Ad landâ€™s Young Guns: Mufaddal Mahabaleshwarwala, iProspect India

Mufaddal Mahabaleshwarwala is a Strategist – Creative at iProspect India. He is as passionate about writing – not just work but even interesting conservations he has with anyone in his day to day life – as he is about football and music, which is what takes up a chunk of his time when not working.

With a degree in Mass Media, he started his career as a copywriter and moved up the ladder through his dedication and love for writing. Skilled in Digital Strategy, Copywriting, Web Content Writing, Advertising, and Creative Strategy, Mahabaleshwarwala has worked on numerous clients in his career of 8+ years.

How did you get into the role you are serving?
I worked up the ladder to get to this role. I joined iProspect as a senior writer. Even though writing is what I’ve always wanted to do, it was time to move on to bigger things – to look at campaigns from a more holistic level. Therefore, I moved into Creative Strategy. It obviously still involves writing, but more than just that, it also involves working on brand campaigns and working out ways to amplify them.

What particular skill sets do you think you bring to the table?
Since my school days, I wanted a career in writing. So, it was fitting that I got into a role that exploits my interest. Writing meaningful and error-free copy is what I specialise in. What I’ve also added to my repertoire is chalking out creative-led campaigns for brands on digital.

How did iProspect come about?
By chance, really. After a few years at Ignitee, I moved on to another agency and wasn’t enjoying the work. So, I started looking at some of my LinkedIn messages, one of which was from an HR at iProspect. I knew iProspect was known for performance. But it seemed like the perfect opportunity for me – to marry my creative skills with performance at iProspect. It’s been close to 4 years, and it still feels like yesterday.

Icons in this field you look up to and how they have influenced you and your work?
While a lot of writers are influenced by greats such as John Caples and David Ogilvy among others, I owe my writing skills to Radhika Mital – former Creative Director, Copy, at Ignitee. She got me onboard because she appreciated my penchant for writing. But that’s all I had. Everything I learnt about writing copy for brands, thinking of concepts instead of lines, etc., was thanks to her. Another person who has influenced my career choices is Muddassar Memon, VP - Operations, at iProspect. He helped me streamline my thoughts better and choose Creative Strategy as the way ahead.

What are the five most productive things that you do in your everyday routine?
Work takes up a major chunk of my time. But I still find time for some of the things I love doing:

Playing and watching football.
Listening to music – I have a really varied playlist.
Writing about things I come across in daily life – could be about a conversation I had with a cabbie.
Riding my bike – that’s something I really love doing. It’s also a great stress reliever.
Reading automobile magazines and football literature online.

Do you think a career in this field is a viable one in the long term?
I’ve been in the advertising field, specifically digital, for the last 7 years. I wouldn’t have continued this long if I didn’t think it was sustainable. There will never be a shortage of brands in the market. And if there are brands, there will be advertising. So yes, all forms of advertising are here to stay, so it’s a great option in the long term.

What does it take to succeed in a career?
Perseverance. If you stick to what you are best at in your career, you are bound to succeed.

What would be your advice to youngsters planning to enter this industry?
Don’t be afraid to put in the long hours. And never lose the will to keep learning. Stick to your strengths, but also grasp as much as you can at your workplace. No amount of studying can beat on-the-job learning.

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Sky is the limit. So, the plan is to keep doing my best, working on some kick-ass campaigns, and keep moving up the ladder.

Is there any organisation that you would like to work with in the future?
I like to live in the moment. Four years at iProspect and I still enjoy what I do. I’ll think about this question the day I stop enjoying my work here.