“Listen guys, it’s a sweet idea. But I am sure we can do something much sharper on this. The brand deserves it.”
“Send me the script however late tonight, I will check it and send any modifications needed.”
“Arrey it’s your birthday! Of course you can’t be working tomorrow. We’ll figure out the work.”
“You should never make your best people ask for their due.”
“I know we loved the idea. But now that we know something like that’s been done, we cannot even think about making it.”
“Guys, come on… this is a huge opportunity! Where’s the hunger to get your work noticed!”
“Come let’s jam on that brief between takes at our shoot.”
“She’s got a baby to take care of. She can take all meetings from home.”
“Listen, I know it’s 9:30 pm, but the team’s just not cracking it. Should we give it a shot after dinner, from 10:30?”
“Just because they’ve taken 4 rounds doesn’t make it great work.”
“‘It’s not bad’… is not an option.”
“Let me get my cappuccino, and then I can take on everything.”
“You know, bad work and good work take the same time.”
“We will rarely hire someone who is plug-and-play. Everyone needs some tuning and calibration.”
“In the best cases, 1 plus 1 makes 11.”
“We absolutely have to fight for this!”
These are things that I have heard very closely for over 20 years.
Things that Kainaz says.
Things that Kainaz means.
Things that Kainaz does.
One of the most brilliant and innovative thinkers of our industry. Fiercely protective of what she holds dear, be it her work or her people, she is truly one of the finest examples of what Piyush calls a ‘playing captain’.
Having had the pleasure of her happening to my life way back in the summer of 2001 at the old Chaitra Leo Burnett office at Kemps Corner, we became friends first and work partners later.
That is the best sequence of events I could have wished for.
Because what it allowed for, when Aggi paired us up six years later as a working team, was to eliminate any formality or awkwardness that new people working together invariably go through. What it allowed for was the ego-less tearing down and rebuilding up of each other’s thoughts and ideas, till both of us knew in our guts that what we had chiselled out was shaping up great.
What it allowed for was to be each other’s sounding board and support system, and know that we can keep taking the battering of a tough job as long as we had a staunch friend at the end of the day.
Having Kainaz as my working-better-half is a blessing and a privilege that I have come to accept with gratitude.
This English-educated Parsi girl from Dadar who grew up on Amitabh Bachchan movies and grew up with flawless spoken and written Hindi.
This psychology major who has been my counsellor and therapist and port in every storm.
This fearless leader of people who has led from the front in every fair battle.
This darling of numerous clients who would all make a permanent cabin for her in any of their offices.
This fabulous storyteller of tea, who’s a lover of cappuccino.
This lifter of various heavy metals and huntress of many Lions at Cannes.
This mentor of young women and men who love to call advertising their home.
This tough boss-lady with a warm heart who knows that ultimately, for even the most wonderfully driven people, work is a part of life… and not the other way around.
This is Kainaz. And I am richer for being her partner. Our industry is too.
(Kainaz Karmakar and the author Harshad Rajadhyaksha are CCOs at Ogilvy India.)
