‘Wait for your turn’, ‘Do you know the answer’; ‘Hit Hit….hit the buzzer’, ‘Now, that’s a cracker of an answer’… do these words ring a bell in your ears? Does it remind you of a certain Derek O’Brien and The Brand Equity Quiz? If the answer is ‘Yes’, then, Congratulations!!!
On Sunday (April 10), 5,000 seemingly intellectual advertising, media and marketing professionals gathered at the MMRDA ground in Bandra, Mumbai, to witness the mother of all quizzes — the national finals of ING Vysya Brand Equity Quiz (BEQ) 2005. In its 16th year, BEQ is ‘the’ business quiz for corporate teams and anchored by the quiz whiz (or should we call him: Chief Interrogating Officer) Derek O’Brien. He was ready to jab the nervous but pretentiously confident 16 finalists. The mood was buoyant even as the brains were calculating.
BEQ is touted as Asia’s biggest corporate quizzing experience and the one-of-its-kind quiz is ardently awaited by the entire advertising and marketing fraternity. The keen interest is simply because the executives at different hierarchical levels get a chance to rub shoulders with the achievers and the future whiz kids. This year, with the backdrop of ‘films’, O’Brien frizzled the participants with questions on the punches, ‘nakhras’ and ‘jhatkas’ of the business fraternity.
Clients win, Agencies don’t
Mudra Communications was the youngest participating team and the only ad agency finalist at BEQ 2005. And yet again, this time too, the winners were not advertisers but bankers. However, the young guns from Mudra Communications managed to grab the third spot, closely following the State Bank of India (SBI).
Senior advertising professionals also made their presence at the national finals albeit as the audience. We did spot M. G. Parameswaran, Executive Director, FCB Ulka and Madhukar Kamath, CEO and Managing Director, Mudra Communications.
So, why is it that the advertising guys lose out on those witty questions even as the clients go on to crack them so easily? Is it because the clients are better read than the ad guys or is it because there is just not enough talent brewing within the ad agencies nowadays? Says quiz master O’Brien, “These days, even if you go to the B-schools, the advertising industry is not attracting the best talent. But on a lighter note, maybe, ad guys are more bothered about keeping the client happy and delivering the requisites on time than prepare for a quiz. Maybe, the bankers and the IT guys have a more relaxed life and they can pursue hobbies like quizzing.”
However, we pursued the matter further and took great pride in grilling the ad guys on why agencies lose out to the clients when it comes to winning at quizzes and why senior agencies guys don’t participate? “Every year, there are agencies, who reach the final round. But then, a quiz contest does call for a lot of preparation and we don’t have that kind of time. The senior guys do take part but without preparation,” replies Parameswaran very candidly. Well, we still take this reasoning to the argument as not the real truth but just an answer on a lighter note.
To read the entire story, grab your copy of Impact Advertising and Weekly magazine issue dated April 18-24, 2005.
