Hindi killed the English Star

New Delhi: The first music video aired by the iconic MTV in the USA was 'Video killed the Radio Star', recorded by The Buggles. The persuasive legacy of the iconic Piyush Pandey lies in elevating 'Hindi' to the Box Seat of the Advertising industry, demolishing the stardom of 'English'. Quite coincidentally, the music channels of MTV are being terminated in 2025, the year of the creative maestro's regrettable passing. 

Till the 1990s or even the first decade of the new century, Advertising was an English-first profession. In terms of the 'original' language of creation and more vitally, as the 'origins' of work ( and play) culture. This extended to the way agencies were operated and how career paths were navigated. 

Post independence and in the stuffy decades of Nehruvian restraint, scalable buying power was clearly concentrated in Urban India, that too in select pockets. South Bombay, South Calcutta, South Delhi and directional peers in Bangalore and Chennai.Typically, such citizenry drew substance and aspiration from English Medium education and expression, the white man's burden executed manfully by the past masters. 

Quite like the 'Seeta aur Geeta' archetype of Bharat and India, valid 'then' most certainly, Advertising output was clinically demarcated. The remunerative consumer and corporate campaigns, designed for The Hindu or The Times of India, were crafted in Imperial English.

The social welfare and mass utility communication were designed in rooted vernacular, destined for media vehicles allergic to the premium audiences. No awards for guessing which side attracted the greater attention. 

It all started with the tidings of the legacy agency office, an aspirational extension of global MNC structures, physically and emotionally. The office manager, a lady or gentleman of impeccable occidental graces, albeit prone to the occasional Park Avenue idiosyncrasies, for necessary corporate optics.

Annual feasts for the stakeholders at large, 'Bada Khana' in anachronistic coinage, were invariably designated for the Christmas season, while Diwali was a personal alcove. Lengthy Saturday lunches were rather common, with the Gin and Tonic acting as both bait and provocation, for cracking the enigmatic creative brief. 

Even the iconic personalities of that day and age were from the ramparts of English theatre, a mix of Shakespearean and Orwellian. They were crafted, by grooming and intent, to blend beautifully with the overseas bosses, whose visits turned out to be relentless drama, laced with an icing of trauma.

Presentations had to be picture perfect, as any slippage in grammar of language and grammage of gravitas could lead to 'Kala Pani' banishment for systemic juniors. Which could mean an endless secondment to the 'Collections' team or even worse, the gulag-like Print Production backwaters. When 'English' was the star, we lived and worked on other people's terms, a soft extension of the 200-year entrapment, that is best left unnamed. 

Quite appropriately, the most significant outcome of 'Hindification' was an overwhelming sense of autonomy, 'freedom' if you may. By default logic, the customer insights and creative headstarts had to come from indigenous sources, and the Anglo-Saxon bosses could no longer be 'credible' thought leaders. Also, the winds of liberalisation meant that Indian enterprises, Airtel and Dabur for instance, flaunted the wealthiest wallets in town and even seasoned MNCs needed hard core IIM and not HBS acumen to run successful businesses. The balance of power changed dramatically, as Indians were well and truly calling the shots. 

A lot more changed as well - small, medium and large. Those with English language expertise, in thinking and creating, were confronted by a critical mid life crisis, totally unexpected. The cosy home conditions of the agency office suddenly resembled a Perth WACA track, the Freemantle Doctor in the form of counter-culture vernacular creators. From a different school, university and indeed coffee shop, or perhaps chai stall. The world changed rather quickly for many and life would never be the same again. What seemed apocalyptic,thankfully, turned out to transformational in the long run, with valuable implications.

The Advertising industry, in terms of business driving ammunition, remarkably preempted the India Growth Story, and never had to play catch up. Due to the pioneering deeds of Piyush Pandey and an entire band of accomplished early adopters, a customer-centric communication template was successfully established. Across industry, not just Ogilvy, and thus building a creative power bank that is a genuine driver of Growth and ROi. A clear way forward from the craft-centric orientation of the English era, designed for 'The Copy Book' and not an operational copybook.

As MTV winds down the music business globally, its focus is shifting to reality shows. As the Ogilvy maestro hangs up his boots, the industry he lovingly championed is also facing a reality check. AI, in cahoots with digital dynamics, is orchestrating the next big change. A new messiah is clearly due.