Ad land’s Young Guns: Dipshika Ravi, Hungama Digital Services

Dipshika Ravi is a postgraduate from MICA, currently managing the Social Media team at Hungama Digital Services. She began her career eight years ago as a Google AdWords expert. 

Over the years, Dipshika has worked on award-winning campaigns and solutions for brands like Mahindra, Godrej, Microsoft, Intel, Times Now and Hyundai among others, across various digital platforms. She has worked with more than 150 brands. 

Very recently, she was handpicked as one of 50 JWT High Potential Employees, from a network of more than 12,000+ global employees, to attend a prestigious leadership training programme in New York. 

When she is not working, she is either perfecting her moves at Zumba, hitting the road less travelled, blogging about fashion or going on food tasting rambles with likeminded friends. 

What does it takes to climb up the ladder in advertising? Here’s Dipshika Ravi in her own words... 

How did you get into the role you are serving?
Well, I consider this as a fortunate stroke of serendipity! Working for a digital agency was never on the list. Branding, consumer behaviour, making jingles and ads – I used to love these. Fortunately (and coincidentally), I happened to get through a company (iProspect) through my campus placement, and that’s where I learnt about Hungama Digital Media. Cracked the interview (Thanks, Rama), got mentored well, and here I am! Been doing Hungama for seven years! 

What particular skill sets do you think you bring to the table?
Thank you for letting me boast of my skills here! 

Jokes apart, I think I am someone who believes in lateral thinking. I like working as a team, listening to people and considering their viewpoints. Above all, I have an immense love for consumer behaviour and brand building, which helps me make the process of ideation all the more fun and exciting. 

One campaign that you have worked on that you are particularly proud of? Please take us through the making of the campaign.
I have a list of campaigns to be proud of, and it’s not just because of me, it’s because of team-work. I have been really fortunate to be a part of some award-winning campaigns that we have done for Godrej, Mahindra, Hyundai, Microsoft, and Times Now, to name a few. The one that I cherish the most is the ‘Godrej – Myth-o-logic’ campaign. It started off as a simple consumer insight on how people are naïve about securing their valuables. We listed down a couple of household security ‘myths’ and put logic to each, and articulated a campaign called ‘Myth-O-Logic’ – which became a well-known property in the social space. Right from coming up with the idea to seeing it come out alive as a motion comic campaign – every stage was special for me. 

While working on the creatives how do you prepare yourself? What goes on in your mind?
First thing I ask while working on the creatives/ pitch – ‘Deadline kab hai? (when is the deadline?)’.

Followed by, ‘these ideas are great, hope it gets through’. 

Icons in advertising you look up to and how they have influenced you and your work?
I look up to a lot of people from our industry. I do have a long list. There are hundreds of people who influence me every day. My seniors, my team, interns in the company – everyone inspires me in their own way. If I see my team finishing a three-hour job in half an hour, he/she inspires me. If I see something cool done by someone, that inspires me. Basically, good work and hard work inspire me. 

What are the five most productive things that you do in your everyday routine?
First off, I need a cup of chai or coffee for me to get productive!

This is followed by (I think I have more than 5 things).

A to-do list for the day (to be organised in the head).

Another cup of coffee (and then many more after that).

Interact with the team, and figure out their lives and deadlines.

Read. Analyse. Implement.

Document everything on email.

Keep a track of deliverables/ deadlines and follow up with the team.

Look at other campaigns and wonder – ‘hey, why didn’t I think about that?!’

Think of people and wonder – ‘hey, when am I going to reach that level’.

End the day with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee. 

Do you think a career in advertising is a viable one in the long term?
This question reminds me of this quote – "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." - Confucius

I have been in Advertising for seven years. Some of my seniors in the organisation have been in this field for over 15 years. Sounds viable? It does, right? 

But, think about it. Which other field gives you the same amount of pleasure and joy when you see your work GO LIVE, or which other job lets you do brainstorming at a local chaitappri, or which other industry lets you walk into your office in shorts (or whatever you want). Advertising does! 

What does it take to succeed in a career like advertising?
There is no mantra as such. May be the below tips could help: 

Have Patience – Because, your ideas don’t get approved at one go!

Lateral Thinking is important – Because, your clients don’t pay you to give them mediocre ideas

Be Crazy – Because, the best ideas come as jokes. Make your thinking as funny as possible (Quote courtesy: David Ogilvy)

Have Passion – Because, when you see your work GO LIVE, that’s the best feeling ever!

Be ready for Late nights – Because, it’s advertising

Most importantly, have Courage – To take ‘NO’ as an answer. 

What would be your advice to youngsters planning to enter this industry?
1. Do it with passion or not at all. 

2. Keep getting inspired.

3. Keep learning (never say you know it all).

4. Push yourself. Don’t settle.

5. Work hard, party harder. 

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Just Google my name after five years to find out! 

Is there any agency/ organisation that you would like to work with in the future?
Can we discuss this offline, please? #JustKidding.

On a serious note, my future plans depend a lot on what I am doing right now and how content I am right now. For now, I am just going with the flow, and I am loving it!