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<ul><li>This <keyword id="51518" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-heart-day" source="Orion">World Heart Day</keyword>, <keyword id="242406" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="dhara" source="Orion">Dhara</keyword> urges the youth to take care of their health. </li><li>The ad is conceptualised by <keyword id="2849281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ddb-mudra-north" source="Orion">DDB Mudra North</keyword>. </li></ul>Dhara has rolled out a digital film on the occasion of World Heart Day 2021, advocating the importance of heart health, especially amongst young Indians under the age of 40 years. The digital film artfully highlights the fact that today’s adults, specially under the age of 40 years, are vulnerable to cardiovascular diseases owing to the varied inconsistencies settling in modern day lifestyles. The digital film by Dhara edible oils takes the leap from its latest brand proposition of ‘Zara Sa Badlaav’, with the essence of bringing a healthy positive change in one’s daily routine. The film subtly points out the urgent need for physical exercise, reduced stress and enhancing the intake of oryzanol in daily diet as key to heart health. The film also shares an alarming message that 25% of heart attacks in Indian men occur under 40*, which needs more awareness amongst masses. Dhara’s digital film features famed actor <keyword id="201000" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shishir-sharma" source="Orion">Shishir Sharma</keyword>, who was also featured in Dhara’s popular ‘Jalebi ad’. <div type="Youtube" id="pHGWN_yzqec" title="Dil Ka Khayal With Dhara" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pHGWN_yzqec/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Elaborating on the initiative, Dinesh Agrawal, Business Head – Dhara, Mother Dairy Fruit &amp; Vegetable Pvt. Ltd. said, “The modern-day course of life has inflicted various inconsistencies in our lifestyle and the events of the past two years have unfortunately compounded it. Brand Dhara has always endeavoured and supported healthy lifestyle practices such as usage of oil in moderation and adopting routine of physical exercise. Through this film, we aim to spread awareness amongst our current and future nation-builders to have a healthy lifestyle with due attention to heart health. We are really glad to associate with an artist who made the brand popular in its initial days and together, we hope that our message will reach out to the desired audience, inspiring them to be more active to lead a healthy lifestyle.” The film opens with a frame featuring an active and fit senior citizen father (Shishir Sharma) landing at his regular heart clinic with his son. Usually, he has been visiting the clinic all alone for over 20 years and is well versed with the flow around. While the son who has accompanied his father for the first time, tries to lend a helping hand to his father for either getting down from the vehicle or to even use a wheelchair for movement, the father mentions that he has been visiting the clinic for years and is well aware of the routine including the Doctor’s regular advice. The frame then features the duo sitting outside the Doctor’s room, and then there is call from the nurse for Mr. Shastri. Both father and son look at each other and his father gestures the younger Mr. Shastri to go inside. And in a surprise to viewers, this time his 32-year-old son undergoes a consultation. The frame then lays out a super mentioning “25% of heart attacks in Indian men occur under 40*”, while the voice over stresses on having a healthy heart and advise viewers to make a shift in routine by doing exercise, reducing stress and further increasing the intake of oryzanol in their diets. The film towards the end also showcases Dhara Refined Ricebran Oil, which has gamma oryzanol, a natural antioxidant that improves HDL/LDL ratio &amp; lowers bad cholesterol &amp; supports heart health. Commenting on the digital video, Vineet Kindra, Sr. Vice President &amp; Business Partner, DDB Mudra North said, “Contrary to general perception, people under 40 are extremely vulnerable to heart diseases. We felt that World Heart Day is the right occasion for the brand to ask people to carry out small changes in their lifestyle and oil usage for better heart health. With “Zara Sa Badlaav” people can work towards a healthy heart.”

On World Heart Day, Dhara puts the spotlight on importance of heart health amongst young Indians

Fashion major <keyword id="688620" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mudra-Lifestyle">Mudra Lifestyle</keyword> Limited will now been known as E-Land Apparel Limited. The company has received fresh Certificate of Incorporation from the Registrar of Companies in Mumbai. 
	 “Co<keyword id="6354646" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="NSE">nse</keyword>quent to the approval of Board of Directors of the Company for Name Change at its meeting held on November 14, 2014, approval of Members through Postal Ballot, result of which was declared on January 14, 2015, and filing Form INC-24 with the Registrar of Companies, Mumbai, the Company have received a fresh Certificate of Incorporation from Registrar of Companies, Mumbai and hence the name of the company has been changed from Mudra Lifestyle Limited to "E-Land Apparel Limited,” said the company in a letter to the National Stock Exchange (NSE). 
	 Interestingly, the market watchdog <keyword id="35210" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="sebi">SEBI</keyword> imposed restrictions that were imposed on the company, its directors and promoters for its failure to meet the 25% minimum public shareholding norms. Nevertheless, the restriction imposed was revoked by SEBI in November 2014 as the company became compliant. 
	 
	Image: Official Website of the Company

Brand Revamp For
Mudra Lifestyle, Gets A New Name

<ul><li>The outbreak of coronavirus has affected our daily routines. </li><li>We wanted to find out the good, bad and ugly sides of working while under house arrest and talk about if it's even possible to balance work and personal life in a situation like this.</li><li>On World <keyword id="799405" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mental-Health-Day">Mental Health Day</keyword>, ad industry experts got candid and told us how as leaders they are trying to address <keyword id="32785" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="work-pressure">work pressure</keyword> and bringing about changes.</li></ul>Working from home has taken a toll on our mental health. Mounting uncertainty, work pressure and the physical stress of sitting in one position for hours, have led to changes in our lifestyle and sleep patterns, which has added to the stress. According to a study conducted by GOQii, among 10,000 Indians that aimed to understand how they have been coping with the new normal, 43% of them agreed that their stress levels have been on the rise and are likely to be clinically depressed. 26% of respondents were suffering from mild depression, 11% were feeling moderately depressed, and 6% were facing severe symptoms of depression. While glamourous on the outside, advertising is notoriously stressful and a hard job on the inside. The industry has always been infamous for normalising extreme working hours. With work from home, the stress levels, tough deadlines, demanding clients and high pressure have quadrupled. It is not really work from home. Work has become home now. It is normalised to the extent that copywriters often boast about bags under their eyes and for treating work like their life-partner. The advertising professional eventually either succumbs to this incessant toiling or gives up on their dream to settle for a 9 to 5 job. Last month, the advertising industry lost a young professional due to cardiac arrest, which was induced by work stress last month. We had done a story to find out from the young copywriters if agencies are still refusing to acknowledge that burnout is a real issue in the industry. They had told us that the problem still exists and it all boils down to the notion that you cannot say no to your client. So, on Mental Health Day, we decided to speak to industry experts to discuss what we can to normalise having a conversation about mental health at work, how to create a healthy workplace and address the examples of overworked and stressed employees. We organised a panel discussion with experts like Subhash Kamath, CEO of BBH and Publicis Worldwide India and Chairman of ASCI, Rita Verma, EVP and HR Head, DDB Mudra Group, Sunil Seth, HR Director, South Asia, Dentsu International, Disha Daswani, Creative Director, Schbang. It was moderated by Dr. Marcus Ranney, General Manager, Thrive Global India. The experts said it is important to acknowledge the work stress and make the employee feel welcome. With our panel discussion, we wanted to remind ourselves and our industry to move towards a culture where we can prioritize the importance of self-care, better manage stress, and enhance physical and mental-well-being for ourselves and our teams. Experts also highlighted how it is important to remind your employees that work doesn’t define them and one should not assess their value based on the number of tasks they have ticked off in a day. All this and much more in our conversations with experts below: <div type="twitter" handle="admediainsider" handlename="Advertising and Media Insider India" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1281482517443305472/8RPcjmow_normal.jpg" favoritecount="9" retweetcount="6" status="Ahead of #MentalHealthDay, @Thrive_india's @docmranney speaks to @BBHindia's @Subkam, @DDBMudra_Group's… https://t.co/4QkgwUTmlq" createdat="1602224987000" id="1314452986173681664"></div>

World Mental Health Day: How to address the challenges of overworking in an ad agency

<ul><li>‘<keyword id="13945161" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shadowbanning" source="Orion">Shadowbanning</keyword>’ or ‘ghost banning’ is the act when <keyword id="6354632" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-media" source="Orion">social media</keyword> posts are taken down, muted or hidden from followers without informing the user or creator.</li><li>A user could continue posting, but their posts won’t be visible to the rest of the community.</li><li>While <keyword id="1020663" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="social-media-platforms" source="Orion">social media platforms</keyword> have denied that shadowbanning exists, many <keyword id="2893283" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="content-creators" source="Orion">content creators</keyword> and internet users believe otherwise.</li><li>In the last few years, many shadowbanning trackers have also cropped up on the internet.</li><li>Here’s all you need to know about shadowbanning.</li></ul>Shortly before Tesla’s CEO <keyword id="6355315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword> announced his intentions to buy social media platform Twitter, he made a ‘joke’ about Microsoft’s co-founder Bill Gate gaining weight. Immediately after, he tweeted again to say, “<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1517716718382166016?s=20&amp;t=zq4YSc9IXneApnGilXPtHg">Shadow ban council reviewing tweet,” with an image of six hooded people </a>who seem to be discussing something fishy. <div type="twitter" handle="elonmusk" handlename="Elon Musk" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1521957986335297536/itVSA7l0_normal.jpg" favoritecount="645420" retweetcount="45160" status="shadow ban council reviewing tweet … https://t.co/cawjtwc7CW" createdat="1650686838000" id="1517716718382166016"></div> This conversation around <keyword id="13945237" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shadowban" source="Orion">shadowban</keyword> isn’t new. It comes and goes in phases. Now, more Indian content creators are experiencing shadowbanning and it’s becoming a widespread concern among internet users. <div type="image" title="shadowbanning.2" msid="91589972" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;How has &amp;#39;shadowbanning&amp;#39;, as a search term, seen growth in the last five years across the world&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Recently, Indian independent journalist Rana Ayyub claimed to have been shadowbanned on social media platform Instagram for speaking up for Palestinian citizens. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ccda_o8ptah/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;ig_rid=c6659d3b-ccbe-4721-9776-8ff25a1a8f3e">Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid</a> also called out Instagram for suppressing her voice, limiting her reach and <a href="https://images.dawn.com/news/1189941/if-you-want-me-to-stop-talking-they-should-stop-killing-bella-hadid-on-instagrams-palestine-censorship">deactivating</a> the 'share' button on her 'Save Palestinian Citizens' post. She termed it a ‘breach of human rights’ and "the biggest form of bias and unjust censorship". <a href="https://time.com/5863350/tiktok-black-creators/">TikTok was also called out</a> by quite a few content creators for shadowbanning their posts on Black Lives Matter. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is shadowbanning and how it has evolved on the internet" text="What is shadowbanning and how it has evolved on the internet">What is shadowbanning and how it has evolved on the internet</cmsannotation> A number of content creators Business Insider India spoke to defined ‘shadowbanning’ or ‘ghost banning’ as social media posts being taken down, muted or hidden from followers without informing the user or creator. It is generally understood to be secret censorship of a person, community or a topic on social media. It quietly silences opinions. As per media reports, the word ‘shadowban’ appeared in the early 2000s. It was a moderation technique, used to keep a check on bots, trolls, shitposters or anyone else they deemed harmful. Shadowbanning isn’t just a social media lingo. It even <a href="https://www.vice.com/en/article/a3q744/where-did-shadow-banning-come-from-trump-republicans-shadowbanned">existed in the</a> 80s, wherein bulletin board systems (BBS), a computer server-running software used to exchange information, would limit ‘twit bit.’ Someone who would exhibit immature behavior, was flagged as a ‘twit’ and was granted limited access. After they were flagged, only the twit and the admin could see their messages on the board. As the internet became a primary mode of communication, content moderation and social media algorithms became much more complicated and lines started blurring. Today, people use the term shadowbanning quite often. Some content creators blame the streak of their low-performing content pieces or dip in reach on shadowbanning. “No matter how exciting the word shadow banning sounds, the fact is that intricately means banning the voice of somebody completely. The word banned is binary in nature, it's a zero or a one, there is no spectrum here. So that means you will literally get no one else to see your content,” clarifies Preetham Venkky, Chief Digital Officer of advertising agency DDB Mudra Group and President at digital marketing agency 22feet Tribal Worldwide. As per a few media <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2018/08/01/what-is-shadowbanning">reports</a>, when shadowbanned, users can continue to post messages, add new followers and comment or reply to other posts. But their messages may not appear in the feed, their <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/instagram-shadow-banning-is-real_n_5e555175c5b63b9c9ce434b0">replies may be suppressed </a>and they may not show up in searches under their usernames. An economist report also said that a major and <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/instagram-shadow-banning-is-real_n_5e555175c5b63b9c9ce434b0">sudden drop </a>in likes or retweets is also a form of shadowban, wherein the user is restricted to reach out to new people. Their posts are only visible to them and their followers. Body positivity content creator Prableen Kaur has seen a few creators and users being shadowbanned. She defines it as, “There's a certain topic that you're talking about, and maybe the platform doesn't want anyone to talk more about it, then they will decrease the amount of reach you will get on a particular post and that is shadowbanning for me. So for example, if there's something being spoken around bullying, then Instagram will shadowban that kind of user and try to not make it reach more people so that people are not influenced in the wrong way.” <div type="image" title="Prableen Kaur" msid="91590246" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Digital creator Prableen Kaur shares what is shadowbanning&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Un-webbing shadowban: a timeline" text="Un-webbing shadowban: a timeline">Un-webbing shadowban: a timeline</cmsannotation> In 2019, Instagram had apologised for shadowbanning <a href="https://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/instagram-apologizes-to-pole-dancers-after-hiding-their-posts-1.4537820">pole dancers</a> and <a href="https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/7xg5dd/instagram-apologizes-for-blocking-caribbean-carnival-content">attendees of a Caribbean carnival</a>. Posts with hashtags #PoleFitness and #StLuciaCarnival were removed from the explore tab completely but the platform said it was an error. “We apologise for the mistake,” a spokesperson said in both these cases. “It is never our intention to silence members of our community,” said the platform spokesperson. In India, Facebook and Instagram ‘<a href="https://thewire.in/tech/facebook-and-instagram-mistakenly-blocked-sikh-for-almost-three-months">mistakenly blocked</a>’ #Sikh for almost three months in 2020. A similar apology was released after it caught international attention. An Instagram spokesperson said its ‘processes fell down and it was never their intention to silence members of this community.’ <div type="twitter" handle="InstagramComms" handlename="Instagram Comms" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1305901852190482434/nVjrSoGe_normal.jpg" favoritecount="2052" retweetcount="840" status="We have unblocked the hashtag #sikh on Instagram and are working to unblock #sikh on Facebook. We're investigating… https://t.co/ugrb7PEKtf" createdat="1591206223000" id="1268236937246019589"></div> It did not seem like a coincidence. It was around the anniversary of <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/operation-bluestar-s-37th-anniversary-today-tight-security-in-amritsar-101622936709706.html#:~:text=events%20of%201984.-,Operation%20Bluestar%20was%20a%20military%20action%20ordered%20by%20then%20PM,and%20left%20the%20shrine%20damaged.">Operation Blue Star</a>, which was a military action ordered by former PM Indira Gandhi to flush out Sikh militants holed up in Harmandir Sahib Complex. Posts associated with #Sikh went up as the community raised its voice to mark the injustices of 1984; but were never heard. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Is shadowban real?" text="Is shadowban real?">Is shadowban real?</cmsannotation> It isn’t just Instagram. All <a href="https://twitter.com/jackielerm/status/1231122961379340289">platforms </a><a href="https://www.papermag.com/tiktok-lgbtq-shadow-banning-2647646779.html?rebelltitem=3#rebelltitem3">deny </a>that shadowbanning is real. However, many users believe it is. There are more than 98.4k hashtags #shadowbanned and 55.7k posts with #shadowban on Instagram as of May 12, 2022. There are over 30 combinations around the hashtag shadowbanned on Instagram, each with at least 100 posts. While it is hard to confirm shadowbanning’s existence, there’s some evidence. In the last few years, many shadowbanning trackers have cropped up on the internet. Websites like HeistSocial.com, Tribber.com, shadowban.eu, <a href="https://shadowban.yuzurisa.com/">shadowban.yuzurisa.com</a>, to mention a few, allow users to determine if they are shadowbanned on different social media platforms. Travel, fashion and lifestyle content creator Avantika Mohan took this test three months ago and confirmed that she was shadowbanned. “A lot of people say that shadowban is just in your head and it is just low-engagement. But when I was shadowbanned, people were unable to see my posts. I even did a poll on Instagram to find out if they could see it. They mentioned that they were unable to see my posts.” <div type="image" title="Avantika Mohan" msid="91590098" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Avantika Mohan talks to Business Insider India about her experience of being shadowbanned&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> While Mohan said she didn’t see a pattern in this ghost ban, body positive content creator Neelakshi Singh, spotted a trend in how it works. “Creators who’ve called out racism or other marginalised communities like the black community or Asian community were refrained from posting about an issue -- I feel that somewhere that is buried in. Any issues or anything that doesn't fulfill the property or satisfy the mainstream, I feel that goes on to a shadowban.” On the other hand, digital content creator Shivani Kapila believes that it is just a perception. “It's very convenient for a creator like me to say that it [content] is shadowbanned rather than coming up with different content ideas and brainstorming further. It is maybe because my crowd is exhausted of seeing what I've been showing for about six months.” When a social media user is banned permanently from the platform, they receive an official email or a notification before, whereas, when a user is shadowbanned, they are kept in the dark. Their hashtags don’t seem to work -- posts fail to appear on the ‘explore’ tab when clicked on the hashtag. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Is there a way to dodge shadowban and play safe?" text="Is there a way to dodge shadowban and play safe?">Is there a way to dodge shadowban and play safe?</cmsannotation> Instagram appears to have shadowbanned hashtags such as #hotweather, #asiangirls, #alone, #brain, #bikinibody, to mention a few. On the other hand, Business Insider India found out that #gunviolence has more than 182k posts as of May 13, 2022. <div type="image" title="Hashtags banned" msid="91590125" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Hashtags that are banned on Instagram&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> A few users and content creators have found a way to dodge this hashtag ban. “To circumvent the issue of certain words or phrases being flagged, ‘Algospeak’ is fast becoming a commonly used practice among the netizens, where alternatives are found in rhyming words, abbreviations, pop-culture references, emojis and more such creative means. When a platform won’t allow using the hashtag sexual assault to discuss the issue, it becomes #SA. A vibrator isn’t an appropriate lingo for social media, so an eggplant emoji is used; the internet is littered with such examples,” Shivani Kamdar, associate creative director at digital agency SoCheers tells Business Insider India. Rashid Ahmed, head of digital at marketing agency Infectious Advertising, also shared a few words that can get you banned on Instagram. "Body shaming terms (like fat and ugly), negative adjectives or phrases (like sad and selfish or spewing crazy) and known to be factually incorrect statements, can be cause for a user’s post to be shadowbanned. Repeated inappropriate content identifications could lead to a user being barred from posting for a specific period. Unwittingly used tags like #Snap, #pushups, #single, #brain or even #alone, could result in suppression or being shadowbanned." Ahmed suggested that creators can avoid being shadowbanned by "being mindful of the type of content they create, by using appropriately ‘safe’ language, and delivering to their audiences’ interests and tastes." <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Lack of transparency around updated algorithm is eroding user trust" text="Lack of transparency around updated algorithm is eroding user trust">Lack of transparency around updated algorithm is eroding user trust</cmsannotation> While we all know that Instagram bans certain hashtags time and again to moderate its content and its algorithm keeps changing, many say that its lack of transparency is the most frustrating part. By not informing users what is deemed appropriate by the platform and how to adjust their content as per Instagram’s liking, user trust is affected and it also comes across as discriminatory. Founder and CEO of influencer marketing platform Wobb, Ishan Jindal, says, “If shadow banning is a thing, then it is a drawback at the end of the social media platforms and their flawed policies that practice censorship of voices. In terms of the content creator industry, such a phenomenon would highly restrict a creator’s individualism and unconventional tendencies.” Telling us how it can affect a creator, he adds, “Any type of censorship of the content with the idea of suppressing voices can severely damage the trust between social media platforms and their users. Such a phenomenon also affects public figures, creators and their relationships with the audience.” With their algorithm, social media platforms have the power to decide what the mainstream audience sees on the explore tab. Telling us how algorithms work, Kamdar says, “If a topic or conversation is deemed “inappropriate” by a platform’s algorithm, no matter how significant it is for the individual or the community, the content around it won’t reach its desired audience, thus affecting the creator’s discoverability to an extent. It won’t matter how painstakingly the content is created, or how significant a role it could play, its reach will be limited.” In case of the shadowban on #sikh before Operation Blue Star anniversary, an entire community was stopped from talking about a painful historic event. Similarly, TikTok had restricted #BlackLivesMatter’s reach. While social media platforms have denied the allegations, they have also released apologies for blocking these hashtags, when there was a social movement rising simultaneously in real life. This could lead to lack of trust among many users and content creators. To turn this around, Neelakshi says that platforms need to be more transparent so that creators can work their way around the algorithm and hashtags that are banned. “As a female user, I would want to have more control in terms of what I'm able to create or what I am able to speak about.” It is important for the platforms now to address the ‘ghost’ in the room and bring it out of the shadows. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="91578141" title="Elon Musk called Twitter newsfeed algorithms 'manipulative,' prompting a reply from founder Jack Dorsey, who disagreed with the claim" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Social media platforms deny but content creators and tracking websites confirm that shadowbanning or silent censorship is real

<ul><li>“Deadlines can wait. First, let me take care of my <keyword id="6354774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mental-health" source="Orion">mental health</keyword>!” said no advertising employee ever. In this industry, you are expected to be available 24*7 even though the job doesn’t require saving lives (I did ask around just to be sure).</li><li>With the impending third wave of coronavirus, it is exhausting to be creative, ‘ahead of the curve’ right now when every third person you know is positive.</li><li>We are all anxious and struggling to keep going but are scared to admit it. When you are in the business of ideas, it is a little more challenging to keep going.</li><li>So, we decided to check in with a few Creative Officers of Advertising agencies, who are expected to hold the whole family together.</li><li>They told us about their struggles, how they are finding the strength to keep going and shared a few tips on how we can deal with the impending wave from a both business and personal perspective.</li></ul>“Work-life balance? What’s that?” a 24-year-old copywriter, a friend, laughed when I asked him how is agency life is treating him and whether he has mastered the art of work-life balance in two years. I was almost embarrassed to have asked that question and realised that we have normalised inhuman working hours to an extent in which having a work-life balance is every agency employee’s pipe dream. I was going to ask him how he’s taking care of his mental health now that his mother has tested positive, but I decided to sit that one out. Well, let’s be realistic! Do advertising people have time to go to therapy or join a Zumba class or just be alone with their thoughts? People from the industry often say, some even with a generous dose of condescension, that ‘if you are not willing to be available 24*7 and clock at least 16 hours a day, you are not cut for the job.’ The person who does prioritize a personal task over work, is often frowned upon. With work from home, the stress levels, urgent deadlines, demanding clients and high pressure have all increased manifold. And when our country is preparing itself to face another possible wave of COVID-19 and its several mutations, it is becoming increasingly challenging for everyone to focus on work and continue leading normal lives inside our houses. Advertising agencies bear the additional responsibility of coming up with optimistic campaigns that drive change and raise awareness. Despite facing the blues of working in isolation and pressure to overperform in a dismal atmosphere, ad agencies are increasingly pushing their boundaries to come up with empathetic, change-making campaigns to help our country. These people in the business of ideas are expected to pitch new ideas almost every day. However, it is exhausting to be creative, ‘ahead of the curve’ right now when every third person you know is positive. Just when we started believing that life might be back to normal again, the universe took us back to square one. While one might argue that our medical industry does have better resources to support our citizens today than it did till last year, mentally, how can we find hope and do this all over again? How can we remind each other that this is temporary -- that holding on to hope is important more than ever before? Thankfully, there are a few optimists among us who are reminding us to keep it at and holding the whole family together. In the advertising ecosystem, it is the Creative Officers and their team members. Reminding us how there’s always light at the end of the tunnel, Titus Upputuru, Creative Head, Taproot Dentsu, Gurgaon and National Creative Director, Dentsu One took us back to our childhood days. He said, “In childhood, I remember the days when the electricity would go off and there were no back-ups or inverters, we children used to simply put candles in the darkness and make giant shadows on the walls with our hands. We would create barking dogs, flying eagles, and trunk raising elephants, all with our hands and sometimes feet. So to me, dark times are an opportunity to innovate. The dark homes helped us children to innovate and create magical things. If the lights hadn’t gone, maybe we were just watching Doordarshan.” Upputuru has seen a few of his loved ones lose their battle to the virus in the past two years. “The first time Covid happened, I became a little restless. I just knew that I wasn’t going to be chained; so I wrote songs, collaborated with artists, created content with Instagrammers. Second time was really trying. I lost three cousins and one uncle and aunt in a matter of 3 weeks and we were continuously attending funerals over zoom. Every week someone would disappear from those zoom calls and we were all wondering who will be next. It was quite heart-rending. I wrote ‘Lohe ke Gubbare’ (Balloons of Iron) about a little boy who was desperately seeking an iron ‘balloon’ for his dying mother at the hospital. So darker times push creativity in many ways,” he shared. Upputuru’s faith gave him hope and comfort to keep going. He also decided to spend his free time upskilling. “In current times, one can also upskill. Last year, I did a full digital course and learnt about digital marketing. The great thing was it was not just lectures – although there was a handsome measure of those – we also had to collaborate with teams across the world, across different streams and resolve real-time marketing issues on digital platforms. It was terribly exciting and it did keep me sufficiently occupied when the workload had become lesser due to the business impact. My go-to always has been to spend quiet time with God. I read Bible the first thing in the morning. There is so much wisdom and guidance that one can get on one’s knees. Also, I like to talk to God and have conversations. These conversations often help me to let go of things one can’t do much about. And yes, I do take care of my body with daily exercise. It’s important as the human body was meant to farm in the sun, hunt in the jungles, and fight as soldiers. But modern-day lifestyle, especially in current times, forces us to only sit or lie down," said Upputuru. After two years of living in the constant fear of catching a deadly virus, Garima Khandelwal, Chief Creative Officer, Mullen Lintas has learned to find comfort and joy in small wins. She said, “The pressure to be creative is a constant, while the scenario has been challenging, now for 2 years in the running. We all are coping with it every day, keeping the ball on the output, and for us a lot of what was taken for granted in how we worked or collaborated has changed forever. Yes, there are days that are low, but it’s all part of a day that comes to an end every day, and that is the thing to remember. With a “This too shall pass,” I look for small joys in everyday and cherish them. It’s okay to not be okay some days and days that are just about okay are okay too. What really comes into play is to deal with empathy. We had an unfortunate experience of being stuck at the Taj during 26/11. It was a tragedy the world knew about, but to live through it, and coming out luckily seemingly unhurt, it still played out for a long time after we got back home safe. I draw this parallel because for once we all are going through the exact same scenario, while some are dealing with more hardships than others. It’s not normal for anyone and it’s important therefore to be empathetic towards self and to others. My escape has been to go back to simpler times, a lot of things I remember my grandmother used to be busy with when I was growing up. With family, spending time in home improvement, all things I was always too busy for, I have found comfort in. Don’t worry about how and when things will go back to how it used to be but take each day as it comes. It’s all about living In the moment and honoring them with gratitude. Don’t hesitate in seeking help. We often underestimate the overwhelming nature of what we set out to do in a day, and we could do with a little help, just to understand better for ourselves how to deal with all of it.” DDB Mudra Group’s Chief Creative Officer, Rahul Mathew found a companion in his dog. “I don’t think there would be anyone who hasn’t struggled through these times. Over the past two Covid waves, the lucky ones have found antidotes to keep it together. My most potent antidote has been my dog. Having him around makes it easy to transition from high pressure to extreme joy. There’s also a practise I started many years back, to identify one optimist in your life (work or otherwise). And to have regular conversations with that person, especially when you feel your emotions sagging. Because as maligned as the word is today, being positive is the one thing we all need to be,” said Mathew. “In this business, there’s always pressure on the person to be creative. We’re only as good as the engagements, disruptions and unexpected work that we put out on a regular basis. The damage a pandemic does or did, is put pressure on the culture of creativity. It really tests how strong or weak the culture really is. A strong culture rearranges itself to protect its core of creativity and ones creating it. While a weaker one often succumbs to the pressures of the every day, by exposing its core to chaos and panic. It’s really a test of our belief in creativity as agency leaders. You’re only as strong as the people beside you. And I feel that’s the key to making it through the toughest of times. Both professionally and personally. We need to dig deeper into the connections we have with our people. And protect the ones who are core to what we do. Because it’s they, who in turn will keep us going,” added Mathew. Mukund Olety, Chief Creative Officer, VMLY&amp;R India said that the agency has hit a rhythm, working in a ‘come what may’ model. “Covid has tested our resilience. But creativity is a bug that flourishes in the toughest of conditions. If history is any guide, the most difficult periods have been followed by the most creative ones. The constraints have not just pushed brands to explore new mediums and create new kinds of work but also encouraged creatives to develop new ways of working. The initial few months were of course tough but now we have become well-versed in reacting and adapting to the changing situations. Creative folks thrive off each other’s energy. And it’s important to fuel that energy even while working remotely. Yes, now we are having more planned conversations than unplanned bumping into each other in the corridor ones – and sometimes those agenda-less corridor conversations can be super productive. We try and bring that same spontaneity even in virtual rooms. I encourage people to turn their cameras on during a brainstorm. It makes a difference and of course makes those long spells of silence more palatable. Every Friday, we have Fearless Friday sessions where all the creatives get together. It’s a platform to discuss and share whatever they like. And lastly, one important way to keep your team motivated and going is to genuinely empathize and care. It shows when you do. It reflects in the work,” said Olety. For an industry that is built around deadlines and deliverables, advertising people have found themselves at the intersection where moments of magic meet the point of serious stress, time and again. And as the country looks at the third wave of COVID-19, advertising folks advise you to listen, acknowledge and act upon what an individual may be going through in these trying times.

How to stay creative when you feel dejected: Advertising industry’s Creative Officers share some tips

<ul><li>With Mother’s Day around the corner, we reached out to the <keyword id="53257" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="working-mothers">working mothers</keyword> from the advertising industry to find out how they are dealing with quarantine blues and their kids being at home 24 hours. </li><li>They also shared with us some policy ideas that they wish the industry could take into consideration and help them juggle smoothly between work and household chores. </li></ul>In wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting lockdown, juggling between both work and home life has taken an even bigger toll on working moms. They have always been swamped but now that the entire family is under one roof, we can only imagine what a storm that must look like. Working parents have lost the privileges of ‘me time’ as there is no external help from grandparents, nannies or schools to share their load. They are also home-schooling while working as the CEO of their houses. And to top that up, they are dealing with work pressure, anxiety and waves of guilt for not being able to spend quality time with their kids despite being house arrested. While husbands have started shouldering the parenting responsibilities in India, the task of planning, organizing and supervising if everything is in place, comes with a mental load on women. With Mother’s Day around the corner, we reached out to some working mothers of the advertising industry to find out how they are multitasking during this quarantine period, a few policies they wish companies could introduce to help them juggle smoothly between household chores and work, and how is it they wished companies would help them cope up with anxiety and stress. Here is what these superwomen had to say: Rachana Lokhande, Co-CEO of Kinetic India and mother of a son: <div type="image" title="Rachana Lokhande, Mother and CEO" msid="75609058" hostid="261"></div> We are almost seven weeks into the lockdown and we will be into the lockdown for a few more weeks. And I'm sure most of them are working mothers multitasking -- juggling between household chores, traveling between office work managing kids, managing their studies, cooking, baking, cleaning, mopping, and everything. In the first few days, all the family members came together and said that "oh now that we are in the household together, we are going to help each other and we are going to distribute work and all" but all the euphoria, believe me, has died down and the ownership is back on us, to take care of many of the things if not all. While everybody is talking about how ‘managers need to be empathizing with their situation by being more sensitive.’ But I think more than all, what we require is having a mature conversation. Transparency and trust is what we need more than anything else. Having those transparent mature conversations with your managers or with your family, explaining them, what is the situation you are in? You need to listen to them and understand what their demands are. And what are the basics that need to be fulfilled. And then sitting together and prioritizing is the most important thing. I mean, that will build trust in all the relationships that we have. That is more important right now. If we have this conversation, and if we set our expectations right, between all the stakeholders currently in our life, our family and organizations or our managers, we will be able to prioritize our work and we will be able to better at everything. Multitasking is definitely not a solution for anything, because it will only end us up in stress and guilt. But prioritizing, setting timelines for all the work, everybody being on the same page, will help you deliver your hundred percent to each of the tasks that you do. And of course, organization should continue with Flexible Working Policy, work from home as a policy should continue. Organizations should also look at evaluating the matrix to ensure that it is more objective and more delivery-oriented. Rest, Happy <keyword id="6408068" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mothers-Day">Mother's Day</keyword> to all stay safe, stay healthy. Priya Balan, Executive Director, Mullen Lintas and mother of two kids: <div type="image" title="Priya Balan" msid="75609182" hostid="261"></div> Well, truth be told, I'm actually managing quite well. I have begun to enjoy this new way of working. And I seem to have found something, a rhythm that works quite efficiently for me, for my family and for work. It was all very overwhelming in the beginning when it just felt like your whole world order had collapsed and you're sitting in the middle of it all trying to be in different places at the same time. Multitasking, you have work, you have the children to be taken care of. There is the kitchen and there are various other domestic chores that need to be tied up. But I guess, a week into this new way of life I found my groove and that seems to be working very well. I think for me, one of the big positives of this lockdown is the fact that I'm able to be a more active weekday, ma'am. Which otherwise is not something that I end up doing. Because of the nature of my work. The fact that I'm home today when the kids finished their online school is lovely. No longer is it just a phone call to ask them how their day was, but the fact that we can actually hug and cuddle when they come back from school. It's a nice, sweet thing. Of course, there are lots of challenges; some days are great. There are some days that are not so good and there are some days that you just can't wait for them to get over. But I think given the circumstances we are in, given the need to opt for this kind of Working system. I think I am quite happy and I could actually do this for a little while more happily. If this is going to be a new way of life and living and working, I'm sure those policies will come into place. But once the policies do come into place, I think the onus of making the system work lies equally with the employee as much as it lies with the employer. I think there has to be a certain sanctity to working hours, as much as sanctity to family time is going to be expected. So otherwise, I see productivity could get marred in the long run. Also, the other thing I find funny is that you have all lost track of days, and there are lots of public holidays and bank holidays which otherwise would be holidays for us. Today, one doesn't even think twice before picking up a phone call or setting up a meeting. I think some discipline in what is going to qualify for working hours and working days will have to come in for this overall thing to work. Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide and mother of a daughter: <div type="image" title="Anjali, Tonic" msid="75609292" hostid="261"></div> Honestly, this quarantine period has been a seesaw. Some days are really high, some days are difficult. First 10 days were chaotic -- nobody knew what to expect from each other. My daughter, Tara, thought I was on a vacation and wanted my 100% attention. And, you know, when her homeschooling started, her timings used to clash with my morning meeting timings, and how much ever I would try to kind of set her up, she would invariably video bomb into my meetings, and it was getting very difficult. And I think that's where this whole flexibility aspect kind of comes into play. Tonic has always been very supportive and always been flexible. When it comes to these things, so soon enough, I realize how to kind of manage that. I think flexibility is the only policy that really can help mothers. So when we work in the office, when we say flexibility we mean work from home as an option. And when it comes to work from home, I think flexibility means maybe shifting a few meeting timings or being tolerant with the video bombing. And I think the rest, mothers can manage. I haven’t experienced anxiety related to work. But as a mother, I worry about my child's future and how their learning is going to be, and when she will get to meet her friends, when she will get to step out and experience things -- the way it should be. And some days, when you feel low and you want to kind of talk to someone, when the work culture is supportive, it really helps. You need to give that space to kind of speak your mind and feel vulnerable, that it's okay to feel low some days. I think that kind of support is always something that can help. Mitushi Verma, VP, FCB Interface and mother of daughter: <div type="image" title="Mitushi fcb" msid="75609252" hostid="261"></div> These are times like we have never experienced earlier. So it certainly is going to be an effort every day to adapt to the new normal. For the child it is a dream come true to have mom at home, at their disposal. But that also means that they want their undivided attention. They are not being able to understand why is mom at home and yet she is not. What helps, is to explain to them how it works and make them a part of the schedule. We are now not only working from home but also working for home, non -stop 24*7. I think companies are doing their best to make it as smooth for their employees as possible. However, being able to discuss work on calls has meant that sometimes work flows way beyond working hours or that calls get scheduled at a time a when there are other household duties waiting to be done. It would really help if at an individual level we are all a bit more empathetic towards the rather hectic schedules of working moms. It was really heartening to receive communication from the agency that simply said that they understand how it is to work from home. That it is ok if kids popped up in video calls to say hello! That it is okay if you stepped out to attend to a wailing baby! It is OK!!! Feels good to be understood! At work, a colleague introduced me to the concept of “mental load or emotional labor”,that women carry worldwide. Simply put what it means is that women always have lot more things on their mind, to do. So it’s not just about the physical load of doing the things, but also the mental load—the task of orchestration and project management which still falls disproportionately on women, mostly. So effectively, their mind is never ever free. This has only increased during the current times as there is a lot more to do and to get done. One is always on tenterhooks about someone in the family especially the kid, falling sick during these times. To be given access to doctors through Doctor 24*7 app, by the agency, is reassuring and much appreciated, to say the least. Rituparna Dasgupta, Vice President - Strategy and Analytics, Mindshare India and mother of two sons: <div type="image" title="Ritu, Mindshare" msid="75609321" hostid="261"></div> As a mother of two young energetic boys and the chief operating officer at home and the strategist at work, it’s surely a quick juggle between roles during a typical day. This is perhaps for the first time it has happened that both partners are at home along with children with reduced help for such a long duration. This is the opportune time for gender equality to be truly lived. And employers are a critical part of this behaviour change. Flexible work hours and mandatory breakfast and lunch breaks could make this juggle a smooth ride, especially for reducing the breakfast and lunchtime workload when the family is generally having meals together. There could be a no meetings policy in the 8-9:30 am or 1-2 pm time bands. Most schools are running e-learning sessions for children and probably not all families have personal laptops/computers. Companies could allow employees to use their official laptops to enable continuity of learning for their children. With always-on unsettling news blaring, disheartening projections of the economic impact of COVID-19 and to top it up, kids fussing about food and getting cranky due to this long lockdown, it’s only natural to experience anxiety and frustration at times. However, not giving vent and letting this build-up within oneself can have serious consequences on both mental and physical health. Companies could support employees through virtual counselling sessions with professionals, laughter yoga sessions, breathing exercises or something like a date with an anonymous agony aunt for simply venting out and shedding the load! A pep-talk with one’s manager, senior leadership or someone from the company’s talent team could also have a positive and comforting impact on the employee. Chanda Sarma, Regional Head-Operations(North), WATConsult and mother of two kids: <div type="image" title="Watconsult - Mother" msid="75609336" hostid="261"></div> Quarantine has not been easy for anyone and perhaps is slightly more difficult for mothers with young kids. Household chores and professional responsibilities clubbed with a time when kids are completely homebound is a struggle. However, based on my personal experience, co-workers and clients both have been an extension to our families and extremely understanding. Not even once has taking a feeding or diaper break been a challenge and nobody seems to mind a baby gurgling in the background either. I have always been in the camp for flexible timings but for once I feel what we really need are fixed timings. With coordination efforts being on the rise and personal efficiencies being at an all time high, the boundaries of work hours and post-work hours have been blurred significantly. The week is largely divided into work hours, screen time and sleep hours and an official cut off from work should be defined. For anyone who has an extremely active lifestyle, anxiety is not unnatural. I have been extremely lucky to have found coworkers who constantly check on each other and at WATConsult, our days have been filled with a lot of training sessions which go beyond the trade and are focused on our well-being and holistic living. Having attended quite a few of these, I actually feel this should be a norm, quarantine or not. Pragati Chavan, Director- Corporate Communications, DDB Mudra Group and mother of a daughter: <div type="image" title="Pragati, DDB" msid="75609365" hostid="261"></div> The hardest thing about this pandemic is the uncertainty it has brought with it. Having a support system is important at the best of times, and crucial in these testing times. At the cost of sounding like an acceptance speech, my husband, in-laws and colleagues have supported me fully to manage work, childcare, and running a household as best as possible. We share all the household duties, childcare responsibilities and everything else in between. As a parent to a toddler who’s entered terrible twos in full gusto, and as a busy working professional, routine is my best friend. There are days when everything’s going according to plan and on some days it's complete chaos. But for someone who’s a stickler for planning, being comfortable with the unstructured parts of my day is a huge learning experience for me. Guess there’s some silver lining after all. Currently, people are not working from home, they are working from home during a crisis. It’s an important distinction for companies to recognise. Luckily for me, my company has been extremely flexible and quick in framing policies that really look after working moms like me. Simple policies like no calls during 1-3 p.m. and following clear boundaries between work and home on weekends is a life-saver. During this lockdown, my parents are in a different location than me. So in addition to the stress of maintaining a work routine and looking after our own health, I am constantly anxious about my parents. During such times, more than policies, it is genuine empathy that helps. This, in turn, is driven by corporate culture. I’ve had colleagues offer to check in on my parents and to help with emergencies, which is really touching. Our HR team has also been proactively reaching out to everyone on a weekly basis.

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