Gopi Kukde, Jameel Gulrays, Ashish Chowdhry start new agency

What happens when two industry veterans join hands with an enterprising and ambitious young actor? Set off some odd chemistry or maybe an awkward threesome?

Well, before your grey cells go into the overdrive, some history about the young man should put you in perspective. For one, he's no fresher attracted by the glamour of advertising. Instead he is a seasoned professional who has almost a decade behind him having helped his father run his advertising agency. He is Ashish Chowdhry, son of Inder Chowdhry, chairman and managing director of Mumbai-based Art Advertising. Now he has moved out of Art Advertising to has set up an independent outfit Emote Communications. On board, is media-veteran Jameel Gulrays and renowned art director, Gopi Kukde. Also slated to join the trio as head of servicing is Sanjay Shetkar from Art Advertising.

But what prompted the younger Chowdhry to take this step given the turmoil in the advertising industry in general? Explains the MD of Emote who's also played the lead role in Sony Entertainment Television's Hum Pardesi Ho Gaye, "Many would like to believe that there is some kind of rift between dad and me but in reality he has always been very supportive of the decisions I have taken. The fact is that I have always wanted to do things differently, go that extra mile and in the process, revolutionise the way clients think of their brands. I don't think, Art could give me that platform because it has a set pattern of thinking and functioning, which is why with mutual agreement, I decided to branch off on my own."

While the idea of setting up the new agency had germinated in March this year, the process of setting up shop has been long and arduous. Now the team is waiting to move into its brand new office in the suburbs of Mumbai by the first or second week of September.

Emote will debut with a handful of clients including Elder Pharmaceuticals (the entire range of products including Tiger balm, Solo cough drops, cough syrup, inhaler and vaporiser, and AMPM Mouthwash), Leon Shin Donga Electricals (brands include Leon International Modular Switches, Lisha Switches, Leon Modular Switches) and Sapat (brands include Parivar packaged tea and a new dust variant to be launched soon). "We've also pitched for some more businesses and are expecting at least two more clients to join us," emphasises Gulrays, the ‘main pillar' behind Emote. "I have a minority stake in the company but money has never really been a priority for me or Gopi." Says Kukde, "In advertising what counts is the environment. Your client profile as well as the people in an agency, all contribute to create a hotshop that sells. We are hoping to get the right mix of business and people, which would eventually work for Emote."

The agency logo, Emote's most visible identity, is a set of garbled characters as opposed to a simple graphic, visual or solid picture. Avers Gulrays about the ‘unusual' choice, "Your words are garbled when you choke with emotion. Well, that's the idea. To portray the basic product benefit with emotion, unlike cold communication, which won't help the brand connect with people and thereby won't give our clients an edge over competition. We are quite clear that an advertising agency is an extension of the marketing department and we are at war with the client's competitors." Adds Chowdhry, "Teamwork is very crucial. The client would look for results, which should emanate from a combined spirit to do good work."

Speaking about teamwork, the core group has plans to induct two members each in copy, servicing and media and five members in art. "Our aim is to build ‘preferred' brands," claims Gulrays. "The whole objective is to become number one and for that we have to displace someone else," he reiterates. © 2002 agencyfaqs!