Newsmaker: Rahul Mathew takes up the challenge to ignite the creative fuse at DDB Mudra West

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Rahul Mathew_DDB Mudra_Crop2014.jpgWhen DDB Mudra West lured McCann Erickson Mumbai’s ECD Rahul Mathew to the agency lead their creative output it was a major hire. Chairman and Chief Creative Office Sonal Dabral had for some time been looking for a suitable person to take on the Creative Head role after already putting people in place is other offices.

At the time Dabral commented: “I’m very excited to welcome Rahul to the DDB Mudra Group family. I’ve known Rahul for a while now and have followed his career across countries and agencies, seeing him build brands and win multiple awards along the way. A new age creative thinker equally adept at traditional and non traditional media, Rahul is just the talent to lead the creative teams in DDB Mudra West. With Andee leading the creative charge in MudraMax, Vipul in DDB Mudra South, Sambit in DDB Mudra North and now Rahul coming in to lead DDB Mudra West, we now have a formidable creative leadership in place. I’m looking forward to the teams creating some fantastic work for our clients in the coming years.”

Seven months into the job Campaign Brief Asia caught up with Mathew (pictured above) as part of our regular “Newsmaker” series.

Mathew said originally what appealed the most about the offer to join DDB Mudra West was Dabral himself.

“Sonal was part of the motley few who helped put Indian advertising on the world map, over a decade back. If he had stuck around I think we would have worked together sooner,” says Mathew.

He said he met Dabral formally for the first time about four and a half years ago and since then they had both been looking for ways to work together.

“So when Sonal threw down the challenge of DDB Mudra West, it seemed the perfect time to do so. And DDB being one of the very few globally respected networks, strengthened the case even further. Few agencies, the world over, can boast of a creative culture the likes of DDB. And to be appointed a custodian of such a celebrated culture is both exciting and frightening.

“There hasn’t been a Creative Head for DDB Mudra West for close to 3 years; so the place lost its creative moorings for a while. I think bringing that creative focus, energy and discipline back is my biggest challenge.

“Both Sonal and I have only agenda for the place – make it one of the stars of the DDB network. And since the standards of the network is bloody high, that should put us way up there on both the Global and Indian map. When we manage to do that the awards will follow – the Lions, the Effies, the Pencils, the Spikes, the You-Name-Its, the Single Malts. 

“As a creative person, I can have no other priority than to put the agency on the creativity map,” said Mathew (pictured below).

Was it a tough decision to leave McCann?

Leaving McCann was particularly tough, because I was leaving a good art partner and a great friend behind in Akshay Kapnadak. We had started the McCann Mumbai resurrection project together in 2010 and put a lot of ourselves in it. Also the fact that I have spent almost half my career at McCann (albeit in 2 stints) didn’t make it any easier.

But both Akshay and I felt that we had to a great extent achieved the difference we wanted to make at McCann Mumbai. We had steered it out of the choppy waters and into strong creative currents. The place now just needed steering. And I guess I needed a new challenge.

What are you most proud of in your time at McCann?

A simple McCann Mumbai statistic should do that: 2008, 2009 – A few finalists, 1 metal at London Internationals. 2010-2013 – Spikes Grand Prix, 3 Lions, 4 One Show Pencils, 13 Lotus at Adfest, 2 Spikes, 2 Clios, 2 Andys, over 20 finalists in International shows, and close to 30 Abbys.

How big is the DDB Mudra West office and how much talent do you have in your department?

DDB Mudra West has two locations – Mumbai & Ahmedabad. Across the two locations we have about 65 creative people. In fact over the last couple of months, there have been a lot of new talent joining us; and we’re rather excited by the diverse talent we have been able to attract of late.

What did you do before getting into advertising?

I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Studies. Advertising was no where on the radar back then. All I knew was that I was done with studying. And so I drifted around doing many things. The last of which (before advertising) was drafting master production schedules at a watch company.

How did you first get into advertising as a career?

Advertising was an alley I ducked into to avoid getting beaten-up by the ‘Need to do an MBA’. I had landed up at the doorstep of a medium-sized agency in Delhi wanting to be media planner (don’t ask me why). They said they had an opening for an account management trainee. I took it. Only to be told six months, and a couple of run-ins, later that I didn’t have the skills to cut it.

Luckily a copywriter there felt I should try my hand at writing. A couple of copy tests later, I found the perfect alley to hide in for good.

What was your first big break in advertising?

JWT, Delhi. Was hired by an eccentric Creative Giant called Dennis Joseph.

What is your career highlight to date?

I guess that would be the Radio Grand Prix at Adfest. While it was the second Grand Prix of my career, I believe it was the first for Y&R Asia. That piece won the agency a lot of glory that year and catapulted us to No.3 in Kuala Lumpur and No. 17 in Asia. And the cherry on the cake was that it was on Colgate, our biggest client.

The fact that all this happened in the one year that I headed the office, did wonders to my confidence as well.

What are your two favourite ads or campaigns that you have been involved with?

The above mentioned Colgate Brushing Radio Innovation. It was immensely gratifying winning on a brand that most write off as an uncreative brand. The spot (along with some other pieces) helped Colgate win “Client of the Year” at the Kancil Awards in Malaysia.

WU Queen.jpg

And the Western Union Demo billboards. It was a year-long project just getting it right. Akshay and I felt like a junior art-copy team once again. And the effort paid off with a Gold Lion, 3 One Show Pencils, 2 Adfest Lotus, 2 Spikes, 2 Clios, 2 Andys and many shortlists.

samsonite_heavenandhell-1.jpgLife-Cycle-Cityscape.jpgIs there an ad that makes you green with envy?

I live in a constant state of green. Earlier we had to wait till the award shows to know of the great things happening around the world; today if you don’t stumble up on them while browsing, some kid is sure to tell you about it in some corridor conversation or post it on his wall.

And there’s so much good stuff happening – the Phillipines Sim Card Text Books, the Bentley Burial, Samsonite Heaven & Hell, the Senna Sound of Honda, Coke Friendship Machine, VW Darth Vader Spot, the Water Billboard, NAB Breakup, Cityscape Lifecycle…. You get the drift.

 

Do you have a ‘worst mistake’ or a most embarrassing moment in your advertising career to date?

I once narrated a script to a client about a not-so-bright woman, turned out the name I had given the character was that of the senior guy’s wife. I was politely told that later. The script never made it out of the conference room.

Akshay_Kapnadak.jpgIs there a person you have enjoyed working with the most?

That would easily be my two art partners – Puneet & Akshay (pictured on right). Not only were they the yings to my yang; they were both very good writers themselves, so I had no choice but to up my game. And just watching them, made me a better judge of art as well. Even today a lot of my feedback to art directors is actually them talking.

 

Hemant Anant Jain.jpgWho is the most interesting, or most inspiring, or funniest person you have ever met or worked with?

Inspiring – Hemant Anant Jain (left). We started our careers together, but he always set the bar so high that one had to constantly take great leaps of creativity just to keep up. He has worked at some of the best agencies in the world – W+K London & Amsterdam, CPB Boulder to name a few. Even as a peer, he was a mentor. And still is.

Ramanuj_Shashtry.jpgInteresting – Ramanuj Shastry (right). He was my boss at McCann. Ramanuj is the stand-up act of interesting tidbits. He strings together the most interesting of conversations with facts that you wouldn’t even know where to find. He also taught me the ropes of being a Creative Director. Though am still trying to get them right.

What’s your favourite leisure activity/hobbies outside of advertising?

My dog is my favourite obsession outside of advertising. Followed by the Chelsea Football Club. Actually have been an avid sportsman all my life; it didn’t matter what sport, I wanted to play it. The same spirit still exists, just that it’s now about watching it.

Favourite holiday destination?

Thanks to my wife (a travel consultant), there’s been a fair bit of holiday travel in the last 6 years.  And there are far too many places that I’ve fallen in love with over these years – Istanbul, Queenstown, Phi Phi islands, Berlin, Munich, Mykonos, New York, Sri Lanka, Rajasthan… I could go on and on. 

Favourite hotel?

Don’t have one. I get so besotted by the city/town I am in, that the hotel often just becomes a place to get some shut eye.

Tell me something about yourself that not many people would know.

I have hosted shows for All India Radio. And also had a short stint as a part-time DJ at a pub in Delhi.

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