Adgully Exclusive | Fact is funnier than fiction: Anuja Chauhan

Advertising is a space which constrains you to write elaborately. When one has to constantly try and sell an idea in a line or a phrase, it is not easy. Long body copies are common but how much of creativity is one able to establish there? Anuja Chauhan a household name in the advertising world expresses a witty and a contemporary take on the Indian elections through her latest book, Battle for Bittora. The book is about a romance that develops and re-invokes itself in the backdrop of a Lok Sabha election. Her previous book, The Zoya Factor was a best seller and held its merit in its strong characters and her vivid imagery. It was a romantic comedy set in the extremely glam world of Indian cricket. Another unique and a connecting factor is how Chauhan glazes the dialogues with a combination of Hindi and English.

Anuja Chauhan has a rich experience of working in the creative space. Talking exclusively to Adgully, Chauhan commented on the evolution of the industry, "Well some of the changes are good and some are not good. I think there is lot more media. There is outsourcing and the whole viral space and internet. On the flip there seem to be a little too much strategy going on which is scary."

Having been in the industry for seventeen years, Chauhan is known and held in high esteem for many memorable campaigns and phrases. Some of which include Pepsi Cola, India, "Yeh Dil Maange More", "Mera Number kab Aayega", "Nothing official about it" and "Oye Bubbly", etc. Other catchphrases that has captured the minds and hearts of the masses alike and that she has worked on include Darr ke Aage jeet Hai for Mountain Dew, Tedha Hai par mera Hai for Kurkure, Be a Little Dillogical, for Lays Chips and KitKat Break Banta hai for Nestle Kitkat.

According to her there is a definite shift in the attitude from clients today. "Clients are braver now. I think it also depends on how the market is doing, when there is a lot of competition and if things are getting too tough, then they become braver. If everything is going on well, then they play safe. I think sometimes it is good news if horrible things are going on in your category, then the clients become more experimental," she further said. Some of her personal favourite campaigns have been the ones associated with Kurkure, 7UP, Pepsi and Kit Kat.

One of the most major concerns prevailing in the industry today, according to her is the meager payment rates at the junior level. Chauhan said, "I think everyone is underpaid especially at the junior level. I think this is a big issue as far as Advertising is concerned. We are not getting the coolest kids who are now becoming Assistant Directors and going into Animation. Since the pay isn't good, the youngsters are going for other options."

At the moment Chauhan is on a sabbatical till December, during which she intends to do some screen plays and will work on adapting her latest book into a film. She also has another book in mind. "Although it's too early to talk about it, I may this time write from a guy's perspective," she said. "Fact is sometimes so much funnier than fiction. Both my books were inspired in this manner," she further added.

Chauhan was ranked 26th in the creative rankings 2010, a list of the hottest Executive Creative Directors in Asia-Pac. | By Janees Antoo [janees(at)adgully.com]