCT
FROM YOUR CAPABILITY TO DO YOUR JOB
By Apar Dham
Information Manager, Explocity, Bangalore

When I was asked to write about my first day at work and I got to thinking about how to begin, it struck me suddenly that one of the most important days of my life has been ruined for me forever… even before I could experience it. My wedding night! Yes, that's what I'm talking about because I have come to the conclusion that there isn’t much difference between your first day at work and your wedding night.

You are very excited and eager about all the impending action, but you do not know where to begin and how to go about it. Right? You are eager to explore and learn new things but you are scared of pushing the wrong buttons. Right?

Well, that is how my first day at Explocity was. I was pumped up to begin a new phase in my life but I was also a little nervous about that dreaded “first impression”. Trust me, it matters a lot. I wore my favourite formal shirt and combed my hair twice! Yes, your appearance is important and distinct from your capability to do your job. Not all of us are blessed with a great body but then one has to understand that there is a significant difference in the way one dresses for college and for work.

Next: What do you say on the first day? Well, it depends on your job profile. I didn’t say much, I observed and observed and observed. One needs to understand that one is the latest entrant in the office (and at times one may be the youngest, too); everyone else has been there for some time and has a certain chemistry and comfort level with the others. Try to observe the office hierarchy and the way people function around you.

But at the same time this doesn’t mean that you play deaf and mute all day. As our professors have taught us, there is no such thing as a stupid question. So do not hesitate. Ask whenever you feel the need to. Everyone in the office knows that you are new. People will be glad to help you, provided you ask in the right manner and at the right time. But for heaven’s sake, please do not ask questions like “Is this Saturday an off-day for us?”

Coming back to the observation bit, I clearly remember looking at almost everyone in office and creating an imaginary ladder in my head, dreaming of a world five to ten years from now when I would have gone past all these colleagues and would be sitting in that elusive cabin at the end of the corridor. Ha! Don’t do that! Though I know everyone will and everyone does. It is inevitable.

Talking about colleagues, it is vital that you understand this isn’t college any more and there will be all sorts of people that you will encounter. There will be some who will come to you and introduce yourself and some who will not bother. Take this as an opportunity and take the initiative to familiarise yourself with your workmates. Remember, you do not work with a company, you work with the people at the company. Move around and introduce yourself, sit with your team during lunch, take tea breaks with them, and try to get comfortable with everyone. It helps — a lot.

Above all, have fun and try to enjoy yourself. As a wise man once remarked, “If you love what you do, you won't have to work a single day in your life.”

Baaki to bhaiyya, all is well! :)

SABIKA MIRZA

WITH TIME, YOU START
ENJOYING THE
WORK ENVIRONMENT
By Sabika Mirza
Management Trainee,
Lodestar UM, Bangalore

To be honest, my first day didn't go the way I thought it would (though the days that followed were brilliant). There is a lot of work at a media agency, so at first no one found time to talk to me on Day One; it was only by lunchtime that the people around me became more relaxed and that's when the group head spoke with me.

The juniors should know that it takes time for your colleagues to get used to you, and with time you start enjoying the work environment. So take it slow if need be; when it comes to getting to know your work mates better, speed is NOT of the essence.

Now, I love my work. I am mostly in the office from 9.30 am to 8.30 pm; once, recently, I was at work till midnight. But then if you are really passionate about your work, you won’t mind staying back late.

We're all going to Jaipur now for a conference. It’s an event where we will get to meet people from other Lodestar offices. It's going to be business mixed with pleasure so we have all been practising our dance steps — in the office! The atmosphere, as you can imagine, has been brilliant. The conference is going to be a great opportunity to network and to get to know other Lodestar employees better.

DEBMALYA DUTTA

IT TOOK AWHILE TO
SWITCH MODES FROM
INTERN TO JOURNALIST
By Debmalya Dutta
Sub-editor, The Statesman, Kolkata

The most interesting thing about my new job at the moment is that I am working the 6 pm-1.30 am shift. As you'd know, these timings are fully compatible with my biological clock!

Interestingly, on the first day, it took me a little time to switch modes from intern to journalist; I think it will be a couple of days before it sinks in that I'm a full-time employee now. (I kept on asking my seniors for permission to even go to the wash-room.)

I've already made friends with quite a few of my colleagues, and the others, I hope, will come on board soon. There are quite a few in my age group and they are a nice bunch.

Day One wasn't exceptional in terms of butterflies in the stomach; I believe that should be the case with all those who are confident about themselves and know their job — I guess, after completing the rigorous journalism programme at Commits and after being told at The Statesman that I am the best candidate they have had in four years, I've earned some bragging rights ;-).

On the first day, I edited about five stories and proofed two pages. Now, I have been assigned pagination full-time.

My sincere thanks to all of you at Commits for teaching me what it means to be a professional.

AJAY KURPAD ENJOYING HIS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AT SAATCHI & SAATCHI.

IT WAS LIKE BEING IN A VIDEO GAME
By Ajay Kurpad
Copywriter, Saatchi & Saatchi Focus, Bangalore

9.30 am. November 7, 2010. The day seemed normal enough until 9.29 am. Waking up late, riding like a maniac through the equally insane traffic of Bengaluru, and rushing up the stairway to what I can safely refer to now as my new Heaven. Yes, all this was very normal. I had been doing this throughout most of my college life.

But then, suddenly, everything seemed to slow down. You could call it a moment of enlightenment, but this Buddha (He might be fuming now that I have compared myself with Him) was standing under a board which read 'Saatchi & Saatchi Focus'. "Wow!" I thought. "I'm actually going to be working here. I'm actually going to create ads, come up with new ideas, generate content out of nowhere, and showcase my work to the world." However, this small bubble in my head suddenly popped when I saw Malavika Ma'am smiling at me. The first person I met at work here was also my teacher at Commits. She was going to be the Ranita Hirji of my professional life (Ranita Ma'am had already mentioned some traits the two shared when it comes to handling people like me).

But this sense of fear and doubt seemed to disappear when Malavika Ma'am presented me with a bouquet and welcomed me to what I hope will be a long and exciting adventure. She directed me to my desk which had nothing but a computer and a telephone. I learnt later that this was my territory and I'm entitled to personalise the area as I wish.

Then I was introduced to Deepak Thammaiah. A copywriter who would mentor me. So I, Luke Skywalker, toiled under my Master Yoda as he put me through rigorous tests. It was like being in a video game. Sometimes I was what I would like to call a 'storm-water brain' filled to the brim with rubbish ideas, and sometimes I was Superman, flying high with my great idea but with my underwear in the right place. When he thought I was ready, Deepak resigned. He now works with Draft FCB-Ulka. I actually saw him typing out his resignation letter the day I joined so it was obvious that he was just serving his notice period.

The initial days involved small victories and sometimes heavy losses, too. At first, when I got the rope, I always ended up tying a noose for myself. Now, I can say that I have learnt the ropes of the job to some extent. But there is a certain professor of journalism at Commits who told me that execution is everything. I'm trying not to allow my creative director to execute me ever time I send him copy (I report directly to him now).

That same certain professor taught us English grammar from scratch. Well, thank you, Mr. Ramesh Prabhu, for what I think was one of the most important modules during my academic life at Commits. Because grammar goes way beyond just journalism. It transcends into other media as well.

Today, I have to my credit quite a few ads and campaigns. The whole idea is to let people trust you with work. There are deadlines, deadlines which involve money, money which runs into lakhs and crores, and there are lakhs and crores of people who will notice your work, and your work is only done by being part of a team, and the team has to trust you with work. Pretty vicious circle, but that is why advertising is not a square.

When it comes to advertising, being yourself is everything. At the end of the day, if you go through the books that showcase ads, the names of the people involved in the making of the ads are also mentioned. So what matters, ultimately, is that you have to create a name for yourself in this field.

Commits alumna's awe-inspiring concept lends a touch of class to Tanishq campaign

From coming up with the concept to executing it with pin-point precision, which included finding the right couple, arranging for the amazing undercover videography, and then putting it all together, Commits alumna ROHITA R. MADAPPA (Class of 2011) has pulled off a jaw-dropping Web-only campaign for Tanishq. Watch the video here:

Rohita is a digital marketing expert who works with Bangalore-based Interactive Avenues for whom Tanishq is a major client.

I watched the video yesterday and I was blown! Spectacular is the only word for it. Take a bow, Rohita!

• Back in October 2012, in an e-mail which was published on The Commits Chronicle blog, Rohita had written about...

My first big campaign — Mia on Wheels by Tanishq — is live, and you won't believe this.

We have been planning this for two months at Interactive Avenues. "Mia on Wheels" involves a Volvo bus that takes women to work but that's not all: The bus has a spa, the women can try on jewellery, get themselves styled, and take part in a professional photo-shoot. This is also being promoted on the radio.

"MIA ON WHEELS": ROHITA RAMBABU IS FOURTH FROM LEFT.

The reason I am writing to you is because it's like a mini-Commits here. I am working on the digital promotion and campaign. Niveditha Rai (Class of 2010) is working on the radio promotion. The "gift experiences" are provided by Neha Ma'am [guest faculty at Commits] through Yellow Cycle, where three Commits juniors are interning, and Santhosh Sir is the official photographer.

I am so proud to have been at Commits. Whatever I am today is because of Commits. Just this week I have got two appreciations from clients and it's all thanks to what I've learned at Commits. 

• ON SOCIAL SAMOSA, A REVIEW OF THE TANISHQ CAMPAIGN. CHECK IT OUT HERE.

How often do you write "seperate", "definate", and "calender"?

"Separate", "definite", and "calendar" (note the spelling) are among the 10 words that are most frequently misspelled, according to a recent post by Maeve Maddox on the very useful Daily Writing Tips blog. Take a look at the other seven here.

• You also will want to check out these 15 commonly misspelled words: "Why you can't spell".

• ALSO READ: "50 Facebook rants to make you think about bad English vs good English".

Commits alumna and CNN-IBN's docu-blog: How is this for a terrific way to tell a news story?

With the help of some talented journalists, Commits alumna Priyali Sur (Class of 2005), who is a producer-anchor with CNN-IBN in New Delhi, has put together a digital docu-blog on the trafficking of minor girls, who are sold as forced labour and brides in India.

"It's a first attempt at a digital blog with videos and still pictures," Priyali wrote in a Facebook post, "courtesy Anika Gupta and Neil Holt... with help on reporting from Assam by Arijit Sen." Check it out here.

"Youthful job seekers may not regard correct speech as an emblem of education or intelligence, but they’d be wise to look upon it as a mark of professionalism"

What does it do to your job prospects when you are ignorant about subject-verb agreement? Let Maeve Maddox, explaining on the Daily Writing Tips blog why grammar consultants are in great demand these days, enlighten you: "Ignorance or sincerity?"

• ADDITIONAL READING: From the excellent Purdue Online Writing Lab — "Making  subjects and verbs agree".

If you had to think up a six-word motto for journalism, what would it be?

Would you pick "Get it right, write it tight"? Or "Feed the watchdog, euthanise the lapdog"?

Maybe you would opt for "No news is not good news". Perhaps, in this technology-driven age, you would prefer "Who, what, when, where, why, Web" or "Got stry — will txt u asap".

These are just a few of the many "six-words mottos for journalism" that were submitted to Roy Peter Clark's contest. Clark, about whom I have written on this blog many times before, is an American journalist I have great admiration for. He is one of the pillars of the venerated Poynter Institute, and author of the hugely useful Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer (a copy is available in the Commits library).

Coming back to the six-word mottos, Clark's contest drew hundreds of entries, from which he created a list of finalists as well as a list of honourable mentions. You can go through both lists here: "Six-Word Journalism Mottos" (the contest was held a while back but I came across the link in my "must-read" file very recently).

And if you want to know who won the contest, go to this post for the complete results, "voting scandal" and all: "Poynter Online now acknowledges that it goofed last Friday by choosing finalists for the six-word motto contest before the deadline for applications had been reached."

PS: If the contest were to be held today, this motto would be my entry:

Engage, entertain, enlighten. Do not frighten.

A superlative analysis of how digital technology is rapidly transforming content creation and distribution...

...in Bloomberg Businessweek by Commits alumnus David George (Class of 2005). David, who is based in Dubai, is deputy editor of the recently launched Middle East edition of Bloomberg Businessweek.

• The edition is not on the web yet, sorry. If you would like to read a PDF version, though, write to me and I can send it to you via e-mail. (Commits students can read the article by borrowing a copy of the magazine that has been placed in the library.)

How a Commits student became a Citizen Journalist on CNN-IBN

"THIS IS ANKITA SENGUPTA,
CITIZEN JOURNALIST"

Last month, Commitscion ANKITA SENGUPTA (Class of 2013) featured on CNN-IBN's special episode of the "Citizen Journalist" show. Here Ankita, who works with Deccan Herald in Bangalore, explains how it all happened and describes the experience:

When Commitscion Shylaja Varma (Class of 2012), who is a reporter with CNN-IBN in Bangalore, first asked me if I wanted to be a Citizen Journalist for the news channel, I was obviously thrilled but when she told me that she wanted to cover the molestation story that had appeared in print more than a year ago, my first thought was, "Oh dear. Are we really going to milk that cow again?" The story had been published in The Chronicle and also in Bangalore Mirror. Although I had received a lot of appreciation for the article, I felt it had outlived its importance and did not deserve any more attention.

However, Shy explained to me that to mark the anniversary of the Nirbhaya gang-rape, CNN-IBN was planning a series of shows concentrating on crimes against women and my report would be one of the segments. Now I remember practising my PTCs in front of the mirror when I was at Commits : "This is Ankita Sengupta, reporting for CNN-IBN," but after I opted to join the print media I never thought I would get the opportunity to do a PTC again. So when Shy came up with this offer, I pounced on it.

On the day of the shoot, Shy told me that she wanted the PTC to be conversational in tone so it would be better if I did not mug up my lines. We decided to improvise the "script" so that it felt like I was having a conversation with the camera.

ANKITA SENGUPTA DURING THE SHOOT.

Not having to learn any lines made it a little easier for me. As it is, for my first national television PTC, to be standing in a public space, being gawked at, with the sun in my face and a cameraman waiting to get the perfect shot, the pressure to perform was immense. I could not stare at the camera, ignore the heat and the onlookers, and try to remember what I was supposed to say next. Fortunately, we were able to wrap up the shoot within three hours and, thankfully, both Shy and the cameraman were happy with the day's work.

The next day Shy told me that the CJ team wanted me to be a part of an "online hangout" that would be streamed live on the news channel's website. As luck would have it, the microphone in my laptop had stopped working the previous day and since the hangout could not be postponed, I had to get my hands on another laptop. Desperate, I called up my roommate, rushed to her office to get her cupboard keys, and then, thanks to her laptop, finally managed to be part of the chat.

This particular CJ report was telecast through the week and when I was told that my PTC was quite good, I could not help but be a little smug about it. After all, I did practise it at Commits.

I was working the night shift at Deccan Herald, so a day dedicated to the shoot and another taken up by the hangout meant that I had had less than eight hours' sleep in two days. So I was exhausted but I was also elated. It was a great experience being a Citizen Journalist and being on television for CNN-IBN. And if I do continue to be a print journalist, I will always have this CJ report, my tiny contribution to the broadcast media, to cherish.

However, none of this would have happened had it not been for my dear senior, Shylaja Varma. She has been a "super senior" in every sense of the term. Again, thanks a million, Shy.

• Watch Ankita Sengupta's CJ report here: "Molested on the streets of Bangalore".

How to win an "Ad Pitch"

AVC student NATASHA REGO (Class of 2014), who was a co-editor of the college newspaper, looks back on an eventful semester at Commits that culminated in her group winning the Ad Pitch competition

Not too long after joining Commits one realises that there are two coveted prizes to be won in the second year. Fittingly, these two friendly competitions, which are an interesting way to evaluate our skill, are at the beginning and at the end of the third semester. How you fare in them, I believe, puts into perspective your growth as an audiovisual communication student at Commits.

The first is the contest that is part of Victor Mukherjee’s annual film-making workshop for the AVC students, which my team* (I was the producer, or group leader) lost. The second, for both the AVCs and the MMCs, is the Ad Pitch. This competition, my group** and I proudly won.

ALL DRESSED UP FOR THE "COMPANY CREDENTIALS" FILM SHOOT FOR THE AD PITCH: NATASHA REGO, NEETHU GEORGE, PRAJNA G.R., SAUMYA IYER, AKHILA DAMODARAN, AND RISA MONICA KHARMUTEE. WATCH THE "COMPANY CREDENTIALS" FILM HERE.

The day we picked the chit that revealed our topic for the Ad Pitch, we were very disappointed. To us, it was a very “boring” topic: “You get the government you deserve. Vote”. It was immediately apparent that we had long days of research ahead of us.

In our opinion, the others had more interesting topics to work with. We were quite envious of the groups that got “Have sex. Responsibly”, and “Donate your organs. Why waste them!” We cribbed, but not for long.

Three weeks before D-Day, we began... lethargically. We’d meet every day for several days and tire our brains getting familiar with the Indian electoral system, understanding voting trends, and then formulating ideas to motivate the masses to get off their backsides and participate in this enormous democracy that we belong to. Group member and “Head of Research” Akhila Damodaran would spend time helping us understand relevant laws, challenges in the system, and similar campaigns run in the past. All of this was not an easy task.

The trick lay in figuring out our target audience and carefully defining them. For that, we picked people whom we could easily relate to. We picked ourselves: the youth… urban residents between 18 and 35 years of age. However, Sai Sir explained to us that you don’t talk to an 18-year-old who hasn’t yet begun to understand the magnitude of the right he’s just been handed the same way you would talk to a 35-year-old who has been working and who has had trysts with the system for several years. So with the help of group member and “Head of Client Servicing” Neethu George, we narrowed down our target audience to 18- to 25-year-old registered urban dwellers who are just too lazy to go out and vote (we arrived at this finding through our survey).

One week into preparing for the Ad Pitch, we AVC students had to complete another assignment: submit our “corporate films” for evaluation. Group Saraswathi travelled to Kodagu (Coorg) and spent two days there shooting at the offices of group member Prajna G.R.’s family newspaper, Shakthi, Kodagu’s first Kannada daily. After returning to Bangalore, we scripted, edited, and submitted the film, all in a span of four days. Soon after, we got back to the Ad Pitch, for such is life at Commits: exciting and always on the run.

TAKING A BREAK TO CHECK OUT THE SIGHTS IN KODAGU.

STILL IN KODAGU, HOPPING ON TO A PARKED TRUCK AFTER A LONG DAY'S WORK.

WATCH THE CORPORATE FILM ON SHAKTHI HERE:

All jazzed up from that trip to Kodagu, we decided to train our eyes away from our computer screens for extensive brainstorming sessions. Ideas would float above our heads like brilliantly coloured bubbles… but that was all they were, bubbles which burst almost as soon as they formed.

Eventually, we went from coming up with terribly complex ideas which Sai Sir would roll his eyes at, to ideas that seemed almost plausible. We were also so bad at making Sai Sir understand what we were trying to say, that we acted in and shot our ad films to show him a sample. If Sai Sir hadn't rejected idea after idea, with arguments that only an experienced marketer could come up with, we may never have reached our final concept.

The eventual plan for our ad campaign was not exactly the result of all the knowledge that we had accumulated thus far. It was just one of those bubbles that were floating above group member and “CEO” Saumya Iyer’s head. With little confidence she revealed the idea. At first listen, it was charming. It took me a second to realise the brilliance in its simplicity. And then, our hearts leapt with joy. This bubble did not burst! We had exactly a week by the time we ran it by Sai Sir and were ready to shoot.

Meanwhile, as “Creative Director”, I made the logos for our advertising company “IOTA” and for our ad campaign the “Young Voters Movement”, as well as the posters. Group member and fellow “Creative Director” Risa Monica Kharmutee shot our ad film and wrote our radio ad. And “Media Planner” Prajna gave us solid strategy, complete with teaser, message/tagline, reminder, and acknowledgement to get people out there to vote. We even shot ourselves a company-credentialsvideo.

We discussed almost everything and the results were sharp. And then we practised our pitch at least 20 times. But we were still worried. The MMC groups had a leg up on us with their ability to research and strategise. Plus there was no telling what would come out of the creativity of the other AVC groups.

Finally, D-Day arrived: Saturday, December 7, 2013. With almost a hundred pairs of eyes trained on us, including those of the esteemed judges, we made our pitches.

THE JUDGES PAY RAPT ATTENTION TO THE AD PITCHES AND TO THE "COLLATERAL".

"IOTA" WAITING TO HEAR WHAT THE JUDGES HAD TO SAY... IT WAS ALL GOOD.

The first team to be called was “Pointed Curves” with the topic: “Have sex. Responsibly.” Their pitch had many elements that ours didn’t. We watched, and shivered with fear, as they presented their plans for consumer contact and merchandise. We, on the other hand, hadn’t gone past the basics. Had we not done enough work? At the end of the presentation, though, the judges identified the loopholes in the pitch and picked on them. The group was grilled. The judges were brutal. We watched helplessly.

We happened to be the next group to be called. We strode into the spotlight and made our pitch. When Prajna finished with the final slide, we all gathered together facing the judges, ready to have our pitch shredded to bits. Except, they said we had made quite a “wholesome” presentation and they had no questions. We were stunned. 

We walked quietly out of the auditorium and into the computer lab next door, where we had spent many a day working out this pitch, and screamed, and jumped, and hugged each other.

Even though we knew we had nailed it, we watched on nervously as the remaining six groups made their presentations to the judges. The pitches were elaborate and well thought out. But each groups had to face some tough questions. The judges pointed out the good and bad elements in each pitch.

When the results were announced, frankly, it was no surprise that we had won. I’m not being full of myself by saying this. I’m just proud of the five talented girls I got to work with on this project. It’s because we worked on so many projects together through this semester, each one of us contributing our two cents, making up for one another when emergencies called for it, and becoming best friends at the end of it all, that we were as good as we could be when we made our Ad Pitch.

Sticking to the basics made us the first AVC group in Commits’ history to win the Ad Pitch. And we won by a LARGE margin. So remember, Junior AVCs, you now hold bragging rights for a year, until next year when it’s time for you to make your own pitch. AVCs or MMCs, whether you think you stand a chance or not, give it better than your best.

*Team Turquoise was one of the three teams formed exclusively for Victor's workshop

**Group Saraswathi was one of eight teams that worked together on all the group projects in the third semester

• Read Bilal Hasan's report on the Ad Pitch (and the PR Pitch) here: "PITCH PERFECT".

• ADDITIONAL READING: "What creative advertising really means" (a series by Commits alumni)

The best argument I have read for staying away from social media

Avid reader and seasoned journalist Aakar Patel, writing in the year-end issue of Mint Lounge, says social media is for those looking to be distracted by an inexhaustible supply of material — and not those for whom reading is a serious affair.

I don't agree with him entirely, but a couple of points he has made are right on the button:

As a writer, I personally find social media off-putting and not useful.
 
Writers must be insulated from feedback, particularly of the immediate kind. One has no option but to be exposed to this on Facebook and on Twitter, and such things always carry the expectation of a response. ... [The comments section] is meant to be a conversation, and I accept that at times it is an intelligent one. But having comments on your work published alongside it is the equivalent of talking from atop a soapbox at Hyde Park.

The hooting and the cheers and the heckling is all on display, and apparently for the benefit of the writer. All of this is fine, and legitimate I suppose, and certainly it adds to the reader’s experience. But why subject yourself as a writer to it? Unless the idea is to bask in your popularity or infamy, there is little point.

And here is the other important (and just as valid) point:

[Comments by Indians] tend to be tangential, personal, often abusive and mostly irrelevant. I must also say that the quality of the comment is poor and that of the writing poorer. This is an anecdotal observation, but you know what I mean. It infects the other strain of social media, which is user-generated reviews. I don’t think it is wise to pick a restaurant here through what people have written about it on the Internet.

Read the column in its entirety here: "Why I’m not on social media".

• To know more about Aakar Patel, go here.