It’s time to make a brand-new entry for me into your phonebook

(Attn. all CCOs, NCDs, ECDs, AECDs,
GCDs, Sr.CDs, CDs, ACDs, ABCDs, anyone & everyone.)

Please delete my contact
from your phone right away.

• Talha Bin Mohsin

Talha Mohsin Writer, Talha ECD, Talha Bhai Ogilvy, Talha Writer, Talhaa Copy Guy, Talha McCann Writer. 

These are only a few of the names I’ve earned amongst your precious contacts over an extremely fulfilling advertising career. Slowly but steadily, as each of my 22 years as an advertising copywriter passed on by, I entered more and more phonebook directories. Some really-hard-to-enter ones too. The reason for this I’d like to believe is the body of work I’ve had the pleasure of creating alongside some of the finest minds in Indian advertising. Which brings me to the strange request I must make from all you fine people. Whatever name you may have me saved under, please pull out your phone and delete my entry.

I know your mind’s begging the question, but why? Well, cause now it’s time to make a brand-new entry for me into your phonebook.

Talha Bin Mohsin Director

Yes, it’s official. It’s been 3 months now since I’ve quit my last advertising agency after 22 gruelling but fully worth-it years at Leo Burnett, DDB Mudra, McCann, Contract, and finally Ogilvy to embrace the responsibilities of the director’s chair. I can only hope for all your best wishes as I take on a calling so close to my heart that I couldn’t say no to it any longer. My only hope is that my work as a director going forward brings just as big a smile as the beautiful years gone by

I wish I didn’t have to resort to writing like this to pass on this exciting piece of news. And instead, could find myself sitting across a table from you, face to face, explaining the finer subtleties of what my ambitions are as a blood-thirsty ad film director now and how I could bring your scripts to life in a manner only I can.

But alas, what’s been happening is that when I dial a number to slot a meeting, the phone rings and my erstwhile contact card lights up the face of your phone.

Then depending on your seniority, you either wonder why is Talha calling me out of the blue? Is he looking for a new gig after 10 years at Ogilvy? Wait a sec…why does he want to leave Ogilvy? Do we have an open position for him? Ohh now he wants to join us! Ohh so he finally got sacked!  

Or

You wonder why is Talha calling me out of the blue? Is he looking to hire me for a new gig in his team at Ogilvy? Wait a sec…did he like my latest campaign that much? And can Ogilvy really afford me?

And with these mind bullets whizzing in all directions, you either cut or take my call, shooting my directorial ambitions straight in the proverbial leg.

Of course, a stronger blast of self-promotion across advertising channels would have better helped spread the news of me becoming a director. Which is what I’m doing right now. As you know, Better Late Than Never. For those of you who are unaware, this also happens to be the name of my new production house, Better Late Than Never Films, that I have co-founded with another similarly unhinged directorial talent, Shayak Dady Roy, to bring our brand of madness to Indian advertising. This should explain the BLTN at the end of my new contact entry that you’ve just finished typing into your phonebook. On that note, expect a call from me soon.

Talha Bin Mohsin Director – BLTN calling…