Brands strive for inclusivity amid political & cultural shifts:Mark Luburic

In conversation with Adgully, Mark Luburic, co-founder of Anima, a premier model talent agency, shares insights into the dynamic modeling industry's evolving relationship with global brands. From understanding brand briefs to forecasting the future for Indian models on the international stage, Mark offers a comprehensive overview of the current landscape. Anima has been in the business for close to two decades bridging Indian talents with global brands and opening up fresh opportunities world over through strategic partnerships.

What is a typical brief from brands when they scout models for jobs?

Every Brand has their own unique vision, so there is no size fits all solution for brands when booking talent. Since collections are seasonal, trends change very often. So does the type of model they tend to book. There are of course some brands who stick to a more classic look and therefore look for models who may have similar characteristics, across the board who they feel will resonate with their long standing customer base.

What according to you is the future of Indian models for global brands? if you can cite a few examples in the recent past where Indian models have done well with international brands.

Indian models up until 2016 were not so in demand on the global scale, apart from a couple of notable exceptions. Since then though, brands have tried to push a more global reach with their imagery and how they present their visions. There really is no ceiling at the moment on how far an Indian model can go. Recently we had Kush Kotecha debuting for Louis Vuitton during Paris fashion week, Pooja Mor and Naomi Janumala being the faces of Burberry Ad campaigns, Aishwarya Gupta took part in the relaunch of Victoria’s Secret, Neil Varel for Neiman Marcus and Hermes, while Pratik Shetty has been the face of luxury labels Bugatti and Dunhill.

In terms of geography, where do Indian models tend to do better with global brands?

The best response we get for our Indian models is New York and London for sure. They seem to be the markets where they are most requested, although Paris can also be rewarding. To be honest, most of the biggest brands scout across the globe, but most of the key casting directors are based in these 3 cities, so it makes sense that the models spend most of their time there.

In India we see a lot of international faces and foreigners in the modeling world, what factors, according to you, are making Indian models popular globally?

I think the landscape is changing quite a bit globally, and brands don't want to be seen as not being inclusive, due to political and cultural shifts. It has definitely been beneficial for Indian models gaining greater access to better careers on the whole.

Any recent campaign in India and globally that has caught your attention and what according to you has worked for these ads?

One of my favourite campaigns was Massimo Dutti from Spring Summer 2018 with Pooja Mor. It still stands out for me, it’s timeless and classic. With all these high end campaigns, the teams are always top shelf, but for me, the model is the one who delivers the final performance and connects the viewer emotionally to the image or film. It has a pure and strong message also, so it isn't just a pretty face, there is depth to the concept.

Models these days face competition not only from actors but also influencers as brands are leaning towards hiring influencers and actors with stronger social media presence- how do you think the modeling industry is withstanding this competition?

As the industry evolves, the modelling industry must evolve also. Strong social media presence and following do help models in some cases, but there will always be brands who don't mind so much to pick up on a model, because they feel their look resonates with their brand's message and the social media aspect is just a bonus. Other brands put heavy emphasis on social media reach, so there is a mixed variety of clients. Actors/Celebrities are a different ball game, and there's no competing with them, either you become an actor and have that reach, or you stay in the modeling lane and work your career with the opportunities that present themselves.

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