Why creative tech is driving a paradigm shift in TV ads: Bharaath Sundar

A few years ago, a captivating advert on Indian TV portrayed humans, instead of light bulbs, illuminating an entire palace with their sparkling white teeth. This seemingly bizarre commercial for Happydent drew a smile on the face of many a TV viewer while effectively communicating its core message – that chewing gum results in a shiny white smile. But it would have been nigh-on impossible to produce this ad without the creative technologies that were used in its post production. Visual effects, until then the preserve of blockbuster films, had begun to make inroads into India’s television advertising industry. This dynamic arm of the Media & Entertainment industry was on the cusp of change, a paradigm shift that was being initiated by the power of creative technologies – and today we stand at the cutting edge of the next big shift.

Given its dynamic nature and the fast pace at which technology is evolving, new innovations are already knocking at the door of Indian advertising. Virtual and Augmented Reality, Projection Mapping and even 3D Printing are just some of the many trends that are already impacting advertisers and the brands they represent. Applications of virtual and augmented reality in advertising are already being explored in the West, and are beginning to redefine digital advertising in these markets.

These new creative technologies offer brands the opportunity to create deeper and more meaningful connections with their audiences, enhancing brand recall through engaging and immersive experiences. Used well, the direct and personal nature of the experience intensifies the impact of the advertising, generating strong emotions and creating memorable and positive moments for the consumer that will be relayed to family and friends.

It will be interesting to see how quickly the Indian advertising industry adopts these new creative technologies. From our perspective in the advertising services sector, educating and grooming the right kind of talent, investing in the right skills and technology platforms, and evangelizing the host of opportunities to our clients are what the Indian market needs in order to truly begin embracing these unprecedented methods of story-telling.

If I were to reflect on how India has taken to creative technologies in all their myriad forms, it would be fair to say that this explosion is a by-product of the revolution we are all experiencing today with the proliferation of digital media.  The ever increasing acceptance of the medium and the plethora of devices that support content consumption are helping to driving this next phase of development in Indian advertising; and the skills and knowledge that we are building in the advertising services sector mean that we will be here to support the industry when it is ready to start adopting these new creative technologies. And believe me, it’s not far away.

(Bhaarath Sundar is Chief Business Development Officer, Advertising and Animation – India at Prime Focus)

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