I wish I had made these

?In today?s world, the TV is a cluster of so many voices and even more brands that it becomes difficult to stand out. It is even tougher to stand out for the right reasons. But it does happen. Those are the gems we all wished were ours to possess,? says Dentsu Creative Impact’s executive creative director Manavjit Mohil. ?Like the Tata Safari commercial ? Reclaim your Life. A combination of brilliant, simple insight and an unmatched execution, it really did change the way people viewed advertising. It became a philosophy almost. Who wouldn?t want that — to be recognised at every office, at every new start, on every vacation well spent? We all get the same thought ? reclaim your life.?

The second commercial he really likes is the Deewana Bana De ? IPL Manoranjan Ka Baap ad. ?The puns, the drama, the Bollywood flavour and exaggerations are absolutely stunning. I still remember how intrigued I was when it first broke. It?s like a Bollywood masala movie packed in a minute. I tip my hat to the team that worked on this extremely ?manoranjak? (entertaining) commercial,? he says.

Thank god, it isn?t me

?Have you seen the Laxmi Chachi?s underwear ad? Unfortunately I did. And sadly I can?t forget it. Not a proud moment for Reema Lagoo, as says a comment on YouTube, this truly is a kind of communication I?m glad I have nothing to do with,? says Mohil. ?The same goes for ?18 Again? where I just find the whole premise very distasteful.?

He adds, ?There is a lot that happens behind the scenes or even before that while making a commercial. It?s not an easy job by any standard. So I?m sure each creative veto was made for a reason that perhaps the creators and the clients know best.?

My first AD

Mohil?s first TV commercial was for Perfetti and the brief was to make a commercial for a scratch card offer. Talking about his experience, he says, ?Our idea was to show people scratching all over. I was very excited like any young art director would be. It was an opportunity that came to me early in my career and it changed the way I worked. I learnt a new medium and to know that it would be on national television for everyone to see was a happiness I found hard to hide. It?s a memory I try and remember each time I think of a commercial ? so that it always remains exciting and not just another job.?

Mohil is currently working as senior vice president/executive creative director at Dentsu Creative Impact. At Dentsu, he works on brands like Maruti Suzuki, Hitachi, Konika Minolta, Unicharm and three brands from Vini Cosmetics.

Mohil started his career at Lintas (now Lowe) and then moved to Ogilvy & Mather (now Ogilvy India). He joined Dentsu for the first time in 2003 and worked on campaigns for Sony Ericsson, Vatika, Tata, Canon and HDFC Standard Life. After a two year stint at Bates Pangulf Dubai, he joined Dentsu again in 2008, this time as a creative director.