Adland Rockstars: Rasika Banerjee

This week's Adland Rockstar is Rasika Banerjee, brand planner, Orchard Advertising.

Why did you get into advertising?
I was a banker before this. I worked with Citibank for six months, then with a company called Cargill. I couldn’t imagine doing it for the rest of my life. So I did try and find out about other sectors that I could get into. Advertising was one of them. Met a few creative people and figured out this is what I want to do. It would allow me to work on brands, develop strategies. That’s when I joined Everest. Later, I moved to the Leo Burnett group.

One thing you like about your job.
The fact that it gives me the opportunity to work on different brands, across categories, understand consumer insights and so much more. I also get to work with different kinds of people. Besides, I enjoy working at Orchard and it has a great work culture.

One thing you don’t like about your job.
Long meetings! (Which on most times, amount to nothing.) And the less footage planners receive in the media.

One person in advertising you’d like to have dinner with.
David Droga.

One person outside advertising you’d like to have dinner with.
George Clooney. And ...erm...Salman Khan, especially after watching Wanted.

One book you can read again and again.
Anything on Calvin and Hobbes.

One movie you can watch again and again.
A Beautiful Mind.

One advertising campaign you really admire.
The Dove (Real Beauty) campaign. It’s not like an ‘ad kar diya, ho gaya’ campaign. The communication is really 360 degrees. They’ve done everything possible that the brand needs. Dove is doing phenomenally well, globally.

Best job outside advertising.
Fashion writer.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, what things would you want with you?
My dog Layla and my iPod.