Ad land’s Young Guns: Anirudh Sharma, RepIndia

Anirudh Sharma, Group Account Manager - Client Strategy at RepIndia, services some of the marquee brands of the organisation and is a core part of the 40-member servicing team at RepIndia. In a short span of four years in the industry, he has accomplished more than he imagined while working as a content writer initially in his career. 

From writing articles for magazines such as AsiaSpa and developing content for the Fashion Design Council of India, he moved into the digital industry in 2017 as a Search Content Writer. Recognising his talent, within just 8 months he was moved up the ladder to service some of the leading brands on digital such as Adani Group, Tinder India and Suzuki Motorcycles, playing a pivotal role in establishing these brands as pioneers in the industry and execute some award-winning campaigns of 2019. 

How did you join your current organisation?

It was actually something I never really expected being a content writer, but I am grateful enough to be given the opportunity to learn and grow in a very challenging environment. While I thought that writing was one of my core competencies, I just took a leap of faith and moved on to unknown territories in life, because isn’t that what life is all about – exploring the unexplored? Also, having a creative edge helps me do my job better as I can understand what goes into the creative process while managing my patience as a servicing professional today. In a nutshell – it was an absolute Why Not? 

What particular skill set do you bring to the table?

I’m a people’s person and I adapt to any environment you put me in to work. Apart from that, there are a few things I never let go of – my curiosity, hunger to learn, humility to ask all the right & wrong questions, and help the people around me grow as much I am. It’s an industry in which teamwork plays a key role, and I believe in binding people together to make greatness happen. 

Icons in advertising you look up to and how they have influenced you and your work?

Donald Draper and Roger Sterling (from the ‘Mad Men’), they outclass any ad professional out there. And Mr Piyush Pandey, whose greatness cannot be described in words. 

What are the five most productive things that you do in your everyday routine?

  1. Pursue my hobby - playing the guitar whenever I find the time
  2. Workout 4 days a week, or at least try to
  3. Eat healthy, but never missing out on cheat day(s)
  4. Lighten the atmosphere around me with people and places, a healthy laugh helps brew productivity
  5. Turn off for a while, to establish clarity in your head

One campaign that you have worked on that you are particularly proud of? Please take us through the making of the campaign.

This is a tough one! I’m proud of all the campaigns I’ve ever worked on, but there’s one which I’m very attached to. It’s called ‘The Bucket List’ by the Adani Group, which narrates the story of disparities between the urban and rural societies when it comes to the usage of water. Being part of the process since the very initial ideation stages, we created a film which showed the difference between the bucket lists of millennials as compared to that of a household in a rural hamlet. Launching it on World Water Day, the insight and execution was so strong it has been awarded the best video-led marketing campaign by some leading publications. 

While working on the creatives how do you prepare yourself? What goes on in your mind?

Rule No. 1 – soak in the brief. One of my mentors, Ashish Manchanda, always says – a brief well-written is half the job done. Rule No. 2 – finding the right insight to make magic happen. An insight is the foundation of every great campaign out there. Rule No. 3 – always think of the users’ perception. Never forget who you’re speaking to and what or how they might actually perceive your work of art to be. Once you have this in place, with that clarity in your mind about what needs to be done, the stars are the limit to come up with something absolutely mind blowing. 

Do you think a career in advertising is a viable one in the long term?

Advertising can never get old – it’s, in fact, timeless. It’s absolutely viable and even more so considering the evolving nature of the industry. If you can adapt to the changes, you can surely sustain and make your mark in the ad world. 

What does it take to succeed in a career like advertising?

I’ve always believed in working smart, not hard (not that you shouldn’t work hard). But finding the right loopholes, bridging those gaps and thinking beyond your capacity can really help you define yourself as a person and a professional. 

What would be your advice to youngsters planning to enter this industry?

Your hunger to learn in this ever-changing, multifaceted industry will always be your key to success. And don’t be afraid to take up any challenge that comes your way, in fact, throw yourself into it – you’ll surely come out better. 

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?

Bagging a Cannes Lion and packing my bags for a sabbatical to the Bahamas! 

Is there any agency/ organisation that you would like to work with in the future?

I would surely like to test the waters working on the brand side someday, but for now the agency culture is doing me good.

 

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