We didn’t want a dumbed-down simple mass line: Agnello Dias on ABP’s Centenary ad

ABP Group has rolled out its latest campaign celebrating completing 100 years. Created by ad industry veteran Agnello Dias and Mumbai-based Sharpener Design Studio, helmed by Hetal Ajmera and Bianca D’Sa, the centennial milestone campaign sports the tagline: ‘Curiosity questions answers’.

The logo of the centenary campaign unveiled is an interpretation of the concept that ‘Curiosity makes everything interesting’. Profoundly connected with the brand philosophy, the most striking visual element of ABP Group’s novel logo is its question mark motif, etched as a human face in reverse – a face that keeps changing with depictions.

The ad film shows a young boy travelling from his village to ABP’s swanky office in search of ‘Corio City’, showcasing an inquisitive young mind’s journey to seek an answer to a question that spur him ahead.

Adgully spoke to Agnello Dias to know more about the conceptualisation and making of ABP’s Centenary film, the thought behind the ‘Curiosity questions answers’ proposition, what he has been doing after moving out of dentsu last year, and more.

What is the core thought behind ABP’s centenary campaign? How did you arrive at this core thought?

The core thought evolved from a series of discussions I had with the ABP team. The notion of curiosity and questioning what we know kept recurring as ABP’s true brand essence. It was omnipresent in everything the brand has done over the last hundred years and all it took was a little scratching below the surface to uncover it. Come to think of it, this is also the essence of all journalism in its most basic form, so it was no surprise that it resonated with all stakeholders.

What was the brief received from the client? How does the brand vision align with the essence of the campaign?

The brief called for launching and articulating a position for the brand that would ring true for an internal as well as external audience and could also stand the test of time. The brief also mentioned the group’s core belief, that the legacy you leave is the life you lead. Which is what set me thinking on a path that eventually led to this articulation.

What’s the thought behind the tagline – ‘Curiosity questions answers’? What is it meant to convey about ABP?

Curiosity in its purest form is not only about exploring new possibilities, but also about revisiting old truths. To articulate this, we didn’t want a dumbed-down simple mass line. We wanted an articulation that provoked the reader to pause and do a double take, to think and be stimulated. It is meant to convey that the brand is as much about depth as it is about width.

Could you take us through the making of the campaign – from the conceptualisation stage to the final execution?

Well, the ABP team reached out to me and spoke about the possibility of collaborating on this. I was not very sure I could pull it off as I was not a part of an agency nor did I have a team. And as I started thinking about it, I realised that I would need help. So, I reached out to Hetal Ajmera of Sharpener Design to help me with visual look. And soon Lata Vasudevan, a seasoned writer, came on board too. We interacted mostly virtually as the pandemic lockdown was on most of the time and between the three of us, we created around 20 or 25 original pieces of creative. I must say, I was surprised about how much just the 3 of us could pull off without the support structure of a network agency or team. For the film, I reached out to Ashim Ahluwalia of Future East, whom I have always followed as a Director but never got a chance to work with over the years. The passion and madness he brought to the project against all odds is what made it the masterpiece that you see today.

A lot in the ad film depends on the young boy seeking ‘Coro city’. Who is he and how and where did you find him?

His name is Krishiv Jindal. He is a child artiste, who was auditioned and shortlisted by the Future East team. I just had to approve him, so all the credit goes to the production house. I must add that a lot of effort was taken to make him ‘look’ the part and it has clearly paid off.

Please tell us about your experience collaborating with Sharpener Design Studio for this campaign?

I have worked with Hetal Ajmera during my agency life and along with her partner Bianca – they have made Sharpener Design Studio a genuinely high calibre place for all form of high-end design. So, it was a breeze working with them and when Hetal came up with the symbol of a changing human face inside a question mark, I knew we were home. Both Lata Vasudevan Bagchi, co-writer, and Hetal have also worked together with me in the past, which made co-ordination all the more smoother.

What has kept you busy after moving out of dentsu last year? What projects/ clients/ venture are you involved in currently?

I have found out that creativity is a habit as much as a talent and I need to do something before I get really rusty. But we will cross that flyover when we come to it.

In your view, what are the key changes that have happened in the advertising industry during the pandemic period?

Nothing that has not already been chronicled. Everything has gotten far more result-oriented rather than process-oriented. Which is bad for the industry’s future talent as it is process that builds knowledge, results only validate that. And if clients look for results irrespective of the process, then it’s going to get more and more like gambling at the casino.

What are the emerging trends that will steer the advertising industry ahead in the next 5 years?

The agency-client relationship as we knew it is at its most fragile point. Bonding or friendship between the client and agency top brass is not a relationship. So we may be looking at a model where everything is an assignment or a freelance job. With agencies actually functioning as freelance collectives rather than a process oriented base for creativity to blossom. Sad but unfortunately may be true.