By Rayomand J Patell
“I try to believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.
One, there are drinks that make you shrink.
Two, there are foods that make you grow.
Three, animals can talk.
Four, cats can disappear.
Five, there is a place called Underland.
Six, I can slay the Jabberwocky!”
And with that, fans of the Tim Burton classic, saw Alice get up and slay the fearsome ferocious Jabberwocky, a metaphor for any vastly scary thing in your mind, that impedes your soul’s progress in this world.
In Advertising, we have a lot of Jabberwockys.
Do this, else the client will sack us.
Lower the budget else the client will select another agency.
Burn through the weekend on yet another thankless task else… the client will find someone else.
It’s wanted tomorrow morning. Else they’ll sack us.
These Jabberwockys have to be put down. It’s unhealthy, it’s toxic and it affects the only real assets we have in our agencies – our people.
Sure, I get that there are real world emergencies and real world challenges. But they have to be the exception not the rule. We’ve all done our Mondays to Thursdays non stop and have the tile marks of our cabin floors on our foreheads to prove it.
But it can’t be all the time. Every single time.
And if it is, chances are it’s the client’s one percent of the time.
And 99 percent of the time, it’s a Suit trying to overdeliver and curry favour with the client.
Find out what’s up. And put an end to it. Pronto.
Which brings me to Narakasuras.
In Goa they do Diwali slightly differently. I love flying in to celebrate Goa there and this year after a long hiatus, I managed to make it.
Unlike in most parts of North India where it’s about Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya, in Goa, it’s about Lord Krishna saving the day from a terrible beast called the Narakasura.
Unlike the Jabberwocky which is more a metaphor for an impediment in your mind, Narakasura is a real King in mythology.
And a really powerful one at that.
And yes, we have them in Advertising too.
Some roam about in client corridors.
Some on film sets.
Some can be found in agency boardrooms long after their retirement date.
They have ferocious weapons and wiles to fend off all attacks.
But, it didn’t stop Lord Krishna.
In a duel involving mind games as well as subterfuge and divine weapons, Lord Krishna eventually sliced him up into two bits.
And while that might be illegal in present day times, the inspiration is this.
Rise up and slay the Narakasuras in your agency life.
It won’t be easy. But you must find a way as Lord Krishna did, to prevail.
Celebrate their vanquishment, with the prettiest lights you can find.
Happy Diwali. Here’s wishing you and your teams, a Jabberwocky and Narakasura free year ahead.
P.s. A special shoutout to a real life Alice who’s leaving home after years of contemplating the courageous decision to move out. Bravo you!
Rayomand J Patell is an advertising veteran and InspiRAYtion is a weekend column on everything about advertising and marketing.
Read More: InspiRAYtion Ten: What’s the value of what inspires you?