Adland Rockstars: Sangeeta Velegar

This week's Adland Rockstar is Sangeeta Velegar, senior creative director, Dentsu Communications.

 

 

How did you get into advertising? 

I was always pretty clear that I wanted to write. And when I did my Mass Communications, I realised rather quickly that journalism may not be it. Advertising just seemed like a hipper, every-day-is-different kind of take on writing. A short internship at Leo Burnett convinced me that it could work, so I plunged right in. A few copy tests later, joined a teeny little Trikaya-breakaway agency called Kane, where I spent a year and a half. Then I had the utter good fortune to be hired by Sonal at Ogilvy, which is where I learned most of the advertising stuff I know today. Then moved cities and agencies, to Grey, Bangalore, which was another trip in itself. We didn’t have a creative director for the longest time, so we ended up with the craziest amount of independence. And it isn’t until you step out of O&M that you realize that creating and judging your work isn’t the only thing you have to do as a creative person. 

 

I grew up quite a bit at Grey, moved to Madras to head Creative there. Jumped ship to JWT, which was a pretty short but good stay. Moved back to Bangalore due to a family crisis, and joined the first agency that would have me. And have been at Dentsu since. Not counting a ten-month sabbatical last year.

 

Weirdly enough, not really. There’s a dim recollection of being puzzled a lot. And discovering a Mac outside of Bandra.

 

That everything I do in life contributes to it. The stuff I read, the bad jokes people tell me, websites I visit, restaurants I walk into,… everything goes right in. It’s fab. It’s like some Buddhist concept – everything’s connected.

 

When it feels like a job. You know, when it feels like a list of things to be knocked off by EOD. It’s a terribly depressing feeling. Very workmanlike.

 

Step out for a great meal. Shop. And I have several happiness-inducing playlists on my iPod.

 

Whoever’s in the room, really. I’ve trained myself not to be picky about this.

 

They’re all hugely different, but, in the end, it really doesn’t matter. If you can find your own square of space in an agency – and that takes time – you’ll be fine, irrespective. 

 

There are way too many: Murakami, Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Douglas Adams, Lee Child, McEwan, Atwood, John Connolly, Zadie Smith. Current fave’s Stieg Larsson. Some of my favourite books are On Beauty, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, The Bell Jar, Un Lun Dun, Sputnik Sweetheart and any Jack Reacher thriller.

 

The early Star Wars movies, The Usual Suspects, Shatranj ke Khiladi, Devi, A Hard Day’s Night, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

 

Anyone who’s just joined advertising – they’re always the most interesting types. After some time in the business, we all end up being a lot more similar than we suspect.

 

George Clooney wins that vote. Though Bono came really close.

 

Maggi noodles, a Kindle, and my dog, Smudge.