On Tuesday evening I was delighted to receive an A-List invitation from Campaign India. The function was at the Taj Lands End in Mumbai and I had a grand time traversing through the Bandra Fair crowds as I made my way to the event. It was not a long journey in terms of distance, but getting there took a couple of hours.

I have spent a long time in advertising now, where one has seen a lot, and learnt more than a little – most of it, probably too late. This was a great time to reflect on ‘What’s behind an A-Lister’.

In any field of work, you might as well be the best you can be. There’s no point be a D-Lister or being further down the alphabet track. So also in Advertising, being an A-Lister says a lot.

#1 People Pay Attention To Your Work

It’s a great way to prove that your work makes people pay attention – which is very important in our business. If the work doesn’t get noticed, then we’re not doing our job.

#2 Brick-By-Brick

In addition to recognizing the work that is happening Right Here, Right Now – it also is a good measure of the effort that has gone in brick-by-brick – throughout the years.

#3 Awards and Rewards

Awards are a great way to demonstrate that our work gets noticed. Having said that, the greatest reward is seeing effective results delivered from our programmes for our brands. That’s what happens when agency and client are working together.

#4 The Final Grade

Through school and college there is consciousness on the scores and grades that one gets. But this is real life – it is the final grade that counts.

#5 Above All – Teamwork

At the end of the day, being an A-Lister means you are part of a team that has worked together. Throughout the decades, teamwork has always been an important part of the working culture inside the ad agency. Your team makes you look good. They are truly the people behind the making of an A-Lister.

Epilogue

Like many others in this profession, I have had the good fortune to parlay a minimal talent into a long career. So thank God for advertising which tolerated me for all these years, or else I would probably have written this as the world’s first MBA guitarist, playing in one of Mumbai’s nightclubs. And thanks to the industry, the Campaign India A-List and my beloved team for the recognition.

Dhunji S Wadia is President, Everest Brand Solutions