Fake Cannes Lion Winner’s blog 4

Those who know it, know it. Those who’ve realized that the industry is turning into sham, either choose to protest or silently witness it and do nothing about it. This blog doesn’t talk to them. We are Indians, after all. But it really justifies those extra hours I put in everyday to write, when I know that there are people who still think everything’s fine. Why create a hue and cry when there are bigger things to worry about? Like winning more Pencils next year, perhaps.

Reputation, my dear. Some people have a reputation to protect in this industry. Let’s understand that first. People take home unmentionable pay packets not for churning out day-to-day work that sucks. You are as good as your last (award-winning) work. Admit it. Winning is everything, after all. Conscience be damned. Win it now, or lose out on that Cannes trip next year. And let me tell you, there’s too much to miss out on. Industry veterans – right from an agency head honcho to creative directors – are behind awards. It’s a fact. So it isn’t really strange to spot people being hired to the creative department just to work on scams. It isn’t strange to see Client Servicing furious during the ‘award season’, when award-worthy work dominates a creative job list. It isn’t passion anymore. It’s just plain greed.

More than anything, it’s almost become like a social status. Not almost, it is a social status. Respect. Admiration. Recognition. Priceless things to lose out on. Seriously, it’s only human that you go behind fame-at-any-cost. Australians are human too. And if you are a first timer and fail to achieve it this year, scam more next year. Keep scamming till it works out in your favour. The world still goes crazy about a Shahid Afridi.

Cannes 2009 will only be a beginning. India will have more say at Cannes in the coming years. The big clients in this country will want to have a ‘Client of the Year’ category, of course. India’s financial might will be too hard to resist. More entries, more categories. And the day isn’t far when the country takes home an ‘Agency of the Year’. God forbid, we see a local panwallah walking away with that ‘Client of the Year’.