Mr. Sonal Dabral, Group Chief Creative Officer and Vice Chairman, Ogilvy & Mather India visited FLAME University on Friday, 27th October 2017 to interact with students and faculty members.
He commenced his address by performing a Bollywood song and impersonating an actor to get the attention of the audience. “Be a sponge that absorbs everything, and you will have creative ideas blooming in your heads. The best work comes from a genuine place in one’s heart”, said Mr. Dabral while engaging the students in his talk.
Mr. Dabral has worked in top ranked advertising agencies like DDB Mudra, Ogilvy & Mather, Lintas and other such renowned names not just in India but also in Malaysia and Singapore. He has won several national and international advertising awards for the work he has done over three decades. He also has had some stints in theatre and television.
Talking about his career and some of his experiences, Mr. Dabral insisted that to be a creative person one should always keep an open mind and look around for inspiration. Narrating interesting and compelling stories is all it takes to engage and excite audiences about your brand.
His presentation consisted of stories describing some of his best works. His journey was a rather interesting one that taught him lessons about work and life. From the paradigm shifting, ‘kuch swaad hai zindagi main’, Cadbury cricket ad to the entertaining fishing Fevikwik ad; from the ‘number 1 yaari’ McDowell’s song to the ‘Indian Panga League’ digital advertising blast for Virgin Mobile, Mr. Dabral shared insights into what made these advertising campaigns successful.
Mr. Dabral’s enthusiasm and theatrics while presenting kept the audience glued. While concluding he exhibited a short video of a window cleaner washing the glass pane with precision and dedication. The romance of the act was like a maestro conducting an orchestra. Taking that as an analogy, Mr. Dabral said, “if you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life.”
FLAME University thanks Mr. Dabral for his visit and for sharing his experiences with our community.